BARRIERS TO INCLUSION

1. BARRIERS TO INCLUSION POLITICAL BARBED WIRE & THE MYTH OF ACCOUNTABILITY Sean McEwen and Stephen Wright

2. Presentation Structure • History of Social Services • Current trends and issues • Political influence and interference • Case studies and examples • Strategies and solutions

3. Social Welfare? Social welfare is about how people, communities and institutions in a society take action to provide certain minimum standards and certain opportunities. It is generally about helping people facing contingencies such as unemployment, illness, injury or disability etc Welfare State:   A system whereby the state undertakes ostensibly to protect the health and well-being of its citizens. Steven Hick; PhD – Canada’s Unique Social History

4. Rationale for ‘Service’ • Evolution / Tribalism - Human survival • Faith-Based – It’s the right thing to do • Philanthropy – to make our world better State-Based Rationale • Economic rationale – keep people healthy, productive and making a contribution • Stabilizes the population – avoids social dissent • Popularity – votes – ‘hurray for me !’

5. Past Trends & Successes • Grassroots Movements – driven by the politics of a community rather than government • Investment in service innovation / evolution • ‘People First’ • The development of ‘Best Practices’ • The Supported Employment Movement

6. Not-For-Profit Sector • Canada’s non-profit sector passed the $100 Billion mark in Dec 2009 • Social Services, Health and Housing make an $18 billion contribution to the GDP • NFPs serving households / individuals = 22% of the non-profit sector and employs 488,000 • Non-profits are facing big financial and administrative burdens that are hindering their ability to deliver effective and efficient services The Wellesley Institute – Dec 2009

7. Not-For-Profit Realities • In 2008, Organizations across Alberta saw a drop in corporate donations and sponsorships with 31% drop in Calgary, 29% in Edmonton, 33% in Red Deer and 33% in Medicine Hat. • 84% of corporate funds goes to 7% of not for profits who earn over $1,000,000 annually. • Almost half (49%) of all organizations report difficulty obtaining funding, earning revenues (42%), or competing with other organizations for funding or revenues (43%).

8. Not-For-Profit Realities • Since the economic fall in 2008, many NFPs have reduced expenses by streamlining operations and letting go of staff • Despite reports of economic improvements in 2010, the real impact will hit not for profits this year. • Impact of government cuts indicated to be 5 – 15% (No replacement funds) • Individual donors have cut back on their giving • Corporations continue to scale back on community investment • Further reductions to revenue will seriously impact programs and services • 49% are reporting lower earned revenues (fee for service, etc) • 48% report lower income from fundraising campaigns • 65% of NFPs identified increased operating costs. Most common increases are for rate hikes (insurance, rent, utilities, staffing, supplies & equipment)

9. Not-For-Profit Realities • Cash Flow Changes that impact the not for profit sector • Delays receiving government grants • Late payments for government service delivery contracts • Cancellation of fundraisers due to lack of ticket sales • Individual donors unable to honor pledges • Reduced memberships • Fewer attendees at courses and events • Most not for profits do not have savings or credit to fall back on to cover shortfalls.

10. Not-For-Profit Realities • The funding base for not-for-profit organizations has been destabilized by funders adopting a “project funding” rather than “core or operations funding” perspective. • Increased demand from funders for more strategic planning, partnerships, higher standards of financial accountability and outcomes measurement with very few funders prepared to support the costs of these functions. • Reporting requirements are becoming more difficult for agencies to provide. There is little consistency and often precise reporting requirements are not given.

11. Economic Considerations • Competition among organizations is becoming increasingly fierce. • Many not for profits are realizing decreased revenue with no clear idea of when the economic climate may improve. • 57% of organizations indicated they would try to seek new funding to replace declining revenue. This raises concerns, as funders across Alberta have seen their revenues drop and are not positioned to meet the growing demand. (CCVO)

12. Political Influence: • The political challenge is in the management of ‘Social Spending’ – rising costs + no new tax • How government ‘manages’ funding affects service direction and design dramatically • In the Disability Services Sector, the ‘impacts’ are not always easy to see – how do we measure the value of community inclusion and economic participation for a person??

13. Political ‘Default Setting’ When simple answers are needed for complex questions,…… Count! Numbers make sense to everyone, right?

14. The Myth of A-Count-Ability The Numbers Game – • # of staff • # of clients • # of interventions • # of hours, days, weeks of service, etc. • # of dollars in budget • ‘Scoring’ (Supports Intensity Scales)

15. Paradox • Although numbers fulfill an important role and provide common ground for reference, they provide no ‘narrative’ to illustrate the successes and challenges of the work being done. • Narrative is becoming undesirable (complex) • Something that can’t be counted or scored is relationship. • Data collection is NOT accountability for service providers -

16. What We Aren’t Counting.. • Relationships – The quality of our relationships with the people we serve and the employers we work with is paramount to service outcomes and sustainability • Increased capacity and participation • Sustainability of interventions • Results based in Best Practices

17. Service Accountability: • Client-directed employment placement based on full exploration of capacity and interests. • Retention and integration supports in order to facilitate sustainability. • Client satisfaction measurement (placement & services.) • Filling service gaps through innovation

18. Political Barbed Wire • No recognition of best practices • Limited understanding of service delivery • Funding / Contract Management which fails to support service provider capacity • No understanding / support for long term goals – annualized resources and agendas • No connection to the community • Political Revisionism - Renditions

19. Political Barbed Wire – Drowned Out Voices Government pays for studies and research to gain information and direction on disability issues. This info is often published and ignored. • The Alberta Disability Strategy – 2002 • Equal Citizenship for Canadians with Disabilities – The Will To Act – 1996 Or worse – they don’t release the information at all because the ‘agenda du jour’ is not served – e.g. The KPMG Report reviewing PDD-Alberta

20. Time is Money?? • Parliament is in session less than 4 months / year • Canada’s Non-Profit Sector worth $100 billion • The Government and Non-Profit Sectors operate on the ‘fiscal year’ (April 01 – March 31) • Parliament is out at Christmas until Feb 01, which leaves fewer than 60 days to approve budgets and formalize agreements worth billions.

21. The Cost Of Poverty • The total cost of poverty in Nova Scotia is at least $1.5 to $2.2 billion dollars per year • Health, crime, intergenerational poverty, lost productivity, social assistance. • People with Disabilities are disproportionately living in poverty. • In Nova Scotia, people with permanent disabilities make up about 45 per cent of income assistance recipients

22. The Cost of Poverty • The unemployment rate for those with a disability is still higher than the rate among those without disabilities in Nova Scotia (11.2 per cent compared to 8.0 per cent). • There is even a larger group outside of the labour force altogether (47.4 per cent), unable to clear what has been called the “disability wall” in the labour market: “discrete but interconnected systemic and attitudinal barriers that remain entrenched to delay, discourage or prevent [those] with disabilities from participating in the labour market to their full potential”. The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

23. Back to the Numbers… • Income Assistance at min. $1,000 / month • Day Program costs at min. $1,500 / month • Employment Support at $350 - $750 / month • Reduced draw on income support • Payment of income tax • Increased Consumer Spending

24. Cost / Benefit of Employment • Employment support at $500 / month vs day program at $1,500 month = $12,000 / year • F/T employment at $10 / hour reduces draw on income support by min $7,200 / year • $2,000 / year increase in income tax • $5,400 / year increase in consumer spending • Potential value of $26,600. to region (not including removal of cost of poverty factors.)

25. What’s Happening… • Alberta Ministry of Employment & Immigration moved $ out of employment programs to cover increased draw on income support. • AE&I funded organizations removed ‘placement’ as a service outcome while retaining all funding • Alberta Ministry of Seniors & Community Supports invested in increased testing and assessment while wait lists for support climbed

26. What’s Happening… • Service Canada Calgary withdrew $ for employment placement and entrepreneurship services - and funded ‘work-experience’ and ‘employer mentorship’ programs. • AE&I Calgary funded two large agencies to do the exact same service • AE&I declined 3 distinct Aboriginal Employment Projects based on Individualized services – but continued funding expensive trades training. • SK Government closed Aboriginal Employment Program

27. What’s Happening… • PALS (Participation and Activity Limitations Survey) no longer being done by Stats Can. PALS is usually done every five years but the 2006 survey is confirmed to be the last. • Community Living BC funding frozen until 2013

28. Solutions & Strategies • Unified Voices – provincial / national associations • Promotion of Best Practices to government • Promotion of Best Practices in ‘Contract Mgmt’ – i.e. working with service providers to build their capacity to deliver the highest quality & quantity of service to the target demographic. • Promotion of multi-year contracts – save $ • Promotion of service diversity vs ‘Mega-Agencies’ • Promotion of actual accountability – outcomes vs outputs, and client satisfaction