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Research Highlights
- Health and social service are delivered by a wide variety of government and community-based organizations. Many people find it difficult or impossible to find the right program or service to meet their needs.
- A number of organizations and government offices collect and disseminate community information, resulting in a duplication of services.
And in Guelph & Wellington…
- Usage of online information and referral databases is increasing at a greater rate than telephone inquiries.
Community information and referral services exist to provide information on a range of human services offered by all levels of government, the non-profit sector, and selected private practitioners.
Community information services are free, confidential and available to everyone. They are provided by telephone, in person, through correspondence or on the Internet and are often available in a number of languages as required by a particular community.
Inquiry Services
Information and referral is defined as a process that helps match people with services, programs and/or organizations. It is provided by staff and/or volunteers, who act as intermediaries linking people with the necessary combination of human services that will address their individual needs. They are able to provide personal support and advice, often diffusing a situation and redirecting people before emergency services are required.
Users include the general public, especially people who have trouble accessing services because of language, age, culture, poverty, lack of education, illiteracy, fear of violence or unemployment.
Human service providers such as social workers, health care professionals, business people, government officials and students are also major users.
Typical queries to information and referral services are varied and may include:
- Where and how do I apply for social assistance, social housing, etc.?
- Where can I find a job? How do I apply for Employment Insurance?
- How can I get homecare? Find a long-term care facility?
- Where do I apply for a passport, health card, birth certificate, marriage license, etc.?
- Where can I donate used goods in the community?
- How do I find a doctor?
- Do you have information on child care, parent support groups, and child care subsidies?
- How do I access university/college and high school credits?
- Questions regarding immigration, sponsorship and citizenship.
Standards of Information & Referral Services
Accreditation is a cooperative effort between the information & referral service and InformOntario to establish a strong foundation on which the I & R service can demonstrate credibility, meet and exceed industry standards and adhere to a process of continual improvement.
InformOntario’s goal is to accredit any requesting member agency that meets the InformOntario Standards.
AIRS accreditation is necessary for agencies planning on being 211 Centres. It's more intensive and more expensive than InformOntario accreditation. We'd suggest that agencies not planning on being 211 Centres apply for InformOntario accreditation.
An agency is accredited for three years from the date of the granting of accreditation.
You can apply anytime that you feel your agency is ready. The process and standards are posted on the InformOntario Web site. You should read the information package on the InformOntario members Web site, work through the document and prepare all necessary documentation and make sure you meet all the requirements before you apply. The process is ongoing so you don't have to apply at any specific time of year. You must be an InformOntario member in good standing, and continue to be throughout your accreditation period.
Community Supports & Services
There are a number of organizations in Guelph and Wellington which collect, maintain and disseminate information on a wide range of subject areas, such as: arts and culture, business, child care, donations/used goods, education, government offices, health care, housing, immigration and settlement services, social services, sports and recreation, transportation and volunteerism. These include, but may not be limited to:
- Chambers of Commerce
- Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
- Community Resource Centre
- Community Information Guelph (Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington)
- County of Wellington
- City of Guelph
- East Wellington Advisory Group (EWAG)
- Guelph Arts Council
- Guelph and District Multicultural Centre
- Housing Resource Centre (County of Wellington)
- Libraries
- Ontario Early Years Centres
- Political riding offices (MPPs and MPs)
- Seniors Offering Support (Guelph Wellington Senior’s Association)
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit
*Of the above mentioned services, the United Way of Guelph and Wellington supports Community Information Guelph, the Community Resource Centre, the East Wellington Advisory Group (EWAG) and Seniors Offering Support.
211
211 is currently available to Canadians living in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Simcoe County and Niagara. It is an easy to remember, non-emergency number that provides quick access to information and referral to community, health, government and social services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Certified Information and Referral specialists assess the needs of each caller and link them to the best available information and services. 211 is free, available in the caller’s language of choice, and is TTY accessible. 211 is also available on the Internet, allowing users to find their own way to programs and services.
A study conducted by Deloitte on the cost of a national 211 system found that the actual benefits of the system would outweigh the costs by a factor of more than two to one. Savings would be found for governments, individuals and private organizations due to reduced demand for their services. The creation of a 211 service would relieve the burden of non-emergency requests of services such as 911 and TeleHealth and would reduce the need to create various 1-800 numbers for government service information. Less money would need to be spent on advertising by governments and community organizations. The cost of establishing and maintaining 211 would be more than compensated by the reduced costs in these other areas.
The United Way of Guelph and Wellington is working with partners from across the region to develop and introduce a 211 service for local residents. Guelph data is being added to the Ontario 211 database, which is set to launch in November of 2007.
Demand/Use
Community Information Guelph maintains accurate information on 1,139 organizations/agencies/programs in Guelph and Wellington County. The most frequent request from callers to the service is for information regarding charitable organizations; where they are, how people can donate goods, and how people can become involved. Another frequent request is in regards to government services, federal, provincial and municipal. People either know which agency they need but are unable to locate the contact information in the phone book, or know what service they need but not which agency provides the service.
In 2005 Community Information Guelph averaged approximately 140 telephone requests for information per month. This number is down from 2004, when they received an average of 200 calls per month. However, the number of people accessing the online database has increased dramatically, up from 33,189 hits per month in 2004 to 76,000 in 2005.
What are the social service issues in Guelph-Wellington?
Accessibility
Health and social services are delivered by a wide variety of government and community-based organizations and agencies, but finding the right service or program can be a challenging task. Multiple and competing telephone lines, Web sites and walk-in access points are poorly promoted. As a result, many people find it difficult or impossible to find the right program or service to meet their needs.
Duplication of Services
In order to improve access to community services, various levels of government and organizations have set up help-lines. This has resulted in duplication of the type of information these agencies collect, maintain and disseminate.
Services for Newcomers
There is a lack of knowledge and awareness of the services which exist in Guelph & Wellington County to support new Canadians. Local service providers have identified ‘silos’ existing among organizations and a general lack of inter-agency communication. Interested community members have come together to form the Guelph Inclusiveness Alliance which aims to improve the availability of services and build partnerships between organizations in Guelph & Wellington.
Community Information Guelph and the United Way of Guelph & Wellington are currently looking to fill this gap through their participation with the Guelph Inclusiveness Alliance. One of the outcomes of the work of this committee will be a directory of services for new Canadians in Guelph & Wellington. This directory will be available in a simple print format, as well as a more detailed online database for service providers. This directory will be available in the Fall of 2007.
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