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		December 3, 1999 To: Policy and Finance Committee Budget Advisory Committee From: City Clerk, Children and Youth Action Committee Subject: Implementation of the Transfer of the Youth Mentoring Program from the Healthy City Office to Toronto Public Health Recommendation: The Children and Youth Action Committee endorsed the report (October 6, 1999) from the Medical Officer of Health. Background: The Children and Youth Action Committee had before it a report (October 18, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Board of Health on October 18, 1999: (1) adopted the report (October 6, 1999) from the Medical Officer of Health, and in so doing, forwarded the report to the Children and Youth Action Committee for information and endorsement; and (2) Referred the report to the Policy and Finance Committee and the Budget Advisory Committee for consideration during the year 2000 budget process. The Committee's recommendation is noted above. City Clerk Children and Youth Action Committee Belinda Bains 991130.12 c: Community Services Committee Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services Medical Officer of Health Board of Health Board of Health October 18, 1999 CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACTION COMMITTEE: The Board of Health at its meeting on October 18, 1999, had before it a report (October 6, 1999) from the Medical Officer of Health respecting the implementation of the transfer of the Youth Mentoring Program from the Healthy City Office to Toronto Public Health and the expansion of the program City-wide; and recommending that: (1) the Board of Health support the addition of $43,745.00 for 2000 and $82,490.00 for 2001, to cover one FTE staff position for the One on One Mentoring Program and that these monies be added to the base operating budget of Public Health; and (2) this report be forwarded to the Children and Youth Action Committee for their information and endorsement. The Board of Health: (1) adopted the aforementioned report, and in so doing, forwarded the report to the Children and Youth Action Committee for information and endorsement; and (2) referred the report to the Policy and Finance Committee and the Budget Advisory Committee for consideration during the year 2000 budget process. City Clerk Trudy Perrin/lm.1 Sent to: Policy and Finance Committee Budget Advisory Committee Children and Youth Action Committee Medical Officer of Health _________ (Report dated October 6, 1999, addressed to the Board of Health, from the Medical Officer of Health) Purpose: To identify resource requirements to implement the transfer of the Youth Mentoring Program from the Healthy City Office to Toronto Public Health and to expand the program City wide, as recommended in the July 22, 1999 Board of Health report, AImpact on Public Health of Implementing the Report of the Task Force on Community Safety@. Financial Implications: Public Health operating budget to include $43,745 for the year 2000 and annualized to $82,490 by the year 2001 to fund 1 FTE for the Youth Mentoring Program and some minimal program costs. Recommendations: It is recommended that: (1) the Board of Health support the addition of $43,745 for 2000 and $82,490 for 2001, to cover 1 FTE staff position for the One on One Mentoring Program and that these monies be added to the base operating budget of Public Health; and (2) that this report be forwarded to the Children and Youth Action Committee for their information and endorsement. Background: At its July 22, 1999 meeting the Board of Health requested the Medical Officer of Health to report back on the resource requirements to implement the transfer and expansion of the Youth Mentoring Program to Public Health. The Youth Mentoring Program, now referred to as the AOne on One Mentoring Program@, provides high-risk children aged 5 to 12, with extra guidance and support that can prevent drug use, gang membership, negative school behaviour, violence and crime. Students participating in the program are identified by teachers and school staff as having special needs for caring and one-on-one relationships with adults. Mentors for the program are chosen from both staff volunteers of the former City of Toronto and members of the Downtown Rotary Club. The One on One Mentoring Program was coordinated through the Healthy City Office from January 1996 through August 1999. Due to changes in the structure of Healthy City, Public Health agreed to coordinate the program from September 1, 1999 and to begin the program expansion City wide during 1999-2000 academic year if resources would be provided. Comments: The One on One Mentoring Program started as a pilot project in two inner city Toronto schools during the 1996-1997 academic year. During the pilot, fourteen employees of the City of Toronto Department of Parks & Recreation and Public Health, were carefully screened and selected as mentors. The staff volunteers one hour per week to meet with the child in school and the employer provides travel time. The evaluation of the pilot project reaffirmed the effectiveness of mentoring in promoting positive self-esteem, increasing social and problem-solving skills and discouraging school dropout. In the three years of existence, One on One Mentoring has more than tripled in size. At present, there are 40 mentors who are employees of the former City of Toronto and members of Downtown Rotary Club paired with 40 students in 5 Toronto inner city schools. To continue the implementation of the program this academic year, Public Health has reassigned resources. It, however, can not absorb the resources necessary to expand the program City wide. The expansion and maintenance of the program requires a full time staff person and additional resources in order to: (1) recruit volunteers from the potential 50,000 employees of the City and from members of other Rotary Clubs across the City (2) interview and screen volunteers (3) develop orientation and training programs for new mentors (4) develop on-going professional development activities for mentors (5) maintain the level of support in the present 5 schools and seek commitment from at least one school in each of the Community Council areas (6) negotiate expansion with Rotary clubs and explore expansion with other corporations (7) work with Public Health Nurses in schools to provide support to mentors (8) establish on-going communication mechanisms with mentors and school contacts (9) organize planned activities with children, with families and with mentors (10) work with the community advisory committee in program development and evaluation. As the One on One Mentoring Program is being expanded, Public Health will establish strong linkages with two other programs focusing on children and youth-at-risk. These are the Ambassador Program and the Young Parents With No Fixed Address Committee. This will enable staff to share experience and expertise across the programs. Conclusions: One additional full time equivalent (FTE) with program resources is required to implement the expansion and continued support of the One on One Mentoring Program. Contact Name: Liz Janzen Regional Director Toronto Tel: (416) 392-7458 Fax: (416) 392-0713 ljanzen@toronto.ca
		Please note that council and committee documents are provided electronically for information only and do not retain the exact structure of the original versions. For example, charts, images and tables may be difficult to read. As such, readers should verify information before acting on it. All council documents are available from the City Clerk's office. Please e-mail clerk@toronto.ca.

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