Contents

Our Mission. Our Vision. Our Promise Making Change Happen RESOURCES PROGRAMS RESEARCH ADVOCACY CONVENING Our Focus Growing up Great Belonging to Community Turning Lives Around Strengthening the Capacity of the Sector Map: United Way in Your Community 4 6 10 14 17 18 2 3

Making Change Happen

Your United Way concentrates on addressing significant community issues to improve lives today, and to realize lasting and meaningful change in our community. We work with others from all sectors to address root causes, and to strengthen our collective ability to create and sustain positive change. Today, United Way Ottawa is focused on achieving 10 priority goals, each with measurable community outcomes attached. These are shown on the next page of this report. The work we do to achieve these goals is guided by five key strategies: It presents outcomes to date of our collective work on Community-Wide Initiatives (CWIs) the Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative, Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO) and the Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN) Ottawa. Through these initiatives, United Way and community members, governments, companies and social services organizations are working to help improve the social systems affecting particularly vulnerable groups of people in our community. It also presents outcomes to date on project s.t.e.p., another community collaboration in which United Way plays a convening role. Finally, this report highlights the most recent results of our Targeted Community Investments (TCIs) collaborative work with funders (significant donors, foundations and/or corporations) that is aligned to our priority goals and designed to address specific community causes that reflect the values and interests of these funders. Overall, the report paints a picture of some of our communitys progress and results to date as we continue on our journey toward true community impact. It should also provide a sense of the depth and breadth of collaboration in this city when it comes to making important social change happen the extent to which hundreds of organizations, tens of thousands of volunteers and perhaps hundreds of thousands of donors are focused on improving lives and achieving long-term social change. The results described in this report are due to the work, contributions and commitment of: Our priority goal partners the community organizations that deliver the front-line programs critical to improving lives today and achieving our communitys long-term priority goals Our volunteers the community leaders who dedicate their leadership, talents, and influence to advancing United Ways work with others Our research, advocacy and community-wide initiative partners from all sectors Our government partners at the municipal, provincial and federal levels Our corporate funders and major private investors Our donors who, year after year, support the mission and vision of United Way

OUR MISSION OUR VISION OUR PROMISE

To bring people and resources together to build a strong, healthy, safe community for all. Our community is measurably better because of the work of United Way Ottawa and others. To invest resources where they are needed the most and where they will have the greatest impact.

Resources Attracting dollars, time, influence and knowledge Programs Investing in front-line programs and services Research Determining where resources will have the greatest impact and evaluating the results Advocacy Speaking up to help people understand the issues and to help change public policies Convening Bringing key stakeholders together to combine efforts around community problems This report is the first account of our work to date in achieving greater community impact through these key strategies. It highlights some of the program results achieved by our priority goal partners in 2011-2012 with the contribution of resources through our program investments.

Our focus
Nearly half of the money we raise through campaigns each year is directed by donors to specific charities of their choice. This is an important role for United Way we facilitate charitable giving for thousands of people in hundreds of workplaces across the city, ensuring that the designated charities receive the funds pledged to them by donors. The results we highlight in this report, though, are enabled by the donors who choose to give to United Way to support the change we are working to achieve in this city. They understand our promise that we will invest resources where they are needed most and will have the greatest impact. They understand the value of the community working together to address root causes of some of the most significant social challenges in our city. They know that the work we do is based on deep knowledge of the conditions of this city and on an understanding of best practice solutions to issues. And they know that their contributions are helping people today, and at the same time, contributing to lasting positive change in this city. In this work, we invest in three Focus Areas, each with specific priority goals and each with defined measures of success.

How we measure our impact

United Way uses a Results-Based Accountability model to measure community impact. The model helps us monitor progress and influences investment decision-making. It starts with setting goals, and looks at: Performance Accountability or the results for the clients of a particular program, agency or service. Tools used: Program reports from the agency programs, Targeted Community Investments and Community-Wide Initiatives we support. Population Accountability or the results for whole populations like all children, all seniors or all citizens in a specific geographic area. Tools used include: Ottawa Neighbourhood Study, Census data.

Ottawa Neighbourhood Study key population accountability tool

The Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS) is one of the worlds most comprehensive place-based databases. It offers profiles of 107 neighbourhoods in our city, encompassing more than 150 indicators that detail the state of each neighbourhoods health, its physical assets and the social factors that influence its relative prosperity. It also offers valuable insight into how place, or where people live, work and play together can shape the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. United Way, City of Ottawa Public Health, the Champlain Local Health Integration Network, the Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres, and the City of Ottawa support and contribute data to this continuing research, which is led by the Institute of Population Health at the University of Ottawa. We use the ONS to inform our planning, to help with investment decision-making, and to assess our progress in meeting community goals.

United Ways Focus Areas and Priority Goals

FOCUS AREAS

We define success in measurable terms and use those measures to assess progress on both population and program results. These measures help us answer three questions:

Growing Up Great
HELP MORE CHILDREN ENTER SCHOOL READY TO LEARN HELP MORE AT-RISK CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCEED

Belonging to Community
Help create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities Help seniors maintain their independence and stay active in the community Help people living in high-risk neighbourhoods create positive change for themselves, their family and community Help bring immigrants and new Canadians together with employers to find jobs that match their skills

Turning Lives Around

Help homeless people get off the streets and turn their lives around Connect people facing mental health issues or addictions with the help they need Give people in crisis a place to turn when they need help the most

How much did we do? How well did we do it? is anyone better off?
Mark Friedman, Founder and Director, Fiscal Policies Studies Institute

PRIORITY GOALS

Capacity Building Build a stronger and more effective social service sector by supporting programs and research that increase the ability of community agencies to achieve results.
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Growing Up Great
Early childhood learning and social recreation play a key role in success in school and life. Providing children and youth with access to early learning activities and social recreation programs gives them the chance to reach their full potential. Together with our donors and partners, we: Help more children enter school ready to learn Help more at-risk children and youth succeed

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK

INVESTMENT

In 2011-2012, we invested $2.4 million in 33 front-line programs delivered by 26 agencies. These programs served more than 20,000 children, youth and their families. We provided $30,900 in 14 Youth Action Grants micro-grants supporting initiatives developed by and for youth. Investments in these programs as well as in our four other strategies focused on: Programs and initiatives that provide social recreation, homework help, mentorship and leadership development for vulnerable children and youth Convening front-line agencies and community partners from all sectors to develop a critical hours framework for the city Influencing governments to reduce barriers for children and youth to participate in critical hours activities A program that offers school liaison as well as educational and recreational activities for children living in family shelters Early-learning opportunities for vulnerable children and their parents Programs that help young single mothers complete high school while developing strong parenting skills

Issue

DID YOU KNOW?

32,000
Children in Ottawa live in poverty.
Many dont have access to programs such as:

Children learn at their fastest rate between birth and age six and home, family and neighbourhood are key factors in determining success in early development In 2009, nearly 12% of children entering senior kindergarten in Ottawa scored low on two or more measures of school readiness Up to 40% of children in some Ottawa neighbourhoods will get their start in school without the basic skills needed to set them on a path for school success Social and recreational programs in the hours outside of school hours (called critical hours) are proven to increase childrens overall chances of success in school and in life Children in low-income families are less likely to participate in organized sports than children in high-income families (72% versus 92%)

32,000 children in Ottawa live in poverty and many dont have access to social programs such as after-school sports, recreation or social programs Youth in Ottawas highest-risk neighbourhoods are significantly more likely to drop out of school (22% vs. city average of 15%) and as a result will face challenges in finding employment and have greater difficulty improving their situation over time It costs our community an average of $100,000 to keep a young person in detention for one year Every $1 invested in early learning saves up to $9 in future spending on health, social assistance and criminal justice systems

Results
Our investment in this focus area has directly affected 20,000 children, youth and their families More than 12,200 at-risk children and youth accessed services such as homework clubs, mentoring, sports and other forms of recreation designed to enhance interpersonal and life skills and ultimately to help them succeed in school. Some examples:

IMPACT
Of 1,210 children and youth participating in another agencys homework club, 61% of those surveyed said the club helped them to complete their school work, 66% reported doing better in school and 81% plan to pursue post-secondary education An agency serving at-risk francophone youth engaged 345 children and youth in summer day camps, 70 in March Break camp, 78 in after-school programming and another 139 teens at drop-in clubs

AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS

RECREATION SOCIAL PROGRAMS

608 youth participated in a coalition of homework clubs, with 89% of those surveyed showing increased study hours outside of school, 83% showing increased positives attitudes towards school and 60% showing improvement in their grades

95 Inuit children and youth participated in after-school programming focused on arts and culture, nutrition, physical activity and academic support 75% of those surveyed showed improved academic success and 90% reported increased friendships

Growing Up Great

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

Growing Up Great
Results continued >>
More than 3,700 at-risk parents benefited from services such as family counselling, early learning sessions, parenting skills education, crisis intervention, and help in navigating the social support system to access the programs and services they need to set their children on a path to school success. Some examples: 42 disadvantaged parents of 18-month to five year-old children received specialized training in nutrition, language development and other family skills

IMPACT
More than 200 young expectant or new mothers many isolated newcomers and women with histories of addiction, mental illness or abuse were matched with volunteer companions who provide prenatal, birthing, postnatal and parenting support and more than 2,500 others received information and support

IMPACT
The Grocery Foundations Lunch Box Program provides culturally-appropriate food, food preparation and food safety skills to children and their families living in two Ottawa homeless family shelters. According to ONS data, children and families living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are less likely to consume fruits and vegetables in appropriate quantities each day. In the first two years of this Targeted Community Investment, 627 children from 321 families received food, prepared family lunches and shared positive food-related experiences throughout their shelter stays. The healthy eating and food skills continue to benefit the long-term health of the children and their parents as they leave the shelters. Beyond the positive eating habits and greater independence learned through the program, participants also cite an increased sense of community in the shelters through the program. Partners in the Grocery Foundations Targeted Community Investment include Somerset West Community Health Centre, Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre and the two family shelters. The childrens schools are also engaged. Summer Achievement Gap is a Targeted Community Investment pilot project, focused on ensuring that disadvantaged students do not fall behind their peers during the summer months. While many children have access to activities that keep them learning throughout the summer, those without the same opportunities often fall behind and may never catch up. Summer learning loss is cumulative, with the achievement gap between low- and high-income children widening over time. Supported by Stephen Greenberg and family, the pilot brought together the Banff Avenue Community House, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Ottawa Public Library, PlayLab and United Way to provide six-week programming in the Banff-Ledbury neighbourhood. It set a target to maintain literacy levels among the more than 50 children who participated. Of 16 who received reading level assessments both before and after, 25% maintained their reading levels and another 69% showed improvement. Many children achieved at least a one-level jump in reading skills. Of 20 involved in pre- and post-comprehension assessments, 26% saw an increase and none fell behind. Social Rec Connect is a Targeted Community Investment pilot program developed with and supported by the Trinity Foundation and five partners the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, the National Capital Region YMCA/YWCA, Christie Lake Kids, the City of Ottawa and United Way. Its aim is to remove barriers that many marginalized youth, especially those in Ottawas most vulnerable neighbourhoods, face in accessing social recreation. Social Rec Connect matches young people with neighbourhood programs and makes sure they can take advantage of the opportunities available. It supports outreach workers Social Recreation Connectors who get to know the kids, schools, parents, service providers and others in the neighbourhood. They actively connect the kids to programs and ensure their participation continues. As a result of this pilot, 223 young people from the Dalhousie neighbourhood who were not previously connected to safe and supportive activities now have a wide range of activities to take part in outside of school hours. Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative Ensuring that all children in Ottawa can learn and grow in a healthy environment has been a key focus of our work with others for over a decade. In late 2011, this work was extended to the healthy development of children and youth from birth to adulthood, with the launch of the Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative and its Growing Up Great in Ottawa: A Framework to Promote the Healthy Development of Children and Youth. This framework, grounded in evidence-based research and based on broad community consultation, outlines the coordinated strategy adopted by the Initiatives partners to help children and youth reach their full potential. Today, 72 volunteer stakeholders participate in advancing this frameworks strategy, guided by a Council of Partners, with representation from provincial ministries, the City of Ottawa, school boards, the Childrens Aid Society, the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, United Way and other community organizations. In 2012, the Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative hosted workshops for more than 90 early childhood professionals, training them in the early identification of developmental issues in young children. It also hosted a forum that established a strategy to stimulate the growth of local programs for 9 to 14 year olds.

Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre Schools Cool: This play-based program, led by Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, is delivered in schools and partner agency sites in high-risk neighbourhoods. In 2011-12, 109 three-to-five-year olds participated with their parents to learn new language, reasoning, social and self-help skills all critical to kindergarten success and a great start in school. On average, children in Schools Cool are up to a year more advanced in their abilities to succeed than they were before, gains that last well into Grade 3. The gains made by children from Pinecrest-Queensways program are higher than the national average. Pathways to Education: This program engages high school students in high-risk neighbourhoods throughout their high school years to strengthen their chances of success. 389 students took part in the program in 2011-2012. 68% graduated within four years, compared to the baseline of 47% among their neighbourhoods peers. Within three months of graduating from Pathways, 70% enrolled in post-secondary education, compared to the national average of 51%. Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses Homework Clubs The Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses offers after-school programming in 14 high-risk neighbourhoods those with higher numbers of new Canadians, single-parent households, and families receiving social assistance. The clubs give children and youth homework help and nutritious snacks after school. They encourage creativity and physical fitness through play activities, arts and crafts, and an incentive program for positive behaviour. In 2011-2012, more than 600 children and youth participated, with 60% of those surveyed improving their grades and 83% gaining a better attitude toward school. Surveys showed that 83% were more confident, 84% were happy to be in the program, and 93% wanted to return.

Growing Up Great

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

Belonging to Community
Many people with disabilities, seniors, new Canadians and those living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods want to play a bigger role in our community, but need help to do so. Belonging to community means a better quality of life for individuals and their families, and healthier neighbourhoods for all. Together with our donors and partners, we: Help create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities Help seniors maintain their independence and stay active in the community Help people living in high-risk neighbourhoods create positive change for themselves, their family and community Help bring immigrants and new Canadians together with employers to find jobs that match their skills

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK

In 2011-2012, we invested $2.5 million in 42 front-line programs delivered by 32 agencies. These programs served more than 4,400 people. Investments in these programs as well as in our four other strategies focused on: Vocational, leadership, coping skills and other training to help prepare people with disabilities and mental illness for the workforce Social enterprises that provide counselling and paid work experience to participants facing mental health and other challenges

INVESTMENT

Employment programs to help immigrant youth and adults to develop social skills, self-esteem and confidence as they develop employment readiness skills Initiatives working to engage employers and other partners in strengthening their ability to attract and retain both skilled immigrants and people with disabilities Activities and home support for seniors living in both urban and rural Ottawa Raising awareness of the need for and the social and financial benefits of ensuring seniors can remain in their own homes Projects that bring together residents and front-line and other organizations to foster pride and a sense of belonging in high-risk neighbourhoods

Issue

DID YOU KNOW?

immigrants do not find employment in the field they are trained in. live in Nearly low-income situations.

150,000 people in Ottawa live with a physical, intellectual or mental health disability with one in six living in poverty In Ottawa, only 43% of people with disabilities participate in the labour market, well behind the national average of 51% and the 70% labour market participation rate of Ottawas general population Employers who hire people with disabilities tend to have a happier, more productive workforce overall Seniors make up 12% of Ottawas population today this will grow to 23% by 2031 While most seniors live fulfilled lives, 30% live in lowincome situations, 25% need support to remain in their own homes, and 16% do not receive this support

33% of seniors now on the wait-list for long-term care could be cared for at home for the same or less cost 78% of Ottawas population growth between 2001 and 2006 was the result of immigration 83% of immigrants arriving in our community have a post-secondary degree or certificate Immigrants earn 40% less than Canadian-born workers with the equivalent level of education Of the citys low-income population, 78% is concentrated in high-risk neighbourhoods, where the average income is less than half of the citys average Unemployment is as high as 11% in high-risk neighbourhoods, versus just 2% in others

58% of

Results
922 people with disabilities were helped through United Way-funded front-line programs such as pre-employment and job readiness training, work or volunteer placements, career development and mentoring 453 people with mental health challenges participated in vocational training, with 88% of a small sample group demonstrating acquisition of employability skills 220 adults and youth with mental health and addictions challenges received residential and post-residential rehabilitation training to improve employability, with 80% improving their job search skills and 36 returning to work, and another 22 of 42 who participated in other supportive programming achieving their vocational goal

IMPACT
525 employers have been reached by Hire Immigrants Ottawa since it began and 1,158 skilled immigrants have found work related to their field of expertise 340 refugees and unemployed or underemployed new Canadians completed job readiness training and received other employment-search supports, with 100% completing job search action plans and 90% reporting an increased sense of validation 1,011 vulnerable seniors received in-home supports including home help and home maintenance, transportation for groceries and essential appointments, self-advocacy assistance and other services that enabled them to remain in their own homes

40%

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Belonging to Community

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

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Belonging to Community
Results continued >>
325 new affordable supportive housing units for seniors have been created since United Way and partners developed a common framework called the Affordable Supportive Housing for Seniors 296 people with life-threatening illnesses, many of whom were seniors, were able to remain in their home and supported by their families with volunteer support to both the frail and their families 344 isolated francophone seniors received in-home supports to help them remain in their own homes

IMPACT
Nearly 2,500 residents actively participated in 15 community improvement projects managed by 192 volunteers, contributing 4,835 volunteer hours to make their neighbourhoods safer and more vibrant Partnerships established by community-based organizations and residents to address their neighbourhood challenges more than doubled from 30 to 66

IMPACT
EARN Ottawa In 2011, United Way spearheaded the formation of the Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN) Ottawa and its Business Leadership Network, which now brings together more than 50 service providers, employers and funders committed to providing more jobs to people with disabilities. EARN Ottawa promotes the business case for hiring people with disabilities, provides resources to employers on workplace accommodations for people with disabilities, and is creating a system that matches employers with employees with disabilities. Since its inception, more than 85 people have found jobs. EARN and its partners have helped 225 people with disabilities prepare for employment, and supported more than 140 human resources professionals with advice on workplace accommodation, education and other resources. EARN Ottawas founding members are: Access Infinity Management, Algonquin College, Algonquin College Student Services, Canadian Mental Health Association, Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, City of Ottawa, Causeway Work Centre, LiveWorkPlay, MBNA Canada Bank, Ministry of Community and Social Services, Ottawa Independent Living Resource Centre, Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care Inc., Service Canada, TD Canada Trust, Telfer School of Business, The Westin Hotel, the University of Ottawa and United Way. Causeway Work Centre Krackers Katering is a social enterprise staffed by people with barriers to employment, primarily mental illness or other disabilities. Krackers provides ongoing, supportive paid practical food industry experience to help participants reach their personal and employment goals all while providing a great service to customers. Participants are involved in the daily operations of the business including food preparation, baking, deliveries and menu planning. A core group of participants provides peer support and guidance to new crew members, enabling the development of new skills and work experience that will stand them in good stead as they move on to other employment opportunities. In the program funding year, Krackers extended its reach to secure catering contracts with 55 new customers. And of the 34 crew members, all either remained employed with Krackers or moved on to other paid employment or to educational opportunities. Many are able to strengthen independence and reduce their reliance on income supports. John Howard Society of Ottawa ARCHES Supportive Employment Program works with men and women in residential addiction treatment to assess career interests, plan and set goals, and learn about opportunities for volunteering, education, skills development and training. The program also works with employers to enhance understanding of the needs of employees with mental health and addiction issues to improve communications and job retention. 220 recovering men and women took part in ARCHES in its first year. 36 were supported in successful returns to their work. 22 others achieved their vocational goals related to new work or new educational opportunities. More than 80% reported improved competencies in workplace conflict and stress management, communications and work/life balance. Their capacity to express ideas and opinions and to work better in groups also improved. They felt better prepared to discuss their abilities, experiences and assets in job interviews.

Hire Immigrants Ottawa Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO) brings together employers, agencies serving immigrants and others to help employers integrate skilled immigrants into their workplaces. It is funded by the Government of Ontario and the Federal Government. Thirty-two executives of major employers make up its Employer Council of Champions, five Sector Working Groups (37 members) address systemic barriers to employment and retention in their respective sectors, and an awareness-raising initiative promotes greater understanding of the social and economic value that immigrants bring to our city. HIO has worked with more than 500 employers since its launch in 2007. 1,181 skilled immigrants have found jobs appropriate to their skills and 137 employers have changed their human resources policies and practices to better leverage the immigrant talent pool. HIO worked with a federal government inter-departmental roundtable and later with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to launch the Federal Internship for Newcomers (FIN) program, which works with immigrant-serving organizations to offer newcomers valuable work experience in federal departments and agencies. HIO has delivered 54 crosscultural competency sessions to 653 participants and HIO employers have hosted 18 coaching and networking events attended by 443 skilled immigrants and 288 employer participants. HIOs efforts to position the benefits of integrating skilled immigrants into the workforce have included 130 media articles, 89 presentations and conferences and more than 50,000 resource downloads from its website. United Ways HIO partners include the City of Ottawa, LASI World Skills Inc. (a coalition of Local Agencies Serving Immigrants also supported through United Way funding), Le Regroupement des gens daffaires de la Capitale nationale (RGA), Invest Ottawa, and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce.

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Belonging to Community

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

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TURNING LIVES AROUND

By helping the homeless, people with mental health and addiction problems and those in crisis get the support they need, we not only help them build better lives, but also help build a stronger, healthier and safer city for everyone. Together with our donors and partners, we: Help homeless people get off the streets and turn their lives around Connect people facing mental health issues or addictions with the help they need Give people in crisis a place to turn when they need help the most

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK

Housing supports for youth and adults who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless

INVESTMENT

In 2011-2012, we invested $3.8 million in 43 front-line programs delivered by 32 agencies. These programs served nearly 22,000 people and touched thousands more families. Investments in these programs as well as in our four other strategies focused on:

Health promotion and healthy behaviours training and support for people of all ages with addictions, mental health challenges, histories of abuse and other issues School-based addiction prevention and support for students in all high schools Addictions counselling assessment, referrals and support for at-risk and homeless youth enrolled in non-traditional high school programs Programming to help low-income individuals and families manage their household finances and receive advice about budgeting, debt management and simple taxation Culturally- and linguistically-appropriate counselling and support for adults, teens and children in crisis to help develop healthy coping strategies and avoid self-harming behaviours Help at the end of a phone for people who are in urgent need of support or who are feeling overwhelmed by personal problems or depression Access to multilingual information about vital crisis and social supports in the community

Issue

DID YOU KNOW?

of Canadians 15 years of age and over struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.

More than 1,400 people in Ottawa are chronically homeless spending more than 60 nights per year sleeping in shelters In 2012, more than 1,000 people in Ottawa under the age of 24 used a homeless shelter Men who have been criminally involved are seven times more likely to return to offending behaviour within the first few months of release if they are homeless or living in the shelter system It can cost $100,000 per year in health, social service and justice costs to keep someone on the street, versus $18,000 to permanently house a homeless person and provide the supports they need to address other challenges

1 in 5 of us will be touched by a personal mental health issue in any given year 85% of adults with addictions started abusing drugs and/or alcohol before the age of 18, and 60% of substance users are 15 to 24 years 12% of families in Ottawa are living on less than $20,000 per year and the poverty rates for children in Aboriginal, visible minority, recent immigrant and lone mother-led families are at least double the national average The average length of stay in family shelters in Ottawa has more than doubled, from 3-4 months to 8-10 months

10%

Results
21,965 people directly benefitted from United Way-supported front-line programs and services 900 adults who are, or are at risk of being, involved with the justice system received supports to help them to stable housing, and through this same program, 10 supportive housing units were added in Ottawa and support services were added to a 42 unit rooming house 214 street-involved young women who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless and who face multiple barriers to independence received emergency shelter and transition support

IMPACT
Addictions counselling is now present in all 56 high schools and in three non-conventional academic settings, with an increase in system capacity of 82% up from 400 hours of school-based counselling prior to project s.t.e.p in Ottawa or 5,400 students participating in addictions prevention and education sessions and 1,500 youth provided counselling services 280 women and children received crisis intervention, housing and basic needs support and other assistance to transition to a safe environment 84% of a sample group of women and children found safe and secure permanent housing; 90% of a sample group of children adjusted well to new schools and new environments

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Turning lives around

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

15

TURNING LIVES AROUND

Results continued >>
70 street-involved young or expectant mothers, many of whom use substances, some from the child welfare system or have experienced family violence, participated in an intensive residential program to provide vital life and parenting skills half of the mothers were successful in keeping their babies 62 high school students who are refugees from war-torn countries received specialized in-school counselling and support, with 72% of a sample group showing increased school engagement and integration 550 people of all ages who have come to Ottawa from war-torn countries received counselling and connection to settlement and other supports, with 75% of a sample group achieving their counselling goals Of the 28,257 calls to a 24-hour distress line, 61% of callers reported a decrease in feelings of isolation and loneliness following the call 56,814 callers were connected to social service supports through 211, an increase of more than 11% over the previous year

IMPACT

IMPACT
Project s.t.e.p. In 2008, United Way together with 11 other partners, launched project s.t.e.p to address the need for the support, treatment, education and prevention of substance abuse issues facing youth in our community. Before project s.t.e.p., Ottawa had no residential facilities to help youth combat serious substance abuse issues. By early 2012, the project s.t.e.p. partnership had raised $3 M to build two residential facilities providing treatment and counselling to youth with addictions on a 24-7 basis one for francophone youth operated by Maison Fraternit and one for anglophone youth run by the Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre. With this milestone reached, project s.t.e.p. now focuses on school-based treatment, intervention and education programs in all area high schools and in non-conventional academic settings. This program is funded by the school boards, the city and project s.t.e.p. donors and coordinated by the Substance Abuse and Youth in Schools (SAYS) Coalition in collaboration with the four Ottawa school boards and two service providers, Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services and Maison Fraternit. Prior to the launch of project s.t.e.p., just under 400 hours of school-based counselling per week were available. Capacity has increased by 84% to 720 hours per week. Counselling is now available in all 56 high schools across the city, as well as in three nonconventional classroom settings at Operation Come Home, Wabano and the Youville Centre. In total, 1,500 students were connected to school-based counselling in 2011-2012, with 900 being new to the program. 500 of their parents also received support. 71% of the students in a sample group reduced or stopped use of one or more drugs. 89% in the sample group completed their academic year.

Strengthening the Capacity of the Sector

In addition to program investments under our three Focus Areas, United Way is also investing in capacity building initiatives which are critical for strong and healthy service delivery partners, allowing us to make measurable progress towards our priority goals. In 2011-2012, we invested $818,000 to support nine programs to further priority goals and support capacity building of the social service sector in Ottawa, with 3,185 individuals serviced through those investments. A few highlights: 1,354 people delivering services to people with mental health and addictions issues received training A network for agencies and people serving francophones explored resource-sharing and best practices, with 106 people participating in sessions, 22 best-practice documents published, eight organizations adopting a new accounting system and three obtaining new funding 300 front-line agencies took part in programs to improve volunteerism practices 97% of a sample of agencies implemented best practices in volunteer program management, 94% implemented best practices in governance, 96% increased access to networking opportunities

Hydro Ottawas Brighter Tomorrows Fund is targeted to agencies serving the homeless or those at risk of homelessness. It helps them to invest in technologies and services that improve the energy efficiency of their facilities, allowing them to devote these cost savings to program funding. In 2012, the Brighter Tomorrows Fund granted a total of $85,696 to Daybreak Housing, Multifaith Housing Initiative, National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA, Operation Come Home, Options Bytown, Ottawa Salus, and Shepherds of Good Hope. A $5,500 grant for the installation of ceiling fans in the common areas of each of the five homes operated by Daybreak Housing helped the organization reduce their air-conditioning bills by up to 40%.

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Turning lives around

Issue. Investment. Impact.

PROGRAM

Community-wide initiative

targeted community investment

17

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