SARC Update SPRING/SUMMER 2020
DSP WEEK HIGHLIGHTS DISABILITY SERVICE PROFESSIONALS RECOGNIZED FOR CRITICAL ROLE SARC MEMBERS EMBRACE COMMUNITY STORIES FROM ACROSS THE PROVINCE OF HOW SARC MEMBERS ARE AJUSTING TO THE PANDEMIC SARC EDUCATION AND TRAINING UPDATE WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN IN THE FALL!
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Table of Contents
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Disability Service Professionals Recognized for Critical Role
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Getting Creative with Moose Jaw Families for Change
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Kinships Celebrated in Prince Albert
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Showcasing Futuristic Industries’ Local Talents at Telemiracle 44
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Branching Out
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Turning Leaf Adjusts to the Unknown
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My Circle of Life
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Exploring a New Normal at Cosmopolitan Industries
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A New Building Presents New Opportunities in Nipawin
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Navigating Change at Wheatland Regional Centre
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Education and Training Update - We Can’t Wait to See You All in the Fall!
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
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his issue of the SARC Update is dedicated to our Members’ passion and determination to continue providing the highest quality services to people experiencing disability throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. While the articles you will read relate to particular organizations and communities, they are certainly reflective of what is happening all across the province . Thank you for everything you do to support people to lead healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. 3
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
DISABILITY SERVICE PROFESSIONALS RECOGNIZED FOR CRITICAL ROLE FOR THE THIRD YEAR, THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES PROCLAIMED THE LAST WEEK OF MAY, DISABILITY SERVICE PROFESSIONALS (DSP) WEEK!
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e are always excited to celebrate DSP Week with our Members, and typically our main event for this is our annual Spring Conference, where hundreds of Disability Service Professionals come together to learn, network, and celebrate the sector. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a halt to that plan, as it put a halt to almost everything else in our communities. What COVID-19 didn’t put a stop to, however, was SARC Members’ sense of community and acts of generosity. Through this time, we saw so many examples of CBOs helping out others in their communities: dropping off activity packages at people’s homes, drive-by parades, using technology to help people stay connected to their friends and family, the sharing of resources between SARC Member Agencies, and the overall determination to do what it takes while keeping spirits high and everyone safe, even though circumstances were particularly challenging. This is what needed to be recognized and celebrated; we just needed to find a way to do it. We decided to engage with a broadcaster to create a commercial to showcase what 4
SARC Members do each and every day, and particularly in response to COVID-19, to support people experiencing disability to lead healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. However, there was a catch. We knew that we couldn’t create a commercial without the help of our Members, but visiting them in their communities in April wasn’t possible, so we needed a different strategy. We reached out to SARC Members to ask them to send us videos or images to share how they’ve adapted to the challenges that COVID-19 presented. And wow did they ever deliver! We received so many images and videos from so many different Members that we had a hard time fitting everything into the 30-second spot. The end result certainly depicts the diversity, resilience, and strength of the sector, and we are grateful to our Members for their support of this initiative. If you would like to view the commercial, please visit our Facebook page or contact SARC Communications Coordinator, Amy Janzen, at ajanzen@sarcan. sk.ca for a link.
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
The commercial that we created for DSP Week was just the beginning. Because of the overwhelming response we received after requesting videos and images from SARC Members, we decided to use the additional content to promote the sector throughout DSP Week in a social media contest. Each day, SARC Member employees were encouraged to comment on a photo collage that depicted a “Day in the Life of a Disability Service Professional” for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift certificate, and they were encouraged to post their own image/video as well. Once again, the response was more than we anticipated, with hundreds of entries. Our lucky winner was from West Central Abilities in Kindersley. Congratulations, Alyssa! Social media was also quite busy throughout the week, with thank you videos and messages from Boards and Executive Directors to their staff, special
messages from SARC’s Board President and Executive Director, and greetings from the Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services, on behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan to recognize the critical nature of the work and supports provided in the disability service sector. Thank you to everyone for getting involved! This year was truly one for the books, in so many ways. While we hope to have more in-person components to our celebration again next year, regardless of how we celebrate, we always know WHAT we’ll be celebrating: the joy, resilience, and perseverance of the thousands of Disability Service Professionals that make our sector truly great.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
GETTING CREATIVE WITH MOOSE JAW FAMILIES FOR CHANGE
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he COVID-19 pandemic has posed some extremely trying times for many people, in many communities across the world. As an organization that supports individuals of varying abilities in both residential and community settings, Moose Jaw Families for Change (MJFFC) was presented with a challenge by the pandemic to continue promoting activity and quality of life. Although closure of community programs were a result of the pandemic, MJFFC has provided creative solutions to work around these closures. While making the health and safety of all a priority, MJFFC was able to continue functioning by offering the following: community outings and programs for residential members, virtual programs, opportunities to learn new skills, and a few unique projects; a Clay Heart Initiative, and Plant a Smile Fundraiser. Community outings exhibited proper social distancing and health practices, and included: drive-by bingo, outdoor walks, bike rides, canoeing, and embarking on local adventures. By providing these opportunities, those involved had the opportunity to engage in physical activities, enjoy nature, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the outdoors! 6
In the event that weather did not cooperate with outdoor activities, MJFFC residential members were presented the opportunity to learn new skills. Those who were interested had the opportunity to focus on cooking skills, learning to sew, and learning or improving their skills with money, which all promoted personal growth. The crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed MJFFC to praise the age of technology, as the idea of Virtual Programming was presented by a member of the MJFFC management team, Mariah Horsnall. Mariah presented the idea of translating the daily programming (where applicable) to digital format, for both residential members to participate in, as well as members of the community, entirely risk-free. Virtual programs include: book-club, cooking, craft hang-out, and coffee club. MJFFC has utilized Facebook and Zoom as platforms to participate/facilitate in these above mentioned programs. Additional virtual programming that was engaged in included fitness classes with a local fitness group, The Strong Studio by Dance Fitness with Kyra. In participating with Kyra’s online fitness classes, folks were able to engage in physical activity, as well as enjoy music and have fun!
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
In addition to providing activities that promote quality of life, MJFFC also initiated programs that promote joy for others within the community of Moose Jaw. Residential members of MJFFC created handmade clay hearts, which were delivered to a variety of local businesses and organizations, including: The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, Moose Jaw Humane Society, South Hill Fire Hall, and Bellamy Harrison Animal Hospital. Those who participated in this project enjoyed both the crafting process and delivering the crafts around the city!
To learn more about MJFFC, or to follow their journey, follow the Moose Jaw Families for Change Accounts on Facebook: @MooseJawFamiliesforChange and @KinsmenCafe.
Following the clay heart project, the Project Plant a Smile Fundraiser was launched. While partnering with three other local businesses, MJFFC campaigned to “plant a smile� within the community of Moose Jaw. Those interested in participating purchased a hand painted pot fashioned with a quote of their choice, which was also topped with a succulent provided by either Field of Dreams Greenhouses or Dream Drop Shoppe. The third participating business was Starlight Creations, which provided the stencil quotes making it convenient for folks when hand painting the pots. This particular project has been well received by the community, and has kept residential members of MJFFC busy hand painting the pots and also providing delivery. To date, MJFFC has raised $200+ through the Project Plant a Smile Fundraiser, with all funds being utilized for community programs once normalcy has resumed. MJFFC continues to work collaboratively with both residential members and the management team to provide creative alternatives until business can be resumed as usual.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
KINSHIPS CELEBRATED IN PRINCE ALBERT I
t has been three months since KIN Enterprises has closed its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the staff and participants remain at home with exception of management and a few service delivery staff at the KIN 15 Workshop. However, we were extremely happy to announce the reopening of the Starlight Restaurant on Wednesday, June 17th!
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The term ‘KIN Family’ has certainly held true over the last three months. Although all members of KIN have remained apart, we take every opportunity to stay connected during this time of uncertainty. KIN Konnections, a Facebook group, was formed shortly after the closure to aid in the upset of routine. KIN staff, participants, caregivers and Board members fill the page on a daily basis to connect and brighten spirits. Daily activities, games, challenges, etc., are created to bring joy to everyone’s day. Gift cards, prizes and meals have been mailed and hand delivered to doorsteps over the past three months! Zoom coffee dates, scavenger hunts, and bingo have become a regular evening activity for the KIN Konnections group. Smiles, laughter and genuine happiness fill the virtual world as we all come together as one big family!
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
On May 29th, KIN held a parade throughout the city of Prince Albert. Over 50 vehicles, including the Prince Albert Police, Prince Albert Fire Department, Prince Albert Parkland Ambulance, city councillors, Prince Albert Food Box and Kin staff took to the streets of Prince Albert to connect with all of the participants and the community. During the parade, KIN celebrated Disability Service Professionals Week and a retirement of two longterm staff. Amazing community support during the day left staff and family members in tears of joy and happiness as we were so proud to be a part of something special! We all look forward to being together again! Until then, the KIN family will remain connected in every way we know how. Staff are working hard at home to bring the best programs to our participants and the management team is hard at work developing a reopening plan that is safe for everyone at KIN. Many renovations are underway at KIN and we are very excited to welcome staff and participants to their new and improved areas! Stay Safe & Stay Healthy, your friends at KIN Enterprises.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Showcasing Futuristic Industries’ Local Talent at Telemiracle 44 W
ith the arrival of a new executive director, Ray Whitton, to Futuristic Industries in December 2018, so too came a music program that saw one of its participants featured on this year’s Telemiracle broadcast on March 8th. The music program began Friday afternoons from 1:45 pm until 2:30 pm and in its infancy focused on music appreciation, genres, expression, and “how it makes me feel”. With an abundance of talent within Humboldt and area, Futuristic Industries began reaching out for volunteers to perform and share their gifts with its participants. Each week brought a new opportunity to learn more about music and build meaningful relationships outside our walls. It wasn’t long before participants began asking to sing, dance, and learn to play instruments on their own to perform for one another each week. In November of 2019 Telemiracle began its search for Saskatchewan talent to fill out its show in March. Morris Matieshen (a singing standout) approached staff and asked if there was any way he could audition in Saskatoon because as Morris put it, “I like to sing but I also want to help people”. With John Denver’s “Sunshine on my Shoulder” as his ammunition, Morris made it to the audition and wowed the judges with his beautiful voice and heartfelt performance. It was an easy decision for them to make and Morris had reserved his spot for the show in late December. Morris practiced relentlessly in preparation and held a fundraising concert in Humboldt where he had the opportunity to perform his song of choice in front of 120 people, raising almost $5,000.00 for the Kinsmen Foundation! We are so proud of Morris’ efforts, talent, and sense of community. 10
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Branching Out P
rairie Branches is pleased and excited to share that we have branched our services out to Kerrobert where we established a Community-Based Day Program. In February 2020, we opened our newest program in Kerrobert with five participants joining us right away! There are spaces available for five more individuals in the Kerrobert region to join the program. The community of Kerrobert has been more than welcoming to our agency! The local Kinsmen and Legion members have been very generous in offering a space in their building to meet and do some activities. We have already received tremendous community support and we can’t wait to officially launch the program when our province opens up again. COVID-19 protocols have changed our current programming; however, in the few short weeks we were open, the excited participants enjoyed many activities. This included a walking program, swimming in Kindersley, small business ventures, crafts, games, social activities and a community coffee house. The participants are definitely missing their activities; however, they still get to visit with the staff on a weekly basis and look forward to being together again soon. Some of the participants have employment or volunteer work in the community. Prairie Branches is proud to offer quality personcentered services to some very deserving individuals. Once we get started back up we will have an official opening ceremony where the community can celebrate this much-needed service and the individuals it serves. The community of Kerrobert has opened their arms to our agency and we have hired some amazing staff there.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Turning Leaf Adjusts to the Unknown F
irst and foremost, all of us here at Turning Leaf Support Services hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. There is no doubt it has been a stressful, uncertain season, and we hope that you have seen some unexpected gifts come out of this tricky time. Maybe it’s the chance to spend more time at home with family, enjoying more frequent contact with friends and family thanks to technology, tackling projects that have been on the list for a long time, relishing in the slower pace of things, or feeling a sense of gratitude for the simple joys. Here at Turning Leaf, our response to COVID-19 was swift and focused. Our top priority was and always will be the health and safety of our employees and participants. With this in mind, every decision we made in response to the pandemic has had their well-being at the centre of it. Before we share how we navigated the pandemic, here is a little about us: WHAT IS TURNING LEAF SUPPORT SERVICES? We are a non-profit, charitable organization that provides person-centred, crisis and treatment services to vulnerable and marginalized individuals living with mental illness and intellectual challenges in our community. WHO DOES TURNING LEAF SUPPORT? The participants of our programs are often deeply impacted by their circumstances which can become barriers to living safely and independently in the community. Trauma, homelessness, poverty, 12
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
addictions, discrimination, sexual exploitation, societal stigmas, and lack of access to resources are some of the barriers our participants face every day. COVID-19 RESPONSE Over the last three months since COVID-19 hit, we have constantly adjusted our sails to ensure uninterrupted delivery of services to the individuals in the province who count on our support every day. We immediately reallocated our resources where they were needed, and our team was so willing to be wherever they had to be to maintain our participants’ support. We adapted the way we support our staff and participants by engaging in new and creative ways such as virtual trainings and meetings, utilizing and promoting local services available such as free transit and support from Riverside Mission, Salvation Army, and Hunger in Moose Jaw. Management has met with participants as needed while social distancing on lawns, through windows, and in parks, and staff have been preparing meals and distributing them to participants to fill their freezers. One of the outcomes of how we adapted that we are very proud of is that we have been able to maintain stable housing for all of our participants throughout the pandemic.
generous anonymous donor who provided cell phones with plans to our participants so they could remain connected remotely and so they had a way to reach out if they were in crisis. We have had some of our employees’ families sew and donate handmade reusable masks to help keep our staff and participants safe. In terms of caring for our employees during this time, we were deeply committed to maintaining a happy work environment by encouraging dialogue about anxieties and ensuring access to supports through the organization such as counseling and meeting virtually, checking in regularly, and making room for time off to deal with personal or family issues. Through it all, we witnessed our team and this community come together, though physically apart, in ways we’ve never seen before. It has changed us. We are better for it, and so are the people we support. We are so grateful to be a SARC member and we deeply value its commitment to fostering independence, inclusion, and opportunity in the community. Be safe and well everyone!
We continue to meet needs in unique ways. We are assembling and distributing emergency and essentials hampers regularly, delivering coffee and snacks to participants daily, and upholding social distancing by providing bikes for staff and participants’ transportation. We have seen people in the community step up to help, including a 13
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
My Circle of Life BY EDWARD FUNK, SUPPORTED BY SOUTHWEST HOMES
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t the age of 16, I was separated from my family and community to move into Valley View Institution, where I remained for 55 years. Now I am fortunate to live in my own beautiful home, and call Swift Current, my community. With the help of my supporter, I am setting 2020, as my year to widen my family circle, to reconnect with individuals who were a part of my life!! My journey of rebuilding begins with a visit to where my roots all began. I was born in Main Centre, Sask. While there we visited the community cemetery. After reflecting on my father, and paternal grandparent’s graves, we took a stroll through the grounds, and found more family sites. It felt great being there. 140 KM on the road. I enjoyed my day on the road.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Exploring a New Normal at Cosmopolitan Industries C
osmopolitan Industries, at the time of this writing, is entering its third month of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although all of our locations remain empty without activity, laughter and excitement amongst the participants and staff, the programs we would normally offer in our buildings remain very much alive and active. The shift with the closure forced all of us to embrace the change, and create a new normal of working remotely while staying focussed on what is still Cosmo’s mission of “Creating opportunities, providing support and challenging participants.” Creativity amongst all our Direct Support Professionals has been evident through this entire process with all forging ahead to create various programs that could be delivered remotely. Some of these programs include virtual fitness twice per week; travel slideshows; weekly Rhythm Band practises; find Friday and make Monday art classes; horticulture club and a read along class. There is also community involvement that consists of neighbourhood walks and sight seeing drives in our wheelchair van which is perfectly designed to offer ample social distance for those in ‘need’ of getting out of the house. Our partnership with other community-based organizations has been very positive. Many of our staff have been deployed to group homes to provide daily activity and additional support to individuals within their homes. Programs offered are crafts, recycling, video chats, board games, beauty groups and the list is endless.
We were even able to offer a temporary work from home option for many participants, when a mail preparation customer contacted us for their annual mail out. An exciting opportunity for many. For others, who have settled into a new routine at home, we are providing weekly calls by various staff members, as a way to stay connected, to brighten someone’s day and to allow us to continue to evaluate the needs of support required, the longer Cosmo remains closed. Missing each other is apparent; however, over all, everyone is making the best of their days. Hats off to all the staff who are creating positive moments to help everyone get through this. We look forward to the day when we welcome our friends back to Cosmo!
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
A New Building Presents New Opportunities in Nipawin H
andi-Works has been busy these past few months. We have moved locations. We sold our former building south of Nipawin to John Deer and purchased a building that used to be Neufeld Seeds on Railway Ave West. The new location was four separate buildings and needed some renovations to be one building. Having to be shut down for the COVID-19 quarantine, we had plenty of time to move what needed to be moved, renovate and paint, as well as set up the new building. We hope that the new building will give us more access to the community and opportunities for the people we support. Our staff have been doing their best to continue with programming activities and exercises. They have created rooms on an app called Zooroom and everyone who wants to logs on at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm to participate in a craft, play bingo, read a book, or whatever else is planned for the day. On Fridays, the staff go to each home to drop off a package for the following week
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based on what is planned for the week. They practice safe distancing and the participants really like this because they know they are missed and able to see the staff. We are anxious to see what our new normal looks like and how the participants like our new location and building. Stay safe, and we are in this together.
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Navigating Change at Wheatland Regional Centre T
his past year has been a significantly more challenging year than past years.
have started a pen pal project with another agency and have been doing a lot of walking around the community!
Our organization began operating out of a new building, welcomed a new Executive Director in the agency, and experienced all the changes that go with that.
The staff have been doing many new and interesting things with the participants— from painting rocks to Yardzee and giant Jenga!
In addition, COVID-19 hit in the spring. We all know how difficult that has been on our participants, staff, community members, partners and the world in general. Our group homes did not have internet until this spring. Up until now, our participants have been Facetiming with other group homes and families near and far to keep the connections alive. We
It has been interesting trying to encourage participants to continue with daily routines, and participants have found it challenging to not be able to attend regular day programs and see familiar faces. We had some participants who have had milestone birthdays and have gotten creative in our celebrations—parades, balloons, lawn ornaments and a lot of honking! Despite all the challenges we have seen, everyone is keeping busy, healthy, and very happy. Staff have been encouraged to use the EAP program or other supports as needed and we are watching for burnout as some
casual staff opted to work for secondary employers throughout COVID-19. This has been an opportune time for staff to continue training, so a computer was installed in the staff room for staff to access online training. While it has been difficult getting PPE supplies, we have been fortunate enough to be part of a larger umbrella that connects all of us in the region together to share what is working, what is not, and where to find supplies. Thank you to all who came forward with suggestions and tips! It is a learning curve going through a pandemic and no amount of preparation assures you are ready for it. We had already been working on updating our Emergency Preparedness Plan and now staff realize how important updated documents can be, as well as regular review of processes and plans for evacuation in a variety of scenarios, so that is definitely a positive.
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SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
Education and Training update - we can’t wait to see you all in the fall! T
he Education and Training team has been exceptionally busy over the last few months, despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing us to postpone all inperson events. We would like to update you on what we have been working on, as well as let you know what to expect when in-person training starts back up in fall. IN PERSON TRAINING ADJUSTED TO MEET LEARNER NEEDS
When SARC made the difficult decision in March to cancel in-person training events, we got creative with how we moved forward with in-person professional development. The Leap program spans from September-May annually, but
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due to COVID-19, we brought the last two sessions to Leap Learners virtually. Thank you to our Leap Learners who tuned in virtually, and congratulations to this year’s 25 Leap Graduates! Here is what one Learner said about the experience: “It was great how innovative you’ve been to complete the Leap year!”
SARC’s three Supported Employment Workshops, normally held in-person, were held virtually for employees at Inclusion Saskatchewan in May. This program is intended for Supported Employment Professionals who assist people with barriers to find and maintain employment.
Leap registration for the 20202021 year opened on July 6. Executive Directors and Senior Managers – don’t hesitate to register for this management skills development program as we are limited in the number of people who can attend this year due to COVID-19 guidelines. Check out the Leap page on SARC Learning Central for more information and to register.
SARC’s new NTG Dementia Training, typically an in-person session, is currently being delivered virtually. Starting in fall, in-person sessions will be available. We’ve received great feedback about this program already, which is intended for anyone who supports someone who is aging and experiencing disability.
SARC UPDATE SUMMER 2020
COMING SOON!
SARC has been busy developing our newest training program – Venture - The Supervisor’s Skill Path. This online program is six modules of interactive content to be taken over a 90 day timeframe. It is designed to help new supervisors, or those wanting to enhance their skill sets, to build the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need for a successful career in the nonprofit sector. For more information, visit the Venture page on SARC Learning Central. This program will launch in fall/winter of this year!
If you register for an in-person event for fall, you will receive additional details on what you can expect from SARC and what is expected of Learners, including details on physical distancing, entrances/exits, lunch, and much more. We can’t wait to see everyone again!
SARC’s three Supported Employment Workshops are currently being reviewed and will be moving from an in-person training format to an online format. This program will be available on-demand through an online interactive platform featuring four modules on supported employment best practices. A variety of helpful tools and resources accompany this training, which will be helpful for Supported Employment Professionals who are assisting job seekers to secure and maintain employment. COVID PROTOCOLS FOR IN-PERSON TRAINING
We are very excited to see you in person once again, but before that time comes, we are meticulously planning and creating procedures so that all of our Learners, facilitators, and staff continue to be safe. For up-to-date steps that we are taking to ensure health and safety, please see our COVID-19 web page on SARC Learning Central.
DO YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO YOU WANT TO TRAIN? CONTACT US TO DISCUSS OUR CUSTOMIZED VIRTUAL TRAINING OPTIONS FOR A NUMBER OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS!
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Contact Us Office: 111 Cardinal Crescent Phone: (306) 933-0616 Fax: (306) 653-3932 E-mail: contact@sarcan.sk.ca www.sarcsarcan.ca