3. Acronyms:
Community Outreach Programs in Addictions (COPA)
Humber Helps (HH)
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH)
Masters of Social Work students (MSW)
Sustainable Housing Solutions and Support Systems (SHSSS)
Toronto City Housing (TCH)
Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN)
Toronto Drop-In Network (TDIN)
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4. 1.0 Executive Summary
Sustainable Housing Solutions and Support Services is a long overdue strategy
developed by Humber Helps catered to men experiencing homelessness in the Regent Park
area of Toronto. Though social housing projects have existed in Canada since the 1940’s,
political changes and population increase has altered the context for change. SHSSS focuses
specifically on a sustainable reintegration of transitioning homeless men through the
improved social services and support programs.
The target population consists of men who live below the poverty line, lack the
capacities for educational and employment pursuits, cope with addiction problems and
therein lack stability and independence. Ryerson Masters of Social Work (MSW) students
will work with 250 of these men on a weekly basis for an 8 month period of time. They will
be partnered with supportive local shelters and community counselling services. Not only
will this benefit the livelihoods of men and improve their individual capacities, it provides
MSW students with valuable and relevant experience in their field. HH will then run a four
month advocacy campaign to properly translate the results into feasible evidence,
demonstrating the need for increased funding to transitional housing support services.
Thereby this will alleviate pressure on shelters and create safer neighborhoods.
The project is seeking $342, 775 from Toronto Central LHIN whose visions are
parallel with HH. Toronto Central LHIN aims to increase the health of communities in
Ontario, transforming the system to achieve better health outcomes for current and future
populations. Their emphasis on sustainable housing systems partnered with Humber
Help’s mission, will provide a successful solution to a cyclical problem. SHSSS requires no
development of expensive infrastructure, partnering with like-minded professionals for
mutually beneficial involvement.
2.0 Background and Rationale
Toronto has seen a 3.6% increase of individuals experiencing homelessness in the
last two years.Sustainable Housing Solutions and Support Systems is a pilot project
targeting the Regent Park neighborhood in downtown Toronto - specifically the region
bordered by Gerard, River, Shuter and Parliament Streets, totalling approximately 69 acres
of the downtown core. Home to roughly 10,000 residents, there is an extremely high
number of individuals experiencing homelessness; the population of homeless men in the
City of Toronto is estimated at just over 5000. The prevalence of men experiencing
homelessness is greater than women, accounting for 80% of the homeless demographic in
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5. the city. Our project therefore targets menwho have been cycling through a number of
Toronto-based shelters for a substantial amount of time.
The rates of unemployment in the Regent Park area are substantial, with rates as
high as 21.3% of the population. Additionally, crime rates are high compared to the City of
Toronto as a whole-an average of 12 crimes against people per 1000 individuals living in
the area. A redevelopment plan was implemented in 2005 to rebuild and renew the Regent
Park community through a revitalization project in the hopes of creating a mixed-income
community and reducing the amount of homeless people in the area. As a result of factors
such as poverty, unemployment, mental health issues, and addiction - as well as a lack of
services to address these prevalent issues - men are unable to maintain their residence
even when affordable housing is available. Targeting these barriers through in-depth
support systems can increase the capacity of homeless men to live in housing units, thereby
offering a sustainable solution to reduce the number of homeless men in the region.
Our project is of particular relevance as the municipal government has cut social
housing funds in half in 2013 - from 49 million down to just 24 million dollars. This has
significantly reduced funding to a number of shelters and their employed support workers
who are responsible for facilitating the transition of homeless men into housing. This
ultimately creates a barrier to providing sustainable housing solutions. Due to their focus
mainly on infrastructure without the social services necessary, the long-term success of the
project remains to be seen. Humber Help aims to target the gap of required social services
that will support the alleviation of homelessness.
The Humber Help (HH) project is compatible with Toronto Central Local Health
Integration Network (LHIN) due to the mutual priorities and goals of both organizations.
By providing the foundation of support through the partnership with social workers, this
facilitates the provision of support services to homeless men like substance abuse
counseling and employment training. Consideration for the high proportion of seniors is
included by both organizations; it is the fastest growing age group in the LHIN with a
projected increase of 48.5 per cent between 2005 and 2015.
With both organizations based out of Toronto, a deep understanding of the diverse
demographic is shared - both in the mosaic of cultures, educational backgrounds, and
available community services in Toronto, but also in the unfortunate disparities in access
to these services, employment and affordable housing. In 2013, Toronto LHIN spent over
$109 million on addictions support, supportive housing and community mental health
throughout their 66 programs. As a legally registered charity claiming tax-exempt status,
HH offers a unique project that supports the goals of the LHIN while targeting a serious gap
in services. HH consists of an educated and specialized team with the organizational and
3
6. managerial capacity necessary to partner with LHIN and significantly reduce the amount of
homelessness in Toronto.
Please refer to Annex 8.1: Community Map
3.0 Project Description
3.1: Project Goal and Purpose
Goal
The project goal consists of two parts; the first is to increase the connection and
support between men experiencing homelessness and the social services provided particularly when it comes to the transition from shelters to self-contained housing units.
The second is to present the positive results of our project to the community at large and to
the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) in an advocacy-based approach to
ultimately increase awareness and strengthen support services in Regent Park.
The objective behind this is to enable these men to maintain sustainable livelihoods
and decrease the rates of homelessness within the neighbourhood. HH plans to achieve this
by addressing the core problem of the lack of housing workers and the need for consistent
counselling support during their transition into independent housing. The project plans to
increase the number of housing workers and counsellors by recruiting students completing
their Masters of Social Work at Ryerson University. Through their required placements,
students will work in correspondence with Toronto shelters to build a support framework
for homeless men transitioning out of shelters. The enhanced support will allow men to
maintain their own housing units and the SHSSS project aims at a success rate of 75%. The
program will also address the disconnect in communication between front-line workers
and municipal government, advocating for greater government support on this local issue.
Purpose
On a macro level, the purpose of this project is to break the cycle of poverty and
create better livelihoods not only for the men who are experiencing homelessness but also
for the surrounding Regent Park community. This initiative will lower crime, build safer
neighbourhoods, strengthen civic body, create harmony between different classes and
cultures, and empower people to live more positively and sustainably, rather than
depending on the social services.
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7. 3.2 Expected Results
The project effectively addresses the root causes that perpetuate the cycle of
homelessness and its needed preventative measures. Working within the shelter system
and building on the resources already in place; SHSSS identifies the existing internal and
external gaps that need to be addressed. Primary research has indicated that while men
experiencing homelessness can be provided with physical infrastructure, it is more a
matter of empowering these men to live in their housing long-term.
Results expected throughout the duration of the project will be an ongoing
involvement and communication with landlords to alleviate any problems with their
tenants that may arise. Furthermore, the project will receive police reports of the area,
several times a year that will indicate a lower prevalence of crime as a result of SHSSS. As a
result of men sustaining their housing through their involvement with SHSSS, shelter
reports will indicate a lower turnover as well as increased availability in short-term beds.
The outcomes will lead to a projected goal of 187 out of the 250 men enrolled in the
SHSSS project maintaining their residence in apartments, a success rate of 75%. This
includes improved mental and financial stability and an overall reduction in drug and/or
alcohol abuse. On a quantitative level this will be apparent in the decreased number of men
in shelters. Qualitatively, these results will be evident through the improvements in the
men’s livelihoods, well-being, self-empowerment, quality of relationships and overall
attitudes. The involvement of Ryerson MSW students will also lead to a successful
completion of their placement and a substantial amount of valuable experience applicable
to their career in the field. The advocacy sector of the project will result in an interest from
the City of Toronto and subsequent financial support, enhancing the project’s legitimacy
and positively changing the community’s outlooks on this social issue and the services
provided.
Please refer to Annex 8.2: Logical Framework Analysis
3.3 Beneficiaries
Humber Helps will be targeting approximately 250 men experiencing homelessness,
specifically middle-aged and elderly men eligible for housing. This project aims to improve
the sustainable reintegration of men into housing, as they account for 56% of the growth of
homelessness in Toronto in the last two years. The numbers of homeless men are more
significant than those of women experiencing homelessness in Canada. While this
particular project is directed towards men, it is easily adaptable for both genders and can
be applied in a variety of contexts and regions. The men chosen as low-medium and high
5
8. risk clients will be consulted by counselors and social workers prior to the beginning of
their reintegration program and eight-week addiction treatment. This will ensure that the
program is designed considering their individual needs and availability - catering the
program structure accordingly. Because the project targets a vulnerable population, the
higher risk individuals will have a more supportive framework. As a result, all men
involved will have the skills to maintain stable employment, improved mental and physical
health, and an overall sense of community and socio-economic contribution. The
participatory approach used by the SHSSS program empowers men by providing them with
the skills necessary to live sustainably.
Social workers completing their final year of schooling will earn credentials from
the City of Toronto having completed the Housing Workers course. They will be an integral
part of the creation and methodology of the support program for men. Regularly
communicating with Humber Helps, they will provide ongoing feedback regarding any
changes needed for the support structure based on their involvement with the men. The
students will earn experience working in various shelters and community support
programs while logging a significant number of hands-on hours in home visits with the
men participating in the program.
Shelters will be consulted prior to the hiring of social work students, providing
feedback based on their experience with homelessness and the most effective approaches.
They will receive increased assistance in the form of social and housing workers,
decreasing their workload and allowing them to focus on men visiting shelters on a daily
basis. Furthermore, the SHSSS program will facilitate the transition of men to their own
housing units, subsequently improving the productivity of the existing overcrowded
shelters. The data collected over the duration of the project will demonstrate the
effectiveness of personalized housing workers, and the feedback from shelter employees
on this change will be essential.
Municipal government will also benefit from the SHSSS program, gaining valuable
local information of this ongoing national concern. The results of the project will indicate
the need for more efficient spending in the form of employing long-term support staff. This
will ultimately reduce funding directly to shelters as a short-term response to eliminate the
amount of people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
The Regent Park neighbourhood will indirectly benefit from the project. With less
men living on the streets in the surrounding area this will reflect a reduction of men with
drug or alcohol problems. This will further result in an overall safer environment with
reduced crime rates, as well as a potential increase in property value for the nearby
population.
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9. 3.4 Project Activities, Timeframe
The project is scheduled to run for 12 months - from September of 2014 to
September 2015. However, the initial coordination with partnering shelters and
universities will include the negotiation of terms to be secured prior to project
implementation - in May of 2014. Recruitment of social work students for the project will
take place as early as June 2014, while the clients will be selected in early September.
Roughly 12-13 clients will be assigned to each Social Work practitioner. To ensure smooth
integration into the program, the social work students will attend a full-day orientation and
training workshop in mid-September provided by the City of Toronto that provides
Housing Worker certification. Throughout the duration of their schooling the social work
students will have learned case management and counseling.
The coordination of social work students and their clients will depend on the
assessed level of each client’s needs; low-medium and high-risk men will be encouraged to
enroll in an 8-week training workshop beginning in October 2014. These workshops are
offered through COPA and held continually every 8 weeks until the end of the placement in
April 2015. The program provides necessary support options in the event that any men
need to complete the program again. Men assessed to be of high-risk will be introduced to
an additional sessional psychiatric therapist at COPA.
Throughout this 8-month placement, students will work two days a week with their
clients and meet with the HH team every two weeks at the Team Space. During this time
they will discuss client progress, attitudes and issues, forward landlord evaluation surveys
and psychiatric reports, and discuss any personal concerns. The HH client-relationship
team will meet with nine of the social work students every Monday, alternating students
each week. The HH administration team will also communicate with housing landlords via
monthly online questionnaires to monitor client progress and address any concerns they
have about the project structure. Landlords can further be met in person if the
questionnaires are not returned.
The collection and synthesis of this data will be an ongoing process throughout the
8-month placement period, with progress reports continually compiled and submitted to
MMAH every three months to communicate the program’s achievements. The final four
months of the project will focus solely on advocacy and the accumulated data. An external
evaluator will be hired to assist in data analysis and legitimacy of the project. Then, a
legislative lawyer will be hired to maneuver through the required legal formalities in order
to accurately convey our pilot to the government. The finalized data will provide evidence
of the long-term financial and social benefits of the project structure, aimed at gaining
ongoing funding from the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
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10. Please refer to Annex 8. 3: Activity Schedule
3.5 Assumptions & Risks
With the collection of primary and secondary data revealing the causes of
homelessness there is an underlying assumption of a need for a community-level solution
to combat this issue. Through consistent support provided by the social work students, HH
will assume the outlined goal that 75% of the men who participate in SHSSS program are
sustainably integrated into society. Due to the structure and time frames within the project,
as well as support services and regular monitoring of the transitioned men, the
unpredictability of men’s situations will be as controlled as possible. While the men’s
receptiveness to councillors cannot be predicted, the men will be assigned to a social
worker best suited to meet their personal rehabilitation needs and the numbers of social
workers are available to provide this. The project has recognized the potential for the
female social workers to be placed in precarious situations with high risk men and Humber
Helps will make the necessary preparations. This will include assigning an additional social
worker to particular clients, or assigning male social work students to these cases to ensure
the safety and comfort of all involved.
The natural progression of the project, from addiction and counseling services to the
monitoring of men in their own housing units, reduces major threats of men relapsing or
being unresponsive to their initial removal from shelters. There will be a wide array of
resources made known and available to the homeless men at all times, and the weekly
visits provided will enable the social workers to recognize these threats immediately.
The project will assume that further budget cuts to social workers and social
services will not take place. While there are challenges regarding the current economic
climate and resources for housing and support workers, the students involved in the SHSSS
program will have an advantage working in the relevant and ongoing issue of homelessness
in Canada. Furthermore, if the municipal government increases funding for support
workers to visit self-contained units belonging to homeless men, these students will have a
competitive benefit. It is possible that council will not be receptive to the advocacy
provided by HH, thus affecting the sustainability of the project after the first year. However
SHSSS provides a sustainable solution that can continue through donor funding and
continuation of social work placements.
Please refer to Annex 8.4: Risk Analysis and Management Matrix
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11. 4.0 Cross-Cutting Issues
4.1 Gender
Social work is a predominantly female-based field in Canada, with females
representing more than 80% of the workforce. HH is an equal opportunity employer that is
predominantly run by educated women. HH ensures that our employees are diversified
with 40% of our employees being male. In Canada, 70% of social managers are women and
HH will make sure that our upper management reflects this number by placing women in
key decision making positions. HH is engaging only men without homes in its program and
therefore does not directly engage women as beneficiaries.
4.2 Environment
Humber Help does not alter, pollute or disrupt the natural environment in which the
program operates. This is due to the fact that this project takes place in a previously
urbanized neighborhood with pre-existing infrastructure.
4.3 Sustainability
Humber Helps will not only be a 12 month project; it is a project that can continue
until each homeless male is adequately supported by his community and able to contribute.
To achieve this, funding will come from Toronto Central LHIN who will receive continual
feedback throughout the monitoring and evaluation of activities and results they produce.
For eight months, HH will have a significantly larger staff than its core members as the
social work graduate students account for a substantial percentage. If the project has not
secured long-term funding from the MMAH, it can continue with the support of local
universities and the required social work placements each year from local universities. It
can also continually seek out funding from socially-oriented foundations. Furthermore, it
does not create a dependency on program coordinators themselves, as their primary
responsibility in this project is collecting data used for advocacy purposes; therefore it can
be sustainable for community and shelters.
Humber Helps can be replicated in other provincial and Canadian cities that have
social support systems such as COPA and the additional social framework to integrate our
project. Cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal are examples where
projects like SHSSS can be implemented. In terms of financial sustainability, this project
creates socio-economic opportunities for the newly transitioned men to contribute back
into society as their living standards rise.
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12. 5.0 Project Management and Organizational Capacity
The project draws on the specific skills, experience and qualifications of the Humber
Help team. The team has extensive local knowledge of the community, and therefore an indepth understanding of the needs and issues of this target population. With this local
knowledge comes pre-existing relationships and networks within the community,
including social work practitioners, educational institutions, the Salvation Army Shelter,
and so on. Additionally, with a main HH office located in close proximity to the target
community, our team is granted the ability to collect additional primary data and to begin
project implementation without travel related costs and delays. Our Toronto based project
also provides our team with a large material capacity, such as access to various meeting
locations and previous secondary data, etc. As a long-term funding prospect, a relationship
with Toronto city council will be pursued from the start. This will be fostered through the
continual submission of project progress reports and a year-end presentation
demonstrating the effectiveness of our project.
Every team member has an undergraduate degree and is completing a postgraduate
certificate in Development Studies. The collective field experience within our team includes
community development based in rural townships in South Africa, shelter management in
Ghana, and education programming in Uganda, as well as significant experience working
within community organizations in Canada. In addition, each Humber Help team has
exceptional organizational and time management skills essential to the success of the
project and are currently gaining significant experience in evaluation tactics. As a
registered charity, HH claims tax-exempt status, increasing organizational legitimacy and
attracting support through the provision of tax receipts.
Our partnering organizations contribute valuable skills and existing networks
within the city, as well as frameworks that strengthen the success of the project. COPA
offers highly reputable addiction counseling services for men over the age of 55, providing
services to marginalized and isolated individuals void of access to other addiction services.
Furthermore, COPA’s First Step to Home programming provides self-contained housing
units and harm reduction services to men who are experiencing homelessness, working
within SHSSS’s project framework.
Toronto Drop In Network (TDIN) is a coalition of 49 drop in centers for homeless
populations in the area, providing a number of social services such as employment
assistance and community involvement activities. These resources and existing services
will be available to each of the men participating in the SHSSS, improving their personal
capacities. Toronto-based shelters including the Salvation Army, St. Stephen’s House,
Seaton House, etc. provide the necessary information about social services to men
10
13. experiencing homelessness, as well as giving them temporary housing. Ryerson’s MSW
programs require students to complete extensive placements in the field. By facilitating
these placements through the SHSSS project, students can assist with the rehabilitation of
homeless men while gaining valuable work experience and the resources for potential
employment. The project also allows the students to apply their learned communication,
observation and critical-thinking skills for the benefit of the primary beneficiaries targeted
by the project.
Please refer to Annex 8.5: Organizational FlowChart
6.0 Monitoring & Evaluation
Humber Helps board members are organized into three teams; administration,
advocacy and client -relationships, each having their own sets of indicators to measure and
evaluate impact of the project. This project will rely heavily on data collected by student
social workers, which will be further analyzed by the HH client-relationship team. In order
to provide meaningful indicators of progress, students will need to maintain a committed
schedule of visiting their 12-13 clients for two days of their weekly field placement.
Students will monitor each man’s progress and report through open-ended reflections after
every meeting; making sure to include a rating of his well-being and whether he is at risk of
losing his housing. Students will need to follow through with submission of weekly reports
and participate in bi-weekly discussions with the client-relationship team; addressing any
concerns that may have arisen. The client-relationship team in HH will also meet the men
briefly on a month-to-month basis to assess the quality of their well-being and their
relationship with assigned social workers; a means of cross-checking the student’s records.
Other indicators the students will use include percentages of men that are active in finding
employment; whether by working on resumes or attending job interviews.
HH administration team will collect attendance records and reports weekly and
biweekly from COPA’s 8-week addictions program and psychiatric counsellors. Both the
low-medium and high risk men should be enrolled in these support services (encouraged
by the social workers) which make them meaningful indicators of progress towards project
objectives. HH administration will also contact the landlords and/or property managers
once a month for the collection of their reports on client behavior; whether they are paying
rent on time and if they have received any complaints. The Toronto police division #51 will
be reached by the HH administration team in the interest of neighborhood crime rates.
Finally, surrounding shelters will be contacted, specifically the Maxwell Meighen Salvation
Army, for attendance records to measure how many men are turned away due to
overcapacity. The names of our target beneficiaries (250 men) will be known by frontline
shelter workers; providing HH with a tangible measurement of cross-checking reports
from landlords. All three HH teams will compile central reports of the outcomes every
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14. month. These will be made available for donor access and will be organized into 3 month
compilations to be sent to MMAH for review.
The monitoring system that is established accommodates all major stakeholders.
The student social workers monitor the impact of the program within the success of each
weekly meeting with their clients. The target beneficiaries are involved through their
weekly meetings with the students. COPA’s councillors are involved through the
submission of weekly and biweekly reports. The surrounding area’s stakeholders will
include the landlords and police. They are all contacted for monthly statistics of the 250
men regarding their behaviour and any correlating criminal activity.
There will be a formal end of project evaluation from an external consultant. This is
both a requirement of the donor Toronto LHIN but also in the interest of HH for project
legitimization for the proposal of SHSSS project to MMAH. The external evaluator will be
hired in mid-May 2014 to perform an assessment and put forth final review by June 2014.
Please refer to Annex 8.6: Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
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15. 7.0 Budget
7.1 Budget Breakdown
Budget Line Item &
Description
Salaries
-Board members
-External
Consultant Review
(2 weeks)
-Legislative Lawyer
(6 hours, $200/hr)
Benefits to
Beneficiaries
Students (20)
- Metro pass
($106/month)
- Food Vouchers
($75/month)
- USB cards
(~$20)
Men (250)
- Professional Clothing
($100/man)
- Phones and prepaid
cards ($100/man)
Insurance
-Board Members
-Social Workers
(Commercial General
Toronto LHIN
$205,100
Percentage of
Total Budget
59.8%
$200,000
$3,900
Our Contribution
Board members (HH) are
not receiving benefits,
subsidizing these costs
themselves
$1,200
$80,135
23.4%
$16,960
$12,800
$375
$25,000
$25,000
$45,000
13%
$9,540
2.8%
Liability Insurance - 20
people for high-risk
situations and 5 board
members at normal
insurance)
Exec. Office Space
Rent
- “Team Space” for
social workers and
private board room
space for board
Board Members will rotate
buying or making snacks
for Teamspace kitchen
every week
13
16. members (utilities and
internet/printing/fax
machine rentals inc) Telesec semi-private
office rental $795 per
month x 12m
Miscellaneous Social Worker-HH
Team Building
Events
Office Supplies
- paper, stationery
Print Materials for
Advocacy
Training
-Toronto City
Housing training
workshop
TOTALS
$2000
0.58%
$500
0.14%
$500
0.14%
Free
---
Board Members will be
using their own computers
and cell phones for
managerial tasks
9 hours of time
-3 Board members will
attend training workshop
$ 342,775
7.2 Budget Narrative
The SPSSS project’s success is dependent hugely on the skilled professionals
facilitating it. Subsequently, $205,100 of our budget is allocated to staff salaries with each
HH board member earning a $40,000. This figure excludes benefits as the HH members will
be responsible for subsidizing this cost themselves. The necessary hiring of an external
consultant in order to increase project legitimacy will cost $3,900 for 2 weeks. The
consultation of a legislative lawyer will cost an additional $1,200 for roughly 6 hours of
service.
The other key professionals involved in the success of the SPSSS project are the
MSW students. Benefits for each of the 20 students completing their placement with
Humber Help will value $80,135 and include a metro pass (at $106 per month), $75 in food
vouchers, and a USB stick (roughly $20) to support their work. The homeless men involved
in the project will receive a set of professional work clothing and prepaid mobile phones 14
17. each costing roughly $100 per individual for a total of $50,000 - in order to support their
livelihoods and encourage success in employment seeking.
The SPSSS involves close one-on-one work with high-risk individuals, so insurance
for every professional involved was an essential portion of the budget. Commercial General
Liability Insurance for high-risk situations was mandated for each MSW student, while
general insurance is required for all board members - accounting for 13% of the project
budget at $45,000.
Provision of a ‘Team Space’ for HH administrative tasks, advocacy work, private
meetings and student work would cost $795 monthly, totaling $9,540 of the project budget.
Office supplies for use by all SPSSS professionals will cost only $500 as board members will
use personal computers and mobile phones for managerial tasks.
Miscellaneous costs account for the facilitation of student and HH member teambuilding events, which will promote team cohesion and cooperation throughout the project
and combat project-related stress.
Finally, the advocacy portion of the project targeting the Regent Park community
will require the distribution of educational print materials, accounting for another $500 of
the budget. A number of the support and training programs utilized by the SPSSS project
are funded by either Toronto City Housing or our partnering organization COPA, and are
therefore not factored into the SPSSS cost projections. This allows the project to maintain a
modest budget of $342, 775.
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18. 8.0 Annex
8. 1 ~ Community Map
Red circle is target neighborhood ~ Regent Park, Toronto Canada
16
19. 8.2 ~ Logical Framework Analysis
Narrative Summary/
Levels of Objectives
Objectively Verifiable
Indicators (OVIs)
Goals
-Increasing support for
men, improving their
individual capacities
-Advocacy initiatives
indicate the need for an
increase in social
assistance programs, and
need for more staff
Purpose
-increased success in men
keeping apartments, jobs,
improved mental stability
Outputs
-providing continual
monitoring of men,
simultaneously
increasing support
programs
-men graduate from 8
week program at COPA
Means of Verification
Assumptions and risks
-75% of transitioned
men still live in
designated housing units
-men show reduction of
drug/alcohol abuse
-one on one discussions
(with counselors and case
managers) who have
recent updates on men
- house assessment
-quantitative surveys of
shelter numbers, bed
counts
-75% men will not relapse
and lose housing after year
program
Quantitative:
-decreased numbers of
men in shelters
-consistent number of
apartments kept
Qualitative
-men feel like quality of
life has improved, sense
of empowerment, “wellbeing”
-no-issues with landlords
Qualitative - survey of
men through housing
program, in form of
interviews
Quantitative - attendance
records of shelters
(showing decreased
numbers of homeless
turned away) collected landlord status updates
-active participation
during weekly meetings
with case managers
-assessment report→info
collected by workers on
progress of men
financially, mentally
-by end of 8 week
program, plan developed
for employment strategy
-COPA confirms
graduation records
-context of support
remains unchanged
-men actively engage in
participation with support
worker
-men have learned the
skills necessary/practically
applying them to daily life
-staff turnover is low, grad
students actively engaged
-increased capacity to
undergo job training and
grasp practical skills
17
20. Activities
1)Training of social work
students to be housing
workers/case
managers/using
counselling skills
2)High-risk men
introduced to sessional
psychiatric therapist
3)Medium risk men
encouraged to enroll in 8
week program at COPA
4)Advocating the benefits
of social assistance
programs to the public
and government
Inputs
-free housing worker
training course provided
by City of Toronto
-training/gathering
venues
-partner organisations’
time
- availability of elected
officials to brief
-attendance records of
free workshop training
-psychiatric therapist
verifies seeing high-risk
men
-response from elected
officials
-progress reports
(documented stats) to
council
-attendance of 8-week
program remains at 90%
-therapy sessions take
place on a weekly basis
-council will be receptive
-cooperation of municipal
government to take reports
consistent attendance
records to 8 week
program
18
22. 8.4 ~ Risk Analysis and Management Matrix
Risk Factor
Odds of
Occurring
Impact if
Occurs
Management Response
Low
High
Project is demonstrating the need for an increase in
social support staff, however the project can partially
continue with social worker MA students doing
placements
Medium
Low
Sustainable through funding and existing resources,
ability to continue program with students completing
placements
Men not receptive to
forming relationships
with social workers
Low
Low
HH has enough social workers to cater to individual
needs, will take the time to assign accordingly
(worker to men)
Municipal Party Changes
High
Low
Continue to advocate for the Humber Helps
sustainable cause due to ongoing relevance of issue
Medium
Low
If men relapse, HH has the resources to aid them
immediately, COPA available throughout
Low-Medium
Low
Resources consistently available in form of housing
workers and community support
Budget cuts for city
social workers
Council not receptive to
project results
Men relapse→drug,
alcohol
Men do not have learned
skills for work
20
23. 8.5 ~ Organizational Flow Chart
Dotted circle represents close working relationships
21
24. 8.6 ~ Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
Narrative
Summary
Goal/Impact
Operational
Indicators
1. Presence of
interest in pilot
project from
MMAH
2. 75% of men able
to sustain their
new housing
Data
Source
1.MMAH
2. Social
work
students, HH
clientrelationship
team and
end of
project
evaluation by
external
consultant
1. Perception of
social work
students feeling
confident to
perform roles of
TCH workers
2. Presence of
high-risk men
having fewer
relapses in
addictions
3. 50% of
correspondence
returned from
MMAH
1. Social
Workers
2. Social
workers and
COPA
psychiatrist
3. MMAH
4. 75% of low-med
risk men showing
no sign of relapse
7.
Surrounding
Shelters
5. Presence of lowmed risk men
attending
interviews for job
opportunities
Purpose/
Outcomes
8. Social
workers
9. Toronto
Police #51
4. Social
workers
5. Social
workers
6. Landlords
/property
management
6. 75% of reviews
from landlords and
property
management come
back positive
7. Percent of target
men returning to
shelter living
8. 75% of men feel
they have efficient
support system
9.Presence of
lower crime rates
in target area and
surrounding
neighborhoods
(indirect)
Outputs
1. All social work
students attended
1. Social
working
Collection Methods
Frequency
Responsibility
1.HH will compile all reports (weekly,
bi-weekly and monthly from
administration and client-relationship
teams) into 3 month time spans for
review by MMAH
1.Monthly
collection of
reports - further
organized into 3
month intervals
1.HH advocacy team
2. Compilation of reports and
documented reflections from meetings
with social work students, men,
landlords, COPA team and HH teams.
Assessed by hired external consultant.
2. 1 x in June
2014
1. Reflections captured in written
reports and discussions with students.
They will have to identify their feelings
on capability to perform TCH roles
2. Reports submitted by psychiatrist on
status of high risk men - report will be
able to answer if they at serious risk of
losing their homes due to serious
conflict in their lifestyle
(addictions/criminal behaviour)
3. HH will collect returned
correspondence (documented in any
form - phone call, emails or direct mail)
from MMAH that shows interest in
SHSS
4. Meetings with social work students
and submission of their written reports
on client relationships will indicate their
perceived status of the men’s wellbeing and involvement in self-harming
behavior
5. Meetings with social work students
and submission of their written reports
indicating the knowledge of men
attending job interviews and creation
of his resume.
6. Landlords and property management
submit reports of tenant behavior
indicating they have paid their rent on
time, have not engaged in disruptive
behaviour, has not received complaints
and has kept
7. Attendance records of surrounding
shelters will be collected to show
where evicted men travelled and to
cross-examine successful cases of men
sustaining homes
8. Meetings with students and written
reports. Brief meetings with men over
their attitude of available support
9. Records of criminal activity in
surrounding areas monitored and
assessed to cross-check the
involvement of the projects men
1. Biweekly
meetings and
weekly reports
---------------------2. Psychiatrist
submits upon
whenever they
have a meeting,
HH will do a
regulatory
collection
weekly
---------------------3. Whenever
returned
---------------------4. Biweekly
meetings and
weekly reports
submitted to HH
---------------------5. Biweekly
meetings and
weekly written
reports
---------------------6. Monthly
--------------------7. Monthly
---------------------8. Weekly
reports
submitted to
HH, biweekly
meetings with
social work
students and
monthly
assessments
from men
---------------------9. Monthly
1. Social work
students and HH
administration team
---------------------------2. COPA psychiatrist
and HH
administration
---------------------------3. HH advocacy team
---------------------------4. Social work
students and HH
administration
---------------------------5. Social work
students and HH
client relationship
team
---------------------------6. HH administration
team
---------------------------7. HH administration
team
---------------------------8. Social work
students and HH
client relationship
team
---------------------------9. HH administration
team
1. Workshop training receipts
submitted by social working students
1. 1 x for every
student
1. Social workers and
HH administration
22
2. Social work
students and HH’s
administration and
client-relationship
teams. External
consultant reviewer
will also be involved
in May.
25. free workshop
training
------------------------2. 75% of high-risk
classified men
sought out
psychiatric therapy
sessions
------------------------3. Project progress
reports (our M&E
process
documentation on
men sustaining
homes )
successfully sent to
MMAH
------------------------4. 75% of men
completing 8-week
COPA workshop
------------------------5. Perception of
successful
relationships
between men and
social workers presence of social
workers being able
to maintain their
caseload
------------------------6. 90% of reviews
returned from
landlords/property
managers
------------------------7. 50% of lowmedium risk men
applying for job or
skills training
opportunities
Activities
students
-------------2. COPA’s
psychiatric
therapist
--------------3. HH team
--------------4. COPA 8week
program
counsellors
--------------5. Social
Working
Students and
men
--------------6. Landlords
and/or
property
managers of
clients
homes
--------------7. Social
work
students
______________________________
2. Copies of therapy attendance records
and reports on their status will be
collected by HH to analyze and decide if
there needs to be additional social
support
_______________________________
3. Progress reports filed for personal
use and sent to MMAH by HH
_______________________________
4. COPA 8-week attendance records
from counsellors collected by HH
administration team. Men can join 8week segments at different times - for
example at a later stage, but early
enrollment encouraged
_______________________________
5. Social work students submit progress
reports on client relationships to HH
Follow-up meetings between them and
HH to discuss progress on caseloads three levels of criteria (poor, adequate
and excelling) to rate each man's
progression and feelings of their own
caseload manageability (poor,
manageable, thriving). Men contacted
by HH for brief meetings on
relationships with social workers. If
they are unreachable in person, a
questionnaire asking for opinion on
relationship based on same criteria
_______________________________
6. Landlords asked to return answered
questionnaire on tenant behaviour.
Criteria will revolve around paying rent
on time, were there complaints from
neighbors about men and are they
keeping the building
_______________________________
7. Meetings with social work students
and HH to discuss which of their clients
have made progress in job searches and
skills training opportunities - HH will
assist in finding employment and skills
training for men
All social work students attend free workshop training
____________
2. Records and
reports collected
weekly
____________
3. Every 3
months November 2013,
February 2014
and final in May
2014
____________
4. Biweekly
____________
5. Weekly
reports
submitted to
HH, biweekly
meetings with
social work
students and
monthly
assessments
from men
____________
6. Monthly
____________
7. Biweekly
team
_________________
2. COPA psychiatrist
and HH
administration team
_________________
3. HH advocacy team
_________________
4. COPA 8-week
program
administrators and
HH administration
team
_________________
5. Social workers and
HH client
relationship team
_________________
6. Landlords and HH
administration team
_________________
7. Social workers and
HH client
relationship team
75% of high-risk classified men enrolled to see psychiatric
therapist at COPA
Initial progress report framework created for ministry of
municipal affairs and housing (MMAH)
75% of low-medium risk classified men signing up for 8 week
program at COPA
All men and social workers find partnering social worker
Review questionnaires sent to landlords online (concerning
rent and behaviour)
23