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As a community partner in the newly formed NonProfit
Library Network we will provide a key resource for access to practice-based
information and
knowledge exchange for everyone in our community. Program components include:
hosting of a Community Collection (a deposit library collection of over 50
titles) and a workstation to support access to virtual library resources (a
dedicated terminal for online catalogue searches). Please stay tuned as we plan a public education forum and a launch date for the resource center scheduled to open early in the New Year. We look forward to working with Imagine Canada and the NonProfit Library Network, a broad and diverse community of information providers that have a collective commitment to improving access to information on philanthropy, voluntary action and nonprofit and charitable organizations in Ontario. Please contact Marie Klassen, Community Information & Referral Centre (626-9626) for more information.
Here in Thunder Bay we continue to work towards the implementation of “211” service access for Northwestern Ontario. With 2 year funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the United Way and LSPC/CIRC have been able to hire a project Manager to lead the process. Bernie Blake the new Project Manager comes with a wealth of management experience from Bell Canada and will work with the 211 Committees to develop and implement a strategy that will ensure the success of the national 211 initiative in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. Welcome Bernie!
Learn More About the Local 211 Initiative If you ask the average person what elder abuse means they will tell you it is hitting a senior. However, it is rarely that. Most of the calls that are referred to me from the Community Elder Abuse Committee Line, manned by trained staff at the Community Information Referral Centre (CIRC) are to do with psychological abuse, financial abuse and neglect. Those are the primary kinds of abuse we deal with. Financial abuse is a big issue because sadly, when it comes to money and property, things can get ugly. Equally prevalent is emotional abuse. Over the past year I have been called directly by seniors or their families or had referrals from CIRC that involved approximately 75 seniors in Thunder Bay. Detective Lewis with our local police is usually working flat out on upwards of 20 cases that involve physical or financial abuse. So, even though you rarely hear about it, like all communities, we have serious issues with elder abuse here in Thunder Bay. Statistics tell us between 1% and 10% of all seniors are experiencing some kind of abuse, yet it is scarcely talked about. It is hidden. That is mainly because most abuse is perpetrated by family members or care givers and seniors don’t want to tell on those they love or depend on. Elder abuse is a complex issue that includes seniors not realizing they have a right to be treated with more kindness and respect; feeling shame or blaming themselves; or with shifting power within a family as the older person becomes more vulnerable; or it may be due to family dynamics and history. Whatever the cause, it needs to stop. All seniors have a right to be safe and respected. And, to be treated like any other adult. Consider the following: Mary is 77 and lives with her daughter’s family; she has a small basement flat. Her daughter refuses to let her drive in the winter because she might have an accident. Her grandson uses her car and Mary ends up paying for most of the gas. Mary is taken out to shop once a week and to medical appointments, otherwise, she’s house-bound for five months of the year. Her daughter has become her parent and makes decisions for Mary that Mary is perfectly able to make herself. When Mary protests, she is told it is for her own safety. Frequently Mary is talked about as if she isn’t capable and often excluded from outings as she “probably needs to rest.” Is Mary being mistreated? Harry, 72, keeps a clean but messy house. He has a husky dog that sheds and his family complains about the house being untidy; they warn him he’ll soon need to go into a home. They seldom visit. Harry is often lonely yet his grandkids only turn up around the time he gets his pension cheque to borrow money they don’t return and eat his groceries. Is Harry being well treated? Jean, 69, has started dating a nice man . She was widowed 3 years ago. Her family is pressuring her to stop seeing him because she is reasonably well off and “he’s bound to be after her money.” Jean is feeling overwhelmed by all their nagging. Jean is healthy and sound of mind, she wants to make her own choices. Is her family being fair? Perhaps when you read this you will do some thinking about your own family? If you are getting older, are you being respected and well treated? If you have older parents, are you being kind to them? If we’re lucky, we all get old – that should be a safe and special time.
Christmas Fest celebrates its 18th year at the Community Auditorium, Nov 26-27. Over 60 high quality artisans are selling items that make the perfect gift—everything from stained glass angels to fragrant soaps to designer jewelry and much more. Enjoy the talents of the different musical performers while you dine on delicious gourmet foods. Take a walk by the Wreath Auction area to see if your favorite Thunder Bay Celebrity has brought a wreath for you to bid on. A special tribute to Woodland Artist, Roy Thomas is planned in cooperation with the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and selected Aboriginal artisans will display and sell their crafts. Peruse your way thru the 3 floors of the Auditorium and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes, and get a real feel for the Christmas spirit. After placing your bids at the silent auction, find a seat and enjoy the cameo appearance of Daylin James. Admission is $3.00 at the door and children under 12 are free. One stop shopping and entertainment… it truly is “The perfect way to start the season”.
At the 41st Annual General Meeting of the LSPC, members were updated on the 211 project by 211 Committee Chair Greg Pilot. The LSPC has partnered with the United Way to develop this telephone help-line for community services to be built on the success of our CIRC program. Details of the project are provided on page 1 of this newsletter. We also heard from Brenda Small of Negahneewin College of Indigenous Studies , who provided a thought-provoking view of partnership development – a message that is sure to impact the future of the LSPC. The LSPC membership elected a slate of Directors to serve on its Board for 2005-06, and at a subsequent Board meeting the officer positions were chosen. 2005/06
LSPC Board of Directors
A team of LSPC staff and volunteers made a presentation at a workshop at the Northern Ontario Education Leaders Conference (NOEL) Oct. 14/05. Led by Pam Burton, Project Coordinator of the Social and Economic Inclusion Initiative (SEII), the team presented the Education Resource Package, a collection of lessons designed to deal with racism, particularly as it relates to Aboriginal youth. The Resource was developed in cooperation with teachers and students of both the Public and Catholic School boards. The Resource Package is user friendly, appealing-to-teens and easily applied across a wide variety of curricula and at all high school grade levels. Workshop participants expressed considerable interest in the Resource Package and eagerly await its distribution to all high schools in Northwestern Ontario as well as on the LSPC website, www.lspc.ca. Other members of the team include, Sasha Sky, student at Churchill High School, Adele Vaillant, teacher at St. Patrick’s High School and Carol Rusak, Chair of the SEII Steering Committee.
The Good Food Box is a non-profit program for families and individuals who want to purchase quality, fresh, local food at a lower price than shopping at grocery stores. You can purchase a family box for $20 or an individual box for $12. Boxes are ordered and paid for by the first Thursday of each month. Food is packed and distributed from a main site to local host sites for pick up by the third Thursday of each month. This means food is accessible at a time when some have less money available for buying food. What Comes in the Box?
Web Conferencing LSPC Acquires GIS Software LSPC Website
Bruno Carella – has provided consulting and facilitation services to various community agencies include Hagi Community Services for Independence and Fast Forward Thunder Bay; he continues to volunteer for Hagi as well as the LSPC. His interest in joining the LSPC Board stems from his positive experience as co-chair of an alliance of community support service agencies which was formed to focus the health policy debate towards our many community services. The LSPC is in an ideal position to lead the transformation of the non-profit sector within a financially constrained environment. This would be accomplished through partnerships with like-minded agencies to form a strong base for the local non-profit sector from which programs would be effectively delivered to match the needs in the community, as derived from collaborative research projects.
On September 20 the LPSC President and its Executive Director met with MP Ken Boschoff to increase awareness of the alarming rate of child poverty. Our effort was part of a national campaign to ensure that MPs across the country are aware of the failure of a 1989 unanimous resolution in the House of Commons to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000. After some minor improvements, recent data reveals a reversal towards increased child poverty rates. The national campaign seeks to ensure that all MPs are aware of the issue so that child poverty becomes a cornerstone of the next Federal Budget. LSPC representatives were joined by members of the Urban Aboriginal Strategy and Thunder Bay Economic Justice Committee, which subsequently met with MP Joe Comuzzi on the same topic. The approach to this meeting is indicative of the LSPC’s approach to partnerships with like-minded agencies, expressing a clear, coordinated message to increase the impact on the political process. LSPC is collaborating with Magnus Theatre on the writing of a 1-2 act script that addresses the issue of racism in high schools as it affects Aboriginal youth. The script will be ready by the end of November and will be part of the Education Resource Package developed through the Social and Economic Inclusion Initiative (SEII). Magnus Theatre will involve students, especially Aboriginal, and teachers in the development of the script. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness that racism exists in our schools and in our community and to motivate the audience toward a contemplation of racial issues, a quest for solutions and positive action. The play will be further developed by Magnus Theatre and presented to the community in April/06. Carol Rusak, Chair of the SEII Steering Committee is leading this project. After a successful period as Executive Director, Frank Wilson has decided to leave the LSPC for personal reasons. We are grateful for his contribution and wish him and his family all the best. The LSPC has formed an Effectiveness Task Force to develop an alternate operating model for the organization within its limited budget. To provide time for the Task Force to report to the Board, the following interim Management Structure has been put in place: The President will serve as Ex-Officio Executive Director, Marie Klassen will serve as Program Director responsible for the coordination of all programs and Bev Gamble will serve as Office Manager responsible for general administration. Pam Burton, SEII Project Coordinator & Curriculum Developer, the SEII Steering Committee, and the Building Social Inclusion Team have worked very hard and are pleased to announce that on November 25, 2005 the “Building Social Inclusion by Combating Racism” education resource package will be completed and available at no cost on the LSPC Website (available shortly). We will also be printing and distributing copies of the package to all secondary schools in Northwestern Ontario.
Network North 1 is one of several networks funded by Industry Canada, through its Community Access Program (CAP). The project’s goal is to lessen the digital divide by providing Internet access and training to targeted groups such as Aboriginals, the Francophone population, youth, new Immigrants, seniors, low-income residents, people with disabilities and residents of remote communities. It aims to assist with information that helps individuals to make informed decisions about a variety of issues, including social and community development, health and government issues. Network North 1, a consortium of 29 organizations (10 local and 19 regional), continues to provide clients with the information and knowledge to effectively use the Internet and computers in general, to obtain online services and to participate more fully in the knowledge of economy. As host of Network North 1, Lakehead Social Planning Council oversees and administrates the functions of the project. For the 2005-2006 fiscal year, a total of $136,400 was allocated to Network North 1.
Learn More about the CAP Program
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