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A Message from Executive Director, Terri Gray
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Greetings Everyone,
2018 is shaping up to be a very action packed year. CLOC has been busy working on our new location on King Street, that was announced in the last edition of Around the CLOC, and some of the expansion and reorganization that will be happening as a result of this new acquisition. Here are some updates:
- Zoning for the King Street location has been approved, and permits have been issued. The contractor for the renovations has been secured and renovations have begun. We were hoping to have the location opened in early April, however, this is contingent on construction being completed on time. Any construction delays will delay our move-in date.
- The purchase of the King Street location will allow CLOC to expand to serve six new people who have been prioritized through the Ministry’s Multi Year Residential Planning process (MYRP) and who are in urgent need of supports. This also allows us to reorganize and address the changing needs of several people already in our residential services.
- CLOC is receiving new funding to support these six new people. This funding is coming under specific guidelines for service related costs and renovations and can’t be used to address other budgetary pressures or wage increases. You might have noticed there was a press release through an MPP that announced that CLOC is receiving $218,500 to increase capacity and expand residential supports for adults with developmental disabilities through the MYRP Strategy. These are capital funds for the renovations needed at King Street.
- It is important to note that CLOC did not receive new funding for the purchase of the new home at King Street, but is receiving one time funding to make renovations as noted above. We have used equity in existing CLOC properties to make the down payment to purchase the King Street location. This debt will be repaid through our operating budget.
- We have begun the planning process with the people we serve who are involved in the reorganization/moves, and their families, as well as employees. This process, as you can imagine, is quite complicated due to the number of people involved, and their needs and wants. On the basis of the feedback received, some plans have been adjusted/amended, as we reconsider support needs and locations. We will continue to engage with specific people and their teams as the plans/transitions unfold.
- While CLOC is reorganizing staffing, its total number of employees will increase through this process.
CLOC continues to be committed to open communication regarding this expansion, and will continue to provide updates through the Around the CLOC Community Newsletter, along with our website and social media. We are excited about this expansion and appreciate your support and patience as we move along in this huge process. CLOC is proud of the collaborative efforts taking place between the people we serve, employees and families, as it is this work that has allowed us to partner with the Ministry and respond to the growing and ever-changing needs in our community.
Sincerely,
Terri Gray
Executive Director
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Happy 65th Anniversary CLOC!
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CLOC is looking forward to celebrating it's 65th ANNIVERSARY year! Each event held throughout the year will highlight our history and your memories about CLOC.
Help us celebrate by attending events, and by submitting your memories and reflections about CLOC in the form of photographs or stories to
Marnie Salonius
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Strategic Planning for 2019 to 2023
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What is STRATEGIC PLANNING?
Strategic planning is important to an organization because it provides a sense of direction and outlines measurable goals. Strategic planning is a tool that is useful for guiding day-to-day decisions and also for evaluating progress and changing approaches when moving forward. In order to make the most of strategic planning, organizations give careful thought to the strategic objectives they outline, and then back up these goals with realistic, thoroughly researched, quantifiable benchmarks for evaluating results.
CLOC is currently undertaking planning in order to develop strategic priorities to take the organization into the future, from 2019 to 2023. A consultant has been engaged in order to guide CLOC through the process.
An initial SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) was completed at a family/membership meeting on November 21st, 2017. Once into the new year, interviews were conducted during January and February with CLOC's external stakeholders, including funders, municipal leaders, partner organizations and other Community Living organizations. Fifty three people receiving services and their families participated in one of four consultation meetings on February 5th. Employees participated in a SWOT exercise during team meetings in January and February to also provide feedback towards the plan. CLOC's Board of Directors and Leadership team took part in a planning session held on February 24th.
Feedback from all of these sessions will be used in order to move forward in creating CLOC's new strategic plan that will launch in 2019.
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Thank you MPP Jennifer French!
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CLOC would like to thank MPP Jennifer French for featuring Community Living Oshawa/Clarington when speaking recently in the Legislature at Queen's Park. Check out MPP French's speech below.
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65th Anniversary Pub Night Media Kickoff
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On January 24th, CLOC held a Pub Night Kickoff for its 65th Anniversary, to tell media, politicians and community partners what the organization has planned for its 65th year. The event was held at Kedron Dells Golf Club, and we were thrilled to welcome three MPPs and two Mayors to help start the year off with some excitement; from L to R: MPP Jennifer French, Patrick Grist (President, CLOC's Board of Directors), MPP Lorne Coe, Terri Gray (CLOC's Executive Director), Adrian Foster (Mayor of Clarington), MPP Granville Anderson, John Henry (Mayor of Oshawa), Bob Chapman (Councillor, City of Oshawa). The event was well covered by media, including SNAPd Oshawa.
Click here
to view SNAPd's coverage of the event.
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Adrian Foster (Mayor of Clarington), Terri Gray (Executive Director of CLOC) & Patrick Grist (CLOC's Board President)
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Former Board member Judy talks about how CLOC has provided support to her over the years, as MC Derek Grieve (W.B. White) looks on.
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Multi-Year Residential Planning Strategy
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From the Ministry of Community and Social Services
January 17, 2018
Ontario is investing in repairs, renovations and improved living spaces at residential properties across the province that serve adults with developmental disabilities.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario is investing $3 million to conduct repairs and upgrades at the residential properties of developmental service providers across the province through the MultiYear Residential Planning Strategy.
- In Durham, Community Living Oshawa Clarington is receiving over $218,500.00
- Community Living Durham North is receiving $101,400.00
- This funding will increase capacity and improve overall site conditions to support program delivery, which will help adults with developmental disabilities achieve their goals.
- The Multi-Year Residential Planning strategy is being used to deliver part of the province’s $677 million investment over four years in community and developmental services as announced in Budget 2017.
- Through the Multi-Year Residential Planning strategy, a total of $2 million has been invested since 2016/17.
- Ontario provides funding for residential supports for more than 18,000 adults with developmental disabilities.
- Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province’s history. To learn more about what’s happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.
To read the complete news release from the Ministry of Community and Social Services,
click here
.
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Education Advocacy for Students with a Disability
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Education Advocacy for Students with a Disability
is a brand new website detailing the most important concepts in education advocacy in Canada.
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OASIS Operating Cost Pressures Survey Report
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The OASIS Operating Pressures survey was sent out to Developmental Services (DS) Sector organizations to complete from August 18, 2017 until September 15, 2017.
As with the previous surveys, the intent was to gather information regarding the DS sector’s increased operating cost pressures; where the pressures were arising from; how organizations were dealing with the pressures; and, to solicit ideas for dealing with these pressures that other agencies could adopt.
The survey was distributed to the organizations using email (OASIS ED mailing list and the Provincial Network Member’s mailing lists) and participants were asked to complete an on-line survey. It is estimated that approximately 225 organizations were asked to participate.
123 organizations participated for a 55% participation rate (an increase of 12% over the 2014 survey).
These 123 organizations account for:
- Over $950 million in total annualized budgets (approximately 42% of the total provincial DS budget)
- Over $815 million in MCSS funding
- Supporting more than 58,000 individuals (35,000 supported by MCSS funds).
- Employing over 23,000 people (10,004 full time, 9,071 part time, 3,513 casual, 2,041 management - approximately 75% of the employees in the sector).
The overall message from the survey respondents can be summarized as:
- Low staff morale
- Services to individuals are being cut or reduced
- Agencies are not able to maintain the desired quality of service
- More time and effort is required to comply with administrative regulations (time and effort taken away from client care)
Unfortunately, this is almost identical to the messages of the last survey conducted in 2014.
OASIS has provided a series of recommendations for social service agencies to reach out to local politicians in order to open a conversation about:
- Stable, increased, long-term funding for the sector as a whole
- The sector requiring money for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance
- Once clearer, the impacts Bill 145 and 148 will have on the sector:
how will they affect staff compensation budgets?
how will they affect overall operating budgets?
how will this impact individuals service(s)?
where is the funding coming from to address any increases in costs?
CLOC has reached out to local MPPs to begin this discussion.
If you would like to read the entire Survey Report, please
click here
.
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#developmentalservicesmatter
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On November 22, 2017 OASIS (Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs) launched the
SHARE #developmentalservicesmatter Campaign
. OASIS is asking people who support developmental services to reach out and speak out about the issues facing the sector, and has devised a plan for all developmental services supporters to present a united front. As one of the 197 agencies that make up OASIS, CLOC is putting out a call to action.
Let’s continue to strengthen our UNIFIED voice. Please go to these pages (see links below) NOW and like and RETWEET and SHARE the posts then SHARE your story. Your story will strengthen the message by providing a face to the need and help create a ground swell of necessity for a response from Government that is appropriate and that meets our needs. If you have videos and testimonials that highlight why developmental services matter or statistics that highlight how multiple years of underfunding have effected you, this is where you SHARE them.
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We know Ontario can be a better place for those with developmental disabilities. Community agencies have embraced transformative changes to face the growing need, but they have reached the breaking point. It’s time to share the responsibility and share in their success. Start by sharing this post and share your story in the comments below to show they are not alone.
#DevelopmentalServicesMatter
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With so many of Ontario’s most vulnerable on a never-ending waitlist for support, can we really keep asking them to be patient? It’s time for us all to share in their struggle. Start by sharing this post and share your story in the comments below to show that they are not alone.
#DevelopmentalServicesMatter
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Family/Membership Meeting
Tuesday March 20th at 6pm
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CLOC's next Family/Membership Meeting is scheduled to be held at 6
pm on Tuesday March 20th
, downstairs at 39 Wellington. Everyone is invited to attend. Because it is CLOC's 65th Anniversary year, the previously retired Annie Shorten Award, in recognition of dedication and ourstanding contributions to the lives of people receiving services from CLOC, will be presented this evening. A Special Members meeting will take place at 6:45pm for those who have filled out a membership form with the organization. Contact Wendy Shaw at x330, or
wshaw@communitylivingoc.ca
for further details or to RSVP.
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Spirit Crew Progressive Euchre Tournament
Friday March 23 at 6pm
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The Spirit Crew is holding a Progressive Euchre Tournament in order to raise funds for employee appreciation on Friday March 23rd, at the Clarington Project (2444 Baseline Road, Bowmanville).
It will cost you $10 to play, and pre-registration is required. Bring your extra quarters, as you will toss in 25 cents each time you are euchred.
Cash prize to the winner!
To register by March 16th, please contact Karen Dallaire at 905-576-3011 x334, or via email at kdallaire@communitylivingoc.ca.
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CLOC Through the Decades - 65th Anniversary Cocktail Celebration
Thursday May 10, 2018 at 6pm
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Celebrate CLOC's 65th Anniversary at this Cocktail Celebration, being held at Kedron Dells Golf Club. This event will showcase the evolution of CLOC through the decades with historical photographs and items on display, a huge silent auction, great food and music, and the launch of a very special project we are putting together for our 65
th
year. Tickets are $65, and can be purchased now! Please note that ticket purchases are non-refundable. Should you purchase tickets and be unable to attend, we will happily donate your tickets so that people who receive services from CLOC can attend the event.
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CLOC's Spirit Crew has been busy working behind the scenes on some team building exercises for everyone at CLOC. Over the past 2 months we have asked employees and the people who receive services from CLOC to dress in their best for Team Jersey Day and Olympics Day. Enjoy the photos!
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Don't forget that you can connect and get the latest in news from CLOC by checking out our Social Media pages. Please encourage the people who receive services, their families, and anyone else you know to connect with CLOC via social media, as well. Click below to transport to CLOC's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube profiles, along with CLOC's brand new website.
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STAY CONNECTED with SOCIAL MEDIA
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