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“To enhance the quality of life in our communities by linking people and services together”

2013/14 Annual General Meeting Report

Calgary South West Communities Resource Centre Society Annual Report 2013/14 2

Table of Contents Board, Staff and Partnership Listings Page 3 11th AGM Agenda Page 4 Minutes of 10th AGM, September 17, 2013 Pages 5 - 7 Chair’s Report Pages 8 - 9 Treasurer’s Report Pages 10 - 12 Volunteer Specialist’s Report Pages 13 – 14 Executive Director’s Report Pages 15 – 16

Client Population Data Pages 17 – 24 Client Outcomes Survey Results Pages 25 - 32


Board & Staff

2013/14 SWCRC Board of Directors

Chris Grabill Chair Richard Conte Secretary Noreen Samra Treasurer Jeanne Burdego Director Janne Dunnion Director Jane Gillespie Director Jay Gupta Director Kulwant Kalsi Director James McPhail Director Wendy Zhu Director

2013/14 SWCRC Staff

Melody Wharton Executive Director Marylou Breig Community Resource Worker Aynsley Walsh Community Resource Worker Pati Chrusch-Page Volunteer Specialist

Partnerships The following list includes partners along a continuum ranging from event planning to program and service delivery to joint funding and administration.

Boys and Girls Club

Calgary and Area Child and Family Services

Calgary Co-operative Association Limited

Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association

Calgary Interfaith Food Bank

Calgary Public Library – Southwood Branch

Calgary Public Library – Shawnessy Branch

Centre for Child Well-Being, Mount Royal University

City of Calgary Community and Neighborhood Services

City of Calgary FCSS

Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre

Further Education Society

Hull Child and Family Services

South of Fish Creek Network

Southland Leisure Centre

YWCA – Sheriff King – Domestic Violence Outreach


AGM Agenda

1. Call to order, welcome and introductions

2. Adoption of Agenda.

3. Review and adoption of the Minutes of the 10th AGM, September 17, 2013. After the review and any corrections, it would be in order for a member to move that the Minutes as recorded in the AGM Report be adopted.

4. Chairman of the Board’s Report

5. Treasurer’s Report. It would be in order for a member to move that the Treasurer’s Report for the 2013/14 fiscal year be adopted.

6. Appointment of Calvista LLP as auditor for fiscal year 2014/15.

7. Address from Brian Pincott, City Councillor for Ward 11

8. Client Story – Introduction of Rhonda by Community Resource Workers Marylou Breig and Aynsley Walsh

9. Volunteer Specialist’s Report (delivered by Lori Colwell)

10. Executive Director’s Report

11. Open dialogue invitation to members and guests

12. Election of Chair for Board of Directors and invitation to serve

13. Adjournment Everyone is invited for refreshments and an opportunity to socialize.


Minutes Calgary South West Communities Resource Centre Society

10th AGM September 17, 2013

Board Members Chris Grabill (Chairman), Richard Conte (Secretary), Jane Gillespie (Director), Kulwant Kalsi (Director), Noreen Samra (Treasurer), Wendy Zhu (Director).

Regrets: Jeanne Burdego (Director), Jay Gupta (Director)

Other Full Members of the Society Nicole Chu, Deb Collins, Scott Courtney, Cecilia Gongora

Gary Haerle, Louise Haerle, Paul Meunier, Donna Mills, Debbie Moriarty, Brian Pincott, Tamara Storey, Elaine Turner, Steven Kim, Don Wharton

Other Guests Casey Pickering, Surinder Khanna, E. Faust, Darlynn Lynn,

Janne Dunnion, Paula Salter Staff: Melody Wharton (Executive Director), Pati Chrusch-Page,

Marylou Breig, Aynsley Walsh The Calgary South West Communities Resource Centre Society’s 2012/13 Annual Report was circulated

1. Call to Order Chris Grabill called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. He welcomed all those present and introduced staff and board members who were in attendance.

2. Minutes of the AGM – September 18, 2012 Motion: Moved by Gary Haerle to adopt the minutes of the 2011/12 AGM as circulated; seconded by Deb Collins. Motion passed unanimously.

3. Adoption of the Agenda Motion: Moved by Paul Meunier and seconded by Kulwant Kalsi to accept the agenda as circulated. Motion passed.

4. Chairman’s Report

Chairman Chris Grabill presented both the veteran and new Board Members to those in attendance. He also thanked the staff and Paul Meunier who served as Treasurer in 2012, but who will not be continuing on the board. He outlined the subcommittee structure of the Board and thanked Executive Director, Melody Wharton, Community Resource Workers Tanya Silverthorn (who left the Centre in mid-year after five years of service), Marylou Breig, Aynsley Walsh and Volunteer Coordinator, Pati Chrusch-Page for their hard work in the past year. Chris described the major accomplishments of the board in the past year including the development of the website, ongoing work on the development of strategic directions, and the continuation of the development of the CRC Data Network Initiative.


5. Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Noreen Samra presented the audited Financial Statements to March 31, 2013. The audit was conducted by the Certified General Accountants, Thompson, Penner & Lo, LLP. In the opinion of the auditors the financial statements fairly presented the financial position of the Calgary South West Communities Resource Centre Society as of March 31, 2013, and the results of its operations to that date were in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. In the past year the assets were up $3,000.00 due to a 61% increase in donations. There was also an increase in the utilization of casino revenues: $4,000.00 of these funds were used to fund operations. Motion: Noreen Samra moved to adopt the Treasurer’s Report, seconded by Jane Gillespie. Motion Passed. Motion: Noreen Samra moved to re-appoint the auditors, Thomson, Penner & Lo, LLP, for the 2013/2014 audit. Motion Passed

6. Volunteer Coordinator’s Report During the 2012-2013 fiscal year, 95 volunteers contributed 1,902 hours of their time to support the Centre. Participants included the Board of Directors, Tutoring Tuesdays (in which 16 tutors served 84 students in 35 sessions), Mastering the Mouse (a computer instructional program that reached 67 students), the 49 participants in the South Calgary Youth Council who spent a total of 605 hours conducting a range of programs including a leadership program for youth, a festival promoting the need for clean water, a Halloween party and the Salvation Army Christmas Warehouse). Shortly after the AGM, approximately 40 volunteers will participate in the casino to raise funds for the Centre.

7. Brian Pincott’s Address.

Alderman Brian Pincott who is a member of the SWCRC gave a brief talk on the 10th Anniversary of the SWCRC. He noted that he first came to the Centre for the AGM that happened to be taking place on the night he was first elected to the City Council approximately 6 years ago. He recalled seeing broken furniture, peeling paint which reflected the difficult financial condition of the Centre at the time. He contrasted his experience at the SWCRC with another AGM he attended on the same night at the Palliser. This latter AGM was for an organization that worked with persons with disabilities, but had all the trappings (such as an AGM in an elegant setting) of a well-funded organization. His experience that night made him a permanent fan of the SWCRC. In his view the Centre has its heart in the right place, and that despite all the financial challenges it has faced has managed to grow and thrive over the past 10 years. At the end of his talk he presented a plaque to Executive Director Melody Wharton, marking the 10th Anniversary of the Centre.

8. Client Story

Casey described how she received services from the Centre at a critical junction in her life. As she explained to Community Resource Worker, Mary Lou Breig, she was confronted by challenges in the areas of basic needs, a lack of confidence, and a deteriorating relationship with her spouse. With the supportive counseling she received and assistance in developing a resume, she has managed to overcome her self-esteem issues, managed to find a job, and feels determined to succeed.


9. Executive Director’s Report

Executive Director Melody Wharton marked the 10th Anniversary of the Centre acknowledging the work ethic of the staff, as well as the critical role played by volunteers and partner agencies (CIWA, and the Further Education Society) and funders (Child and Family Services and FCSS, the Alberta Government, and The Calgary Foundation which provided support for the early stages of the CRC Data Network). She also underscored the major achievements including the development and launching of the website, a project of the Board’s Marketing Committee; the Data Base Project which will enable the Centre to paint a picture of what it does in contributing to the social knowledge of the Calgary community. Lastly, she pointed out that largely as a result of initiatives such as the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative, the Social Policy Framework, and the Prevention and Early Intervention Framework for Children, Youth and Families, this has been the “Year of Frameworks”. The SWCRC has made a contribution to each of these important projects.

10. Open Dialogue

The open dialogue offered members and guests an opportunity to ask questions of the Board and Staff

11. Election of the Board Chair

There was no election of directors at the AGM this year. However, Chris Grabill was re-elected as Board Chair by acclamation.

12. Demonstration of the new SWCRC Website Board Chair, Chris Grabill, demonstrated the features of the website to those in attendance.

13. Election of Board Members The slate of returning Board members included Kulwant Kalsi, Richard Conte, Chris Grabill, Jeanne Burdego, Jay Gupta, Jane Gillespie, James McPhail, Noreen Samra and Wendy Zhu

It was moved by Gary Haerle and seconded by Dave Trantor to approve the returning slate of board members. Motion passed unanimously. Lastly, it was moved by Richard Conte that Chris Grabill remain as Board chair. Seconded by Dave Trantor. Motion passed unanimously.

14. Adjourment & Next Meeting

Dave Trantor moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Deb Collins. Motion passed. The

meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. The next AGM will be held in September, 2014.

Respectfully submitted Richard Conte, Secretary


Chair’s Report A year of big transitions, big initiatives and a positive outlook for the future took place this past year at the SWCRC. It was a great honour to serve as Chair for a third and final year. The Board was very fortunate this past year to bring on a number of new Board members and maintain a healthy size and diversity amongst its membership. Four members will be resigning at this time as their allotted term has been fulfilled. Richard Conte, who served as Secretary, Jeanne Burdego, director-at-large, Kulwant Kalsi, director-at-large and I will all have completed six years of service to the SWCRC. I cannot express the gratitude and enjoyment I had working with these individuals over the past years. Their dedication, passion and commitment to the SWCRC and its goals has been profound and appreciated by the staff, the other directors and myself. It was a pleasure working with them and I wish them all the best in their future pursuits. While it is always sad to see people move on, it is also reinvigorating, rejuvenating and exciting for an organization to get much needed refreshed governance. And this year was an excellent year to find some amazing people to carry on the work of the Board. Welcomed this past year were Jamie McPhail, Janne Dunnion, Rosemary Bussi and Gary Bobroff. The experience and energy this group brings will ensure a successful Board and a positive direction for the SWCRC into the future. Along with these new members, the Board will maintain a great level of capability and dedication from returning Board members, Jay Gupta, Wendy Zhu, Jane Gillespie and Noreen Samra (Treasurer). I am thankful I was lucky enough to meet these individuals and work alongside them for the various tenures allowed. They are now the backbone and I have the utmost confidence and enthusiasm about their abilities and where they will take the SWCRC these next years. Our volunteers and staff continue to do an amazing job taking care of our clients and our community. This year saw some challenges to the ever changing landscape for non-profits and Executive Director Melody Wharton continued her tireless efforts to ensure sustainability for the SWCRC. Through countless meetings, fervent advocacy and endless hours, Melody maintained and endured and guided the Board to face these challenges. While everything can be so dynamic still, the SWCRC has a comfortable outlook for the future and their finger firmly on the pulse of what is transpiring and how we as a Society and facility can thrive in that framework. Without the efforts of Melody, this would not have occurred and we would not even be close to the position we are in now. Gratitude, adulation and admiration are all extraordinarily deserved by our ED. A volunteer Board and a small, over-worked staff must try to wrangle lots into the time they get to work together and the time they can commit to other items. It is a challenge and it is necessary. With that said, the highlight of this year’s AGM is no doubt the presentation of our new strategic plan. This plan has been years in the making. It has gone through stops and starts, transitions, mandate changes and seemed like it would never get nosed down the road. But through a commitment to get it done, the SWCRC has a coherent road map for the future. This document will give the SWCRC an outline and reassurance of its operations going forward, it will allow for exploration of options and it will provide continuity and a guide to navigate unforeseen challenges. This massive undertaking could not have been done without the hard work of our Board, our Executive Director, our staff and our consultants, Eileen Kwan and Pat Rice, and funding from FCSS to hire our consultants. A huge shout of gratitude to all of you and congratulations to all of us for getting this done. In conclusion, the SWCRC is set up for an exciting time. A new, invigorated Board and a new strategic plan will make for some great news in the future. Throughout my years working with the SWCRC, I have seen and heard many great stories, I have seen many changes and I have seen an


organization that cares about the communities I care about and cares deeply about our clients. The difference that is made here is never properly recognized. But I have seen the volunteers, the tutoring students, the successful clients, the dedicated Board members, the eager staff, the program’s accomplishments and the culmination of what they all produce together and I recognize its power and success. And I just want to say thank you for letting me be part of it for these past years. Chris Grabill Chair, South West Communities Resource Centre


Treasurer’s Report It has been an eventful year at the SWCRC, and I want to begin by thanking the great SWCRC Board, staff and volunteers. It is a pleasure and privilege to work alongside such motivated, skilled and compassionate people. I am pleased to present the audited financial statements for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2014. The audit was conducted by Calvista LLP, and they provided an audit opinion stating that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Calgary South West Communities Resource Centre Society as at March 31, 2014, and the results of its operations and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. We have had a successful financial year with respect to funding the diverse programs and functions of the Resource Centre. The statement of financial position and the statement of operations and changes in net assets are included in this AGM report. A copy of the complete audited financial statements is available for review at the AGM. Please let the Chair know if you would like to receive a copy of the statements and we would be happy to ensure a copy is mailed to you. Items of particular note include:

SWCRC had its Casino in the 2013/14 year, and received funds of $69,265, allowing the organization to maintain a healthy cash position, as well as ensure the continuance of effective services from one of our valued Community Resource Workers and ongoing monitoring through use of the database. The SWCRC uses the deferral method of accounting for restricted contributions/funds, which includes the Casino revenue. The deferral method requires that the expended amounts of a restricted fund are recognized as revenue at the time they are expended; thus, the amount of Casino revenue reported in the Financial Statements exactly matches the amount of expenses paid by Casino funds included in the statement of operations and changes in net assets.

Donations in 2013/14 ($16,654) were significantly up from 2012/13 ($3,480), which was the strongest contributor to the excess revenue after expenditures position of $11,469. We are so grateful to our generous supporters. We hope to continue this wonderful trend in the upcoming fiscal year through active fundraising efforts and reach out to potential funders with a strong interest in community building in the southwest Calgary.

SWCRC developed formal, documented financial policies in accordance with Canadian

accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations in the fiscal year. These policies are the foundation for the processes of all financial transactions within the organization, and also provide guidance for the treatment of unusual financial transactions and overall financial controls.

Overall, the SWCRC is in a secure financial position to continue to provide quality programs and services, and I am confident that we will be able meet the operational objectives for the SWCRC in the foreseeable future.

Submitted by Noreen Samra, Treasurer


2014 2013

Statement of Financial Position as at March 31, 2013 ASSETS Current Cash and cash equivalents $ 58,400 $ 45,002 Restricted cash 58,587 62,949 Short-term investments 10,798 10,667 Accounts receivable - 1,225 GST receivable 1,097 1,116 Prepaid expenses 33 29 $ 128,9815 $ 120,988 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 4,917 $ 4,917 Payroll deduction liabilities 5,973 5,153 10,890 10,070 Deferred contributions - operations 58,941 63,303 $ 69,831 $ 73,373 NET ASSETS Unrestricted 59,084 47,615 $ 128,915 $ 120,988 Statement of Operations and Changes in Net Assets Year ended March 31, 2013 REVENUE Contract funding – Child & Family Services Authority $ 179,457 $ 175,685 Casino 73,626 67,832 Donations 16,654 3,480 Funding for partnership program 4,248 8,498 Other 1,511 1,326 275,496 256,821


2014 2013

EXPENSES Salaries and wages $ 208,519 $ 201,702 Facility costs 33,861 32,845 Administration 8,743 8,883 Program delivery 6,839 6,604 Professional fees 5,676 3,671 Repairs and maintenance 389 46 264,027 253,751 Excess of revenue over expenses $ 11,469 $ 3,070 Net Assets, beginning of year $ 47,615 $ 44,545 Net Assets, end of year $ 59,084 $ 47,615

“To enhance the quality of life in our communities by linking people and services together”

Volunteer Specialist’s Report

During the 2013-2014 fiscal year, 129 volunteers contributed 2,807 hours of their time to support the volunteer initiatives of the SWCRC. Board of Directors

Over the past year we have had eleven directors on the board, with one resignation;

bringing our current total of active Board members to ten. Although this is a strong

number of directors for the SWCRC, the Board is currently recruiting as a succession

plan for new directors, as four of the members, including the chair will be leaving in

September (2014) as according to the Society’s by-laws, their terms have been

maximized. Board members contributed 242 hours to board duties and committee work.

Front Desk Assistants and Agency Support The volunteer position of Front Desk Assistant has continued to thrive. The front desk is

consistently “staffed” from Monday to Thursday. These volunteers strongly support the

work that the SWCRC does and with the specialized skill of the individual volunteers,

they have been able to assist with the many “special project” that we throw at them.

We have to recognize the unseen volunteers that help out with cleaning, recycling and

general repairs. They also keep our space welcoming, clean and functioning.

With the success of the Parent Talk program we also have two new additional volunteers

that assist with the program. Again, helping us do our work better.

The value of these volunteers enhances the quality and efficacy of the SWCRC service

to the community. Front desk and designated volunteers contributed 947 hours.

Mastering the Mouse Throughout this period the Mastering the Mouse Program taught 63 students (a majority being seniors and new Canadians) how to use the computer or increase their skills; for a total of instructional hours. We have started to offer advanced courses, on specific topics; with the first two classes on “Navigating Kijiji” and “Skype” with 12 additional students. Our volunteer tutor continues to provide excellent training to those who need his help with 165 hours of volunteering and 326 hours of instruction! Tutoring Tuesdays The Tutoring Tuesdays Program served 80 students over 33 weekly sessions throughout

the school year. The students came from 16 communities. Throughout the year there

were 18 active tutors who volunteered 526 hours for a total of 1110 hours of instruction.

There was an average of 22.4 students attending each week (with a range of 14 to 32).

Again the ongoing commitment and dedication of the tutors continues to make The

Tutoring Tuesdays Program a success.


South Calgary Youth Council (SCYC) The South Calgary Youth Council (SCYC) is a youth leadership group with members between 12-17 years of age who involve themselves in community action, project development and volunteering for community events. The primary community initiative this year was an event held at South Centre called, “You Are Not Alone”, a Youth Suicide and Self-Harm Awareness Initiative to educate and share information with Calgarians. Their goal was to “educate ourselves and others to decrease and prevent self-harm and suicide.” The SCYC members, all of them youth themselves, felt there is a serious need to increase awareness of Calgarians on this sensitive and timely issue. Information was presented in a variety of ways. There were hand-outs, collage/art presentations, message buttons, a multi-media presentation and an original SCYC brochure with information on risk factors, signs and symptoms, coping strategies and how to help someone you may think is at risk, including available resources in Calgary. To better understand teen suicide and self-harm the members attended a two hour educational workshop presented by Leona Doig, psychologist. The brochure that they designed for the project was also distributed to the junior high and high schools in south Calgary. This past year the LEAD Program was again initiated. The LEAD Program is a leadership program for youth, designed and implemented by the City of Calgary. The SCYC members were also involved in additional volunteer opportunities throughout the year:

Food Bank (X3)

Acadia Community Association Stampede BBQ

Salvation Army Christmas Warehouse- Sorting and organizing toys for vulnerable children and families at the Salvation Army Christmas Warehouse

Southland Leisure Centre – Christmas hamper gift wrapping In the 2013-2014 year there were 56 youth involved in the SCYC. Planning and direct volunteer time was 732 hours. Casino

The SWCRC casino opportunity was held on September 24th and 25th, 2013. There were

40 volunteers (25 from the community) who covered the necessary 42 shifts for a total of

252 volunteer hours. The money received from this limited, but important, opportunity

pays for the salary of one of the Community Resource Worker’s positions. Without the

support from community members, this endeavour would not be possible.

Summary

The SWCRC is continually amazed at our volunteers. We never could have asked for

more dedicated volunteers and words cannot express how grateful we are to have you

supporting us. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with you all. Thank you.

Respectfully submitted, Pati Chrusch-Page, Volunteer Specialist


Executive Director’s Report Margaret Wheatley is an internationally known thinker, writer and lecturer on leadership and organizations. I have heard her speak: she is confident and inspirational. One of her books, called Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time, published in 2005, has sat on the bookshelf in my office for a number of years. I recently took it off the shelf and discovered that Margaret’s profound views on what an organization is at its root, and on how it can be nurtured to respond continuously and effectively to change, offers some insight on how we can manage the SWCRC’s current uncertainties. A big change has recently been instigated by our primary funder, Calgary and Area Child and Family Services. CFS has invited us and all other urban CRCs on a journey to become perhaps something different than we now are, or, best case scenario, something in addition to what we are now. What we know at this point is that they will no longer fund us to serve all residents living in our 28 communities, but only those residents who are parents or other primary caregivers of children 0 – 17 years of age. We know that parenting education is to be our primary focus with less emphasis (perhaps substantially less emphasis) on the assessment, information, referral, advocacy and system navigation services that are our current area of expertise. What we don’t know yet – and this blurred vision is shared by CFS - is exactly how to get from here to there on this journey. “Finding our way;” “uncertain times: Margaret’s book could not have been more aptly titled for our current situation. As a way forward, Margaret would first encourage us to think of the SWCRC as a self-organizing process rather than as a structure. Organizations are better thought of as people in process rather than as people occupying positions on an organization chart. In Margaret’s words, “the process of organizing involves developing relationships from a shared sense of purpose, exchanging and creating information, learning constantly, paying attention to the results of our efforts, co-adapting, co-evolving, developing wisdom as we learn, staying clear about our purpose, being alert to changes from all directions.” Why is it important to recognize, nurture and sustain the self-organizing capacity of organizations? Because, according to Margaret, organizations that operate knowingly and intentionally as self-organizing systems are able to respond continuously to change. Furthermore, they are able to use change as an “organizing force,” the impetus for organizational evolution, rather than reflexively resisting change as an unwelcome “intrusion.” This sounds hopeful. Once upon a time, an armful of community residents and service providers spent 3 years turning a shared sense of purpose into an organization called the SWCRC. Over the ensuing eleven years many different volunteers, staff, clients and funders have had a hand in continually improving the organization. We are still a going concern. We have evidence of effectiveness. We can start new journeys. We have done it before. What do we need to do in order to become an organization of effective self-organizers? According to Margaret, there are three conditions for self-organizing organizations.


The first condition is identity, what she describes as the “sense-making capacity of the organization.” When some 30 community residents and service providers came together to create the SWCRC, we first had to address purpose and commitment. Why are we doing this? What is possible now that we have agreed to try this together? We created an identity. Through the years we have managed to maintain a coherent sense of identity, always referring back to it when making decisions affecting the organization and the populations we serve. Within these stable parameters, we have been able to exercise creativity in improving programs and services and have been able to weather the ever-present turbulence caused by internal and external change. CFS, however, is provoking change of a different order than we have had to deal with in the past. It is a change that challenges our current organizational identity. It is the biggest reason that we feel we are in truly murky waters at this point. To find our way, we will have to redefine our organizational identity in a way that makes sense to us and inspires our commitment. The second condition is information. Margaret introduces her readers to two system-oriented definitions of information that raise our awareness of the close connection between information and change: Gregory Bateson’s “information is a difference which makes a difference” and Stafford Beer’s “information is that which changes us.” Everyone involved in an organization is constantly processing information. Margaret calls information the “medium of the organization.” It is important that everyone in the organization have access to a lot of Information: “the more eyes and ears on the data, the more sense can be made of it and the more rapidly and effectively it can be put to use.” Much of my time over the years has been spent creating, seeking, repurposing and sharing information. The experience of this current situation has shown me that I really need the eyes and ears of the staff, Board and others on the information I collect, helping me analyze and interpret it. We feel starved for the information that will be the “difference which makes a difference,” the information that will indicate the right direction to go in next, then next. Information is the ground beneath our feet and the lighthouse on a stormy sea and all of us need it to move forward in our work with confidence. The third condition is relationships. According to Margaret, “relationships are the pathways to the intelligence of the system. Through relationships, information is created and transformed, the organization’s identity expands to include more stakeholders, and the enterprise becomes wiser. The more access people have to one another, the more possibilities there are.” There is not a doubt in my mind that finding our way is going to involve a lot of talking among a lot of people. Margaret shows us that Identity, information and relationships are tightly intertwined and form the “dynamic heart of organizing.” Let us take heart and manage change, and be empowered by change, through the process of continuous organizing. Melody Wharton, Executive Director


SWCRC Client Population

Source of data: Contact Screening Log

This section of the AGM Report provides an example of the kind of descriptive statistical information that we can extract from the SWCRC’s Outcome Tracker database. Some of this data is recorded by our Community Resource Workers using a Contact Screening Log, which collects some limited information each time a service is provided. Clients are not identified in the Log, so we don’t know how many unduplicated clients were served (for example, 1 person could have been served 10 times, or 10 people served 1 time). Each time someone receives a service, we record it as a Service Contact and we collect some limited descriptive information. The Log lets us keep track of the total volume of services provided. Three examples of data from our Contact Screening Log follow. For various reasons, not every question is asked, or perhaps recorded, for every contact, which is why the number of contacts (n) varies.

New and Previous Contacts

We recorded information on the number times we provided service to new contacts (people who had never before contacted the SWCRC) and to previous contacts (people who had received service from the SWCRC at least once before).


Family Status at Contact Screening

As we are being asked by our primary funder, Calgary and Area Child and Family Services, to focus their funding dollars on service to families with children 0 – 17 years of age in their care, it is important to understand the number of people in this population category we are already serving (are families using the SWCRC and in what numbers?). It is also important to know the number of people outside of this category (unattached individuals and couples without children 0-17) because we may have to stop serving this population until we can find funding to serve them.

Family Status

Number of

contacts Percentage of contacts

Unattached individual 300 28.7%

Couple without children 85 8.1%

Couple with children 327 31.2%

Lone mother with children 290 27.7%

Lone father with children 31 3.0%

Grandparent couple with children 4 0.4%

Lone grandmother with children 5 0.5%

Lone grandfather with children 2 0.2%

Other family composition 3 0.3%

Total 1047 100.00%

Number of children < 18 in contact's care

Number of

contacts Percentage of contacts

0 children 81 11.2%

1 child 193 26.6%

2 children 243 33.5%

3 children 122 16.8%

4 children 63 8.7%

5 children 8 1.1%

6 children 7 1.0%

7 children 8 1.1%

8 children 1 0.1%

Total 726 100.0%


Source of data: Initial Assessment

Our second source of data is the initial assessment we carry out with individual clients. In 2013/14, we recorded the information we collected, with consent, from 164 presenting clients.

The core service of the SWCRC is a package of direct client services comprising the following:

brief assessment, supportive counselling, limited information and referral to bridge the time until the community resident can come in for a full assessment or to assist people for whom an assessment is not appropriate

a full Assessment at intake that includes a comprehensive review of the client’s situation, supportive counselling; identification of strengths and resources already at hand; action planning including identification and articulation of client-desired outcomes; recommendations as to appropriate programs, services and resources to help the client meet those outcomes; supported referrals; advocacy, support/training for self-advocacy; system navigation

on-going support/case management for clients who choose to continue to use the services of the SWCRC

We know about the social service and resource needs of our client population through the information that they consent to share with us. Their experiences inform us. We use our Outcome Tracker database to transform individual client data into summarized or aggregate data which we can then analyze. We can use this data to help us identify changes that we should make to our programs and services at the SWCRC and in the community at large. We can also use this data to inform social policy by sharing it with social planners and municipal and provincial politicians. Given our primary funder’s interest in having the SWCRC focus primarily on caregivers of children 0 – 17 years, we analyzed much of our data in 2013_14 by family status.

A sample of population demographics follows.


Any issue raised more than 10 times by clients presenting for an initial assessment was defined as a “prevalent issue.”


Results of the SWCRC Client Outcomes Survey In the past, the SWCRC has conducted a Client Satisfaction Survey of 4 questions. In 2013_14, the SWCRC conducted a Client Outcomes Survey instead, using a Survey drafted by 11 Community Resource Centres as part of an exercise to develop indicators for three of five family protective factors identified by the Centre for the Study of Social Policy and articulated in the Centre’s Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework. These three were: Concrete Support in Times of Need; Parental Resilience; and Social Connections. The CRCs developed questions to measure each of the 3 protective factors, and then drafted a Client Outcomes Survey – Protective Factors to administer to a sample of our client population in lieu of our usual Client Satisfaction Survey. Survey methodology All client files in which interactions were recorded between April 1 2013 and March 31 2014 between SWCRC clients and Community Resource Workers were pulled and contact information compiled: client names, contact numbers, community of residence and last date of interaction with a CRW. We did not attempt to determine the family status of the clients on the list; therefore only a portion of, and an unknown portion of, the total client sample pool would have children in their care. The total number of clients listed was 320. Five SWCRC volunteers we knew to be comfortable communicating with clients and using the phone were trained to administer the Survey. All clients on the list were called at least twice, with a maximum of three calls attempted, over a period of 1 month. 102 clients responded to the phone survey for a response rate of 32%.

Survey Results Protective Factor Outcome 1: Concrete Support in Times of Need This outcome is the one most representative of current CRC practice. Results for the four questions measuring this protective factor were generally very positive.


Protective Factor Outcome 2: Positive Social Connections There are higher percentages of disagreement, or use of the “neither agree nor disagree” option, for these two questions than for the previous four questions.


Protective Factor Outcome 3: Parental Resilience These questions were applied as measures of resilience independent of the client’s family status (not all respondents were parents of dependent children at the time of the survey).


10. What, if anything changed for you since coming to the SWCRC?


A sample of client comments regarding question 10: Changes for the better

Due to information received from SWCRC, I am more focused

Things are better. We now have things, new and more friends. I referred my friends to SWCRC.

Way better – able to settle down; got new steel-toed shoes; Food Bank; bed. SWCRC gives very accurate information – very good. Family coming soon!

Better. Food bank. Progressing with apprenticeship in carpentry. All going forward.

Basic needs met. Less stress. No matter who you are, if your self-esteem is up you do better. Stops at the SWCRC are so, so good – always have time.

Less stress – know somewhere to get help!

New immigrants – no job, got referrals, great support to us. Really impressed. Have job, clothing, household things, beds. (CRW) is excellent!

Financially better

Was able to get into Calgary Housing. Social workers were fabulous.

Helping others is helpful and useful. I feel better about things, less worry, more support. Excellent opportunity for newcomers. Friendly people, I feel wanted and supported

Some referrals. Very grateful – all better now. Life better – able to manage stress. More information for getting assistance and this lowers my stress and makes it better.

When I came to your Centre to talk to someone it helped to reieve some of my stress. I got help to take some pressure off paying my rent.

I just got a new job so things are getting better.

I don’t have to worry about my family as much. I like that I can get food for them when I have no money for food. Thank you for the help getting clothes for my new work.

My mental health is better. I’m not so stress out.

Resources have helped a lot especially with new born.

When I came to SWCRC I did not have a job. Now I have a job.

I can just manage things better than before.

I was lost and confused before I saw [CRW]. She helped me set goals for myself. She settles me down when I get all stressed. She helped me get a scholarship and now I go to university. The support from SWCRC has helped me get furniture and food too. I am studying to be a social worker so maybe I’ll work there one day.

I’ve been able to improve my education and because of having more knowledge I am more comfortable in some situations. I am in a good place physically and mentally right now. My quality of life has improved due largely to [CRW] and SWCRC’s referrals and encouragement. I would like to be able to give back to SWCRC and plan to bring in some hygiene products in the near future.

I am more hopeful and know things are improving. I really appreciate everything you guys do. I especially appreciate the volunteers that run the tutoring program for my kids. They are studying for provincial exams and are expecting to do well because of your help.


No changes

Help with rent – it helped one time but that’s it. There is nothing good and I don’t want to come back again

Still broke – not enough to help – still behind from winter due to utility bills.

More confident about people and will help but situation is the same. I need to do more.

Still same process, still same living situation.

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