Presentation to Advisory Committees: August 31, September 9 and 14, 2004
Health and Social Services Advisory Committee, Poverty Issues Advisory
Committee, Seniors Advisory Committee, Ottawa Youth Cabinet
Community
Houses Review:
Scheduled
Report to Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee (HRSS) on 21 October
2004
Background:
Description of Community Houses:
Community
Houses are neighbourhood-based resources located in Ottawa Community Housing
Corporation communities. These resources are located in communities with
significant needs and social and economic issues such as poverty, unemployment,
social isolation, and lack of integration in the wider community.
Community
Houses coordinate and facilitate programs and services that respond to the specific
needs of their communities. These Houses offer a friendly drop-in environment
and access to relevant information and services. Their proximity to the
residents offers first contact for immediate support and referrals to
appropriate resources in the community. Those services and programs are
community-driven and accessible.
Most of the
Community Houses have also been able to organize a variety of programs for
youth, children, newcomers and other residents within their respective
neighbourhoods through volunteer contributions and funding support from various
sources.
Initially,
the City of Ottawa funded the Community Houses via its Community Project
Funding Program. In 1998, the City of
Ottawa provided $15,000 to each of the eight Community Houses for a total of
$120,000. This funding became sustaining in 2000 and gradually increased to
represent, in 2004, a total of $ 461,712 now provided to 14 Community Houses.
Community Houses also receive funding through the National Child Benefit
Savings Reinvestment program, totalling $100,000 in 2004. Debra Dynes Family House also receives
funding for its food program.
The
Community Houses:
Funding
from the City of Ottawa goes to fourteen Community Houses: Banff, Belair
Community Place (is not in OCHC community and is not a member of the
Coalition of Community Houses), Blair Court, Britannia Woods, Carsons Road,
Confederation Court, Debra Dynes, Foster Farm, Lowertown Good Neighbours,
Michele Heights, Morrison Gardens, Pinecrest Terrace, Russell Heights and
Winthrop. Caldwell Family Services,
which is a member of the Coalition of Community Houses, receives funding
through the Day Programs envelope.
Purpose of Report going to HRSS:
The
Community and Protective Services Department has been directed to initiate a
review of the Community Houses. In March of 2004, as part of the budget
deliberations, the following motion was presented to HRSS and approved by
Council:
|
That staff review in consultation with the
Coalition of Community Houses the appropriate funding level to support the
activities of community houses and report to the committee in time for the
2005 budget process. |
The review
process includes the following:
·
Review
of a number of key documents identified by City staff and the Coalition of
Ottawa Community Houses such as funding history, logic model and/or strategic
planning
·
Review
and update of existing data to create a matrix of services which describes:
services, programs, distribution of Community Houses across the City, user
profiles, number of clients, number of volunteers, governance, partnerships,
etc.
·
Visits
and meetings (group and individual interviews) at each of the fourteen
Community Houses, including with staff, Board members, clients/residents; also
interviews with key stakeholders including Community Health and Resource
Centres, Ottawa Community Housing Corporation and other agencies.
Summary of Findings, Issues and Opportunities to
Date:
The
Community Houses have a specific role to play in the networking of local
Health, Recreation and Social Services delivery model. They are the first point
of contact for many tenants. Some of
the services are provided directly by the Community House but they also enhance
the possibility of other organizations such as Community Health and Resource
Centres to outreach their services in these communities. Observations and
discussions indicate that there is no duplication of existing services;
Community Houses are recognized as an essential service which links people
living in poverty to the services they need.
The
interviews with staff, Board Members and stakeholders have identified some
issues and emerging needs:
·
Additional
administrative support is required
·
Large
staff turnovers is a challenge
·
Financial
sustainability is needed
·
Sustaining
funding for Youth programming is needed
Each
Community House has been developed according to the needs of the community they
serve. Therefore they are quite different from each other in the following
areas:
·
Type
of governance
·
Tenants
involvement
·
Staff
functions
·
Programs
and services provided
·
Support
from other agencies, City of Ottawa and OCHC
The final report will include the following:
·
Program
and service context:
o Summary of existing Community Houses
service delivery models and governance
o Proposed strategy that responds to
existing and increased demand of resources on Community Houses services and
programs
o Development of optional service
delivery models allowing enhanced efficiency/effectiveness of services within
available financial, material and human resources available
·
Outcomes
and impacts:
o Summary of current utilization of
Community Houses by clients and volunteers and of positive impacts of services
provided on people and communities as well as challenges that remain
·
Leveraging
capacity:
o Summary of existing levels of
funding and resources provided by the City and other partners
o Identification of a process to
address equitable funding and long term sustainability of Community Houses