 Community Living – North Frontenac  Page 1 of 11

Community Living – North Frontenac

Strategic Plan2017-2020

The following strategic plan sets out some key goals, priorities and directions to guide Community Living–North Frontenac over the next three years.

Strategy is not the same thing as Mission. Sometimes mission, mandate, vision and strategy are confused. Your mission/mandate is your fundamental purpose or reason for being, for existing. Your visiondescribes a “destination postcard” of where you want to go, what you want to become, and the difference you intend to make in the world. Strategies reflect choices and priorities that define how you choose to fulfill that mission and achieve that vision.

Your strategies are the organizing principles that inform all of the actions and activities of your organization. This gives strategy its power: everyone connected with Community Living–North Frontenac should know (and may have a part in developing) specific priorities to be pursued — and also, perhaps, some directions that should not. Similarly, strategic plans let partners know where you’re headed.

A strategicplan is different from an operational or business plan.A strategic plan focuses on those initiatives or approaches that require special emphasis, time, effort or resources. It typically frames the priorities and goals for the organization, supported by the “who does what by when” operational plan, budgets and so on.

Philosophy, values and culture also strongly influence approaches to strategy, preferred alternatives and how they are implemented.

Many organizations use their strategic plans as a framework for policy decisions. A strategic plan is also dynamic — it can still change over time, with the times.

Development of this Strategic Plan:

Process:

As a community-based agency, CL–NF sought out views and input from a variety of groups to help the Board identify key issues and determine its strategic priorities for the future.

Strategy development consultations in 2016 included outreach to supported individuals and their families, the association’s employees, community residents and partners, as well as individual volunteers serving on the Board of Directors. A variety of methods were used: surveys, interviews/discussions, online input and facilitated focus groups.

Discussion and input ranged across a number of issues of strategic interest and led to a draft strategic plan with 4 key priorities, which was reviewed, revised and approved by the board on Jan.16/17.

Many association members, community partners and other participants were involved in the process, and thanks are extended to them all, including:

Barb Fabius – Executive Director, Community Living – Lennox and Addington

Louise Moody – Executive Director, Northern Frontenac Community Services

Roop Sandhu – Community Services Officer, OPP

Brian Robertson – Community Partner/North Frontenac Little Theatre

Frances Smith, Mayor – Central Frontenac Township

Laura Baldwin, Manager – Sharbot Lake Family Health Team

Nick Whalen, Owner – Sharbot Lake Pharmacy

Joyce Bigelow, Executive Director – Connections Adult Learning Centre

Gayle Young, Manager – Rural Routes Transportation

Jilene England – Adult Protective Service Worker, Northbrook

Patty Hallgren – President, CL–NF

Bob Miller – Vice President, CL–NF

Betty-Anne Blyth – Treasurer, CL–NF

Mark Hudson – Secretary, CL–NF

Paul Vanden Engel – Board Member, CL–NF

Vernon Hermer – Board Member, CL–NF

Tabitha Gibeault – Board Member, CL–NF

David Yerxa – Person Served Representative, CL–NF

Dean Walsh – Executive Director, CL–NF

Judy Lee – Administrative Assistant, CL–NF

Deb Ryckman – Manager Support Services, CL–NF

Marcel Quenneville – Manager Support Services, CL–NF

Lillian Barker-Godfrey – Facilitator, CL–NF

Janet Barr - Specialized Support Worker, CL–NF

Mission, Vision & Philosophy:

All strategy is framed by your mission — your purpose or reason for being. The statement of mission, vision and philosophy for Community Living–North Frontenac has been updated to read:

MISSION

“Empowering people with Intellectual disabilities and their families…One Person at a Time.”

VISION

“Our vision is to ensure that equal opportunities are available to all those we support, so that people achieve independence and social acceptance in their community.”

PHILOSOPHY

“Community Living-North Frontenac with Acceptance and promotion of Independence. Using our guiding principles at the centre of all decisions will act in the best interest of people.”

CL–NF Philosophy:

Many service values apply to this work, but the primary value that shapes all programs, organizational decisions and approaches is: “One Person at a Time.”

In many respects CL-NF is “the community’s association”. While a board must balance many interests (e.g. supported persons and their families, partners, employees, funders and community), sometimes it must make decisions involving difficult tradeoffs among those interests. In such situations, the Board’s primary concern will be to act in the best interests of supported individuals, a guiding value at the centre of all its decisions.

Community Living-North Frontenac Values
  • To provide support that empowers vulnerable people of all ages, in particular those who have an intellectual disability.
  • To provide individualized services in a respectful, competent and friendly manner that encourages continual growth, development and independence.
  • To support people with intellectual disabilities in the community by providing opportunities for everyday living that will promote a normal way of life.
  • To enable individuals through advocacy and education to exercise their rights, freedoms and opportunities for self-determination.
  • To promote and support lasting family relationships and friendships in natural environments.
  • To provide meaningful interactions for persons with intellectual disabilities that will include employment experience, education and integration in both their home and community.
  • To coordinate the delivery of generic services to persons with an intellectual disability.
  • To conduct ongoing evaluation of services so that quality, appropriateness, and availability are maintained and improved.
  • To ensure cost effectiveness in the use of resources gained from fundraising, government sources, and community contributions.
  • To confront special characteristics of the rural communities, particularly the isolation and lack of resources that present a predominant barrier to integration.
  • To do all things as are incidental and conducive to the attainment of the above objectives.

Desired Outcomes to be Achieved by the Plan:

For the purposes of this plan, board and employees worked to define whatshould be accomplished, for whom, and at what level of cost/investment and effort.

  • Support people to achieve meaningful goals and inclusion in the community, and pursue integration for those who work in, with and for the community.

Action:

1)This is will be achieved when goals are developed and being worked on with all supported individuals and documentation is recorded in CL-NF’s POMS.

2)Team meetings show documentation on meaningful goals as well as community involvement.

3)Satisfaction survey reflects that CL-NF is actively working on goals that reflect the supported individual’s interest.

  • Clarify the Community Living mission and increase public awareness of it through communications, training and working relationships.

Action:

1)CL-NF is achieving public awareness by having increased the number of fund raising events to no less than 4 fundraisers a year. Leverage What CL is about.

2)Increase the number of awareness activities for May is Community Living month.

3)Continued producing monthly “Connections” newsletter, open houses, newspaper articles and continued work on the CL-NF’s web site.

4)Actively working on annual surveys to understand where CL-NF can improve versus what CL-NF is doing well.

  • Communicate actively, break down silos, and work closely in joint partnerships with other organizations.

Action:

1)Building relations and when possible takingon leadership roles at selective local meeting such as; Interagency, local municipality, other social services agencies as well as in the community of Sharbot Lake and area.

  • Build a sustainable, stable financial platform with active fundraising to respond to expanding needs.

Action:

1) As CL-NF’s bought a building for its second hand clothing store “The Treasure Trunk”, CL-NF must actively fundraise to ensure all expenses are paid through fundraising events and not through MCSS monies. All monies raised through The Treasure Trunk will be kept in a separate account and will be accurately reported on monthly.

2)All fundraising monies will be put in the Association account to be used for identified CL-NF pressures. Increase fundraising monies by $5000.00 for each of the three years.

  • Improve Service Provision.

Action:

1)To implement Personal Outcomes Training for all Direct Support Professionals annually.

2)Ensure Personal Outcome Training is embedded in all New Hire Training.

3)Update CL-NF Corporate By-Laws through Personnel Committee.

4)Provide an opportunity for all supported individuals to be engaged in a Self-advocacy group such as “Linking Up”. Evaluation survey to be put around to Supported Individuals.

5)Revamp CL-NF’s Vocational service to include more volunteers in an effort to create more employment for supported individuals. CL-NF will review current Vocational service and identify areas where it can be improved to be reviewed annually.

6)Develop a operational plan for The Treasure Trunk

Key Issues & Forces for Change:

Strategic planning activities help build an association-wide understanding of fundamental issues or future choices seen as being critical to successover the next 3 to 5 years. It involves making sense of the changing environment, and choosing specific directions for action.

Some of the key issues considered were:

  • Inclusion is a continuing priority for CL-NF. At the same time, it is important to recognize and respect that supported persons have the option to say “no” to activities or programs that others may see as opportunities for them.
  • To advance inclusion with partnering organizations, CL–NF may be asked to provide supports, transportation etc. to enable those joint initiatives.
  • How might CL–NF assist partners willing to help with integration — e.g. could it provide employee support, resources and tools to help partners achieve success?
  • Population changes: A declining and aging population, and waning “under-30” age groups in rural communities have an impact on the future sustainability of programs. Equity is not the same as equality (i.e. the same opportunities and supports are needed, even if provided in a different way, tailored to the area).
  • Government funding is getting tighter and tighter. Changes also affect partners. These circumstances together with CL-NF ambitions suggest that the Board will need to place priority on addressing funding needs.
  • Direct funding to families (e.g. Passport) has changed the funding model. With this new dynamic, the association needs to learn to “market” its services, share services, human resources and information. Many are not aware of what CL–NF has to offer when they make spending decisions.
    Lack of funding to local individuals through Passport decreases opportunities to create community based supports. Individualized funding also makes it difficult to create/plan budgets for employees and programs.
  • The supply of safe, affordable housing is a big issue, framed by more general issues of poverty. Partners asked that CL-NF support local housing initiatives.
  • The need for more transitional and seniors housing: CL-NF is working with the Township and other concerned stakeholders to make progress on these issues. It is a critical factor in enabling people to continue living in their own community, and may require a degree of advocacy on their behalf.
  • For a variety of reasons — from making people aware of CL-NF services to attracting Passport expenditures to advancing partnerships and inclusion — the association needs to pursue a higher profile in the community.
  • Not all people in need of support have been identified. This may change as parents or caregivers age and are no longer able to support them at home.
  • The need for “critical mass”: A minimum number of persons are needed to make specific programs viable (not only CL–NF’s). This leads to a series of issues — promoting “how to connect” with CL–NF, marketing services, looking for services needed but not provided, finding ways (host families) to keep people in the area, and marketing the community as a whole to attract population to the region.
  • CL–NF will need to communicateto the powers that be the need for programs and supports in the northern communities.
  • All organizations must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), but sometimes those with intellectual disabilities are overlooked. CL–NF might play an active role to help businesses become aware of their responsibilities and establish procedures and policies.
  • CL–NF may have to adopt a “social entrepreneur” approach, promoting available services on the website and at community events. That may involve moving out of a “comfort zone”.
  • Employees need to know that they are the association’s marketers, be aware of their manner, dress and professional presentation. They need to navigate situations while in stores and work with the retailers, but it’s a tricky balance between public perception and providing supports.
  • It would be helpful to have ambassadors in the community (including employees) to support inclusion and help ensure integration at community events. Have businesses share their ideas with CL–NF.
  • Community partners expressedclear support for CL-NF.

CL-NF Strategic Priorities 2017–2020:

The association undertakes a broad range of activities and programs, and there are many factors such as employees, partnerships and funding that are important to the success of CL–NF. The four priorities below have been identified as “strategic” priorities in need of special attention, effort and/or resources.

  • HOUSING:
    Finding funding for a localtransitional housing facility has been identified as a top priority.

Action:

1)In the 1st year CL-NF will determine if turning CL-NF’s duplex into a Transitional Home or if the duplex would be better utilized as some other type program for CL-NF.

2)Identify what the new space will look like and develop anoperational plan to help guide CL-NF.

3)Explore alternatives of CL-NF remaining in the landlord business.

  • CULTURE:

Because association culture is so important to strategy, this was identified as a continuing priority for CL-NF. It must be clearly defined, and it is always important for employees to be aligned with the mission, vision philosophy.
Hiring best practices support culture, and efforts to enhance culture may variously involve relief vs. part-time vs. full-time employees. Change and how it is managed also directly affects employee culture. An employer/employee relations committee might be struck to consider many issues at different levels: the thoughts, feelings and actions of individuals; influences from everyday practices, processes and external factors; as well as shared ideas and values about what is good, right and human.

Action:

1)Determine current culture of Community Living-North Frontenac, Strategic planning committee responsibility. Values work practice , work attidude , incentives, pay, training opportunities, affected by change outside culture of recruitment( personal value s that they bring)

2)What direction do you what to take the culture? Nuture culture in the direction better support the goals of the association

3) Ensure day retreats are in place for all employees annually- management responsibility.

4)Development of an Employee/ Employer Relations committee- E. D’s responsibility

  • FUNDRAISING:
    CL-NF needs to place priority on addressing the need for fundraising to meet needs not met by funding, and watch for opportunities. This may involve a close look at pursuing additional social fundraising events (like the Masquerade); philanthropy and donations/gifts; sponsorships; and other alternatives to sustain or increase revenue (competing for Passport funds being one).
    Making the case for Ministry funding support, of course, will continue to be a priority. We do not have to be defined by funding — there may be other, better, creative and/or collaborative approaches to be pursued.

1)Develop a Fund-raising Committee- Clarify E.D & Boards responsibilities

2)Training for the Fundraising Committee- Clarify E.D & Board responsibilities

3)Set target and set fundraising goals from year to year

4)Comparison of fundraising monies from year to year- Fundraising Committee’s responsibility.

  • PRESENCE:
    The associationneeds to pursue a higher profile in the community. This may involve improvements to the website, outreach events to include those with needs, the role and presentation of employees, or steps to promote a visual

Implementation Overview:

Strategy is activated through operational plans that provide more specific direction for the work and identify responsibilities and timelines — detailing who will do what by when.

CL-NF Management will be developing specific workplans to respond to the future challenges and opportunities outlined in this document and translating these strategic priorities into the ongoing activities and initiatives of the association.

It is expected that a high-level operational plan describing implementation phases will be presented to the Board for review. Initially, they are likely to focus on:

  • Transitional Housing, and
  • Marketing communications to position and promote the association and its services effectively.

Metrics help organizations focus their people and resources on what’s important. Overall, they reflect and support the various strategies for all aspects of the organization and indicate its priorities. Metrics can help tell the association where it has been, where it is heading, whether something is going wrong and when the organization has reached its target. Appropriate measures of success and types of metrics will be identified to track and report progress in achieving various objectives.

A successful roll-out of this strategic plan will depend on effective two-way communications and related efforts to develop understanding of its implications, both by internal audiences as well as community partners and the Ministry.

As with any well-managed implementation, progress on these strategic priorities will be reviewed regularly. Operational plans will be updated when necessary (as will the strategic plan itself, as appropriate from time to time).

This will help ensure the association continues to anchor its activities in Community Living–North Frontenac’s mission and vision, adapt to the latest evidence and best practices, and respond effectively to circumstances as they may change through 2020 and beyond.