October 27, 1999
To: Community Services Committee
From: City Clerk
Subject: Volunteer Services in Homes for the Aged
and the Ontario Works Program
Recommendation:
The Advisory Committee on Homes for the Aged on October 22, 1999, received the attached report (October 19, 1999)
from the General Manager, Homes for the Aged, respecting volunteer services in Homes for the Aged and the Ontario
Works Program; and directed that it be forwarded to the Community Services Committee for information.
City Clerk
B.Sears/tl
Item No. 5
c. General Manager, Homes for the Aged
(Report dated October 19, 1999, addressed to the
Advisory Committee on Homes for the Aged from the
General Manager, Homes for the Aged)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that this report be forwarded to Community Services Committee for its information.
Background:
Toronto's Homes for the Aged Division recognizes its volunteer program as one of its key strengths. There is a long
tradition of successful volunteerism within the Division, and there are presently over 1,500 dedicated volunteers working
within the ten Homes. Collectively, they contributed over 137,000 hours of voluntary service in 1998, through their
involvement in a variety of activities.
The Division's part-time Co-ordinators of Volunteer Services continue to work hard to expand and enhance the program,
recognizing that volunteers offer our residents community contact and share their time, energy, life experiences and
compassion in a way that cannot be replicated solely by staff. Considerable energy is spent on marketing the volunteer
program and on effective recruitment and selection, to ensure that those individuals chosen to volunteer within our Homes
have both the potential and personal attributes necessary to be successful in a long term care environment. These efforts
continue to be successful. In the first six months of 1999, there has been a 7.5 percent increase in volunteer hours over the
same period in 1998.
Volunteers within the Homes for the Aged are of all ages, and come from diverse ethnoracial, cultural, and socio-economic
backgrounds. Historically, a number of the Homes' registered volunteers have always been individuals in receipt of social
assistance. These individuals have come to the Homes on their own, registering as volunteers in order to give something
back to the community and to learn new skills, and participating simply as members of the Homes' volunteer organization,
with no acknowledgement of their status within the social services system.
Within the recent past, an increasing number of social assistance clients have approached the Homes, to inquire if they
could be placed as volunteers under the Community Participation component of the Ontario Works program. Because of
these inquiries (and also because of the very positive past experience in working with social assistance recipients within the
volunteer program), the Homes for the Aged Division decided to participate in the Community Participation program, on
an informal basis, by supporting individuals who approached the Homes on a self-initiated basis.
Since January 1999, there have been 92 social assistance clients volunteering within the Homes under the Community
Participation program, on a self-initiated basis. Forty-three (43) of these individuals are still active volunteers. Their
identity as social assistance recipients is not disclosed to other volunteers or staff within the Home; rather, they function
within the policies and guidelines applicable to all volunteers.
These volunteers have worked out extremely well, and have added value to the Homes' operation and residents' quality of
life. They have volunteered in a variety of tasks, such as participating in friendly visiting, escorting residents to programs,
assisting with recreational and rehabilitation activities, and assisting on resident units as unit helpers. Evaluation has shown
that there have been mutual benefits realized. First, the individuals in the Community Participation program tend to be
available for volunteer service in daytime hours, when there is a substantial resident need. Daytime hours tend to be a more
difficult time to generally attract volunteers. As a result of their voluntary contributions, individual residents have received
more attention. Second, the volunteers have achieved a degree of personal satisfaction, and have stated that they have
learned new skills. Without question, these voluntary services have enhanced and added value to the Homes for the Aged
Division's volunteer program.
Staff have assessed that there is a good fit between the needs of the Division's volunteer program and the requirements of
the Community Participation program. The Homes have the capacity to provide meaningful volunteer work, which
supports participants in updating their work-related skills and enhancing their self-confidence. Provincial guidelines allow
public sector organizations to become formally involved as Community Participation sponsors.
Comments:
Given the success and value of having social assistance clients as volunteers, the Homes for the Aged Division intends to
formalize its relationship with the program by signing an agreement with the Social Services Division to become a sponsor.
After the agreement is signed, the Homes' part-time Co-ordinators of Volunteer Services will liaise directly with
management staff in the Social Services Area Offices to jointly manage client recruitment, referral, placement, and
performance monitoring. It is anticipated that the number of individuals volunteering in the Homes under the Community
Participation program will increase to a total of approximately 150 individuals. This expansion will enhance the volunteer
programs in the Homes and will provide additional opportunities for individuals to develop marketable skills and help
them prepare for the return to paid employment.
There will be no change in the Homes' internal processes; that is, the individuals will not be identified in any way as
Community Participation clients. Rather, they will work as registered volunteers and will be expected to comply with
existing policies for all volunteers. The primary positive outcomes of this alliance will be the direct benefits realized by the
Homes' residents, as a result of the increased volunteer participation. In addition, the Homes' formal participation with the
Social Services Division will result in the individuals being assured of receiving acknowledgement and credit for their
volunteer hours. Last, the Homes will be able to marginally increase the hours of the part-time Co-ordinators of Volunteer
Services, as a result of the administrative fee paid, in order to manage a larger volunteer program.
Conclusion:
Individuals volunteering in the Homes for the Aged through Community Participation have been very successful. They
have enjoyed their volunteer work, have added value to residents' lives, and have improved their work-related skills. Based
on the successful experience todate, the Homes for the Aged Division intends to formalize its relationship with the Social
Services Division and become a sponsor of the program.
The Division's involvement will be assessed and/or revised as required on an ongoing basis, and a formal evaluation will
be completed within six months of becoming a sponsor of the program.
Contact Name:
John Garnett,
Manager, Fundraising and Volunteer Programs
Tel.: 392-8489/Fax: 392-4180
E-mail: john_garnett@toronto.ca
