HALTON POVERTY ROUNDTABLE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

2014

MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-CHAIRS October 2014 We are pleased to present the Halton Poverty Roundtable’s first Report to Community. The Halton Poverty Roundtable was formed in 2010, when a recommendation was made by community leaders, at the Halton Leadership Summit on Poverty Reduction that the response to poverty required a more innovative and collaborative approach. The approach we chose is Collective Impact, a model with a degree of international success, is designed to solve complex social problems like poverty through the commitment of a group of actors from different sectors to a common agenda. Three years into the work process, we reflect on our work as a young collaborative. We have learned that this work is messy and that although we are driven to achieve results, we must take the time to listen to each other closely and frame our questions carefully. We are strengthened by the knowledge that we can achieve so much more working together from the African proverb “To walk fast, walk alone; to walk far, walk together.” Our mission is to walk far! As a result of various initiatives we have been engaged in and convened in community, we know that we can create conditions for transformational progress in community by dedicating our collective efforts to four key levers for change: Increasing Coordination: finding ways to re-align existing programs and stakeholders to maximize

system efficacy. Enhancing Services: bringing in previously unnoticed practice, movement or resources to enhance

existing local services. Policy: advocating for policy change at local or provincial levels to improve major components of

the systems. Learning through Pilots: start small with willing partners, learn from the experience, and then

expand into broader community. Our work has been enriched and guided by people living with low-income. Their perspectives and personal experiences have been invaluable to our Roundtable. One of the initiatives we will be focusing on is to empower community voices to speak to the issues of poverty and to help our community understand the cost and impact of poverty on all of us. Our newly created vision “No Neighbour in Need”, speaks to the contribution that we can all make to address poverty in Halton to improve the quality of life for all. It is startling to learn that 1 in 10 children lives below the Low Income Cut Off (itself a very low measure) right here in Halton! Inside this report you’ll learn about our journey over the last three years. The initiatives we’ve been working on, the partnerships we’ve developed, and the direction we are heading in Vision 2020. We want to hear from you! We value and encourage your input. Click on this link to provide input to Halton Poverty Roundtable’s Vision 2020: Community Input to HPRT Vision 2020. June Cockwell, Co-Chair Marc Hamel, Co-Chair

We are part of a larger national movement of collaborative initiatives called Tamarack’s Cities Reducing Poverty, whose mission is “To create Vibrant Communities by significantly reducing the human, social and economic cost of poverty for Canadian cities”. With the intention of better coordinating poverty elimination efforts between sectors and groups, we have a broad spectrum of perspectives at the table. Representation includes community, business, education, labour, government, faith groups and people with the lived experience of poverty. It sometimes takes a great deal of insight and energy to solve a complex local problem such as poverty, crime, or environmental decline. Multisectoral collaboration strengthens a community’s capacity to address important issues by weaving together the skills, resources, networks and knowledge of the government, business, voluntary sectors and low-income leaders. www.tamarackcommunity.ca

Collective Impact

HOW WE WORK The Halton Poverty Roundtable (HPRT) is a collaborative multi-sector group comprised of volunteers who are committed to leveraging resources and partnerships to eliminate poverty in Halton through education, greater community engagement, and collective impact. We believe poverty is the experience of a community member who is unable to fully participate in community because they are denied access to the basic resources, means, choices, knowledge, and power necessary for self-sufficiency. The HPRT believes in the right of every person to live in good health and with dignity.

Are children

11,120 Poverty affects

1 in 10 Halton Residents

5.6% of Seniors

In Halton ...

21.0% of Single Persons

19.5% of Single Parent Families

5.6% of Couple Families

OUR COMMUNITY

1 Data produced by the Canadian Council on Social Development Community Analytics Service using data available from its Community Data Program and provided to HPRT by Tamarack-An Institute for Community Engagement, Vibrant Communities Canada - Cities Reducing Poverty. 2 Statistics Canada 2006 Census.

Percentage of low income Halton residents

by racialized groups and recent immigrants.

1

2

10% Aboriginal

Population

… live under the Low Income Measure.

26% Recent

Immigrants

7% Non-Racialized Groups

17% Communities of Colour

Smart Start Halton Canada Learning Bond Initiative The Canada Learning Bond (CLB) is a Government of Canada program that provides up to $2,000 for the post-secondary education of children born on or after 1 January 2004, who's families are receiving the National Child Benefit Supplement. Eligible children are entitled to up to $2000 towards their post-secondary education. Smart Start Halton is an initiative focused on ensuring more families, who are eligible, register for the Canada Learning Bond. Halton District School Board (HDSB), Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB), Financial Institution, Service Canada, Halton Region Health Department, Halton Region Community and Social Services, United Way of Oakville, Our Kids Network, and St. Vincent de Paul Association.

KEY INITIATIVES 2013-2014

The Halton Living Wage Campaign is a close collaboration of three organizations: Community Development Halton, Poverty Free Halton, and the HPRT working to build awareness of the need for greater income security for our Halton residents. When people are paid enough to support themselves, they no longer need to rely on social assistance support or subsidized housing. The opportunity here is that when people earn a living wage, they in turn pay more taxes and buy more goods and services – which helps the local economy. We look forward to generating community dialogue that includes businesses, government, community organizations, faith groups, and people who live in poverty.

Halton Sport Leadership Program The Halton Sport Leadership Program (HSLP) is a sport education program that provides low-income youth the empowering opportunity to gain confidence, leadership and experience through free training in nationally recognized certification programs in a variety of sports. This is a unique opportunity that provides great experience and the skills for future employability and career prospects. The HSLP is launching in October 2014. Partners include HDSB, HCDSB, Town of Oakville, Town of Milton, Oakville YMCA.

In an effort to engage the business community in deeper conversations to explore the role they can play in poverty elimination in Halton, we have convened a Business Advisory Council, formed of business leaders representing sectors such as pharmaceuticals, consumer packaged goods, energy sector, entrepreneurs, consulting, and community services. The Business Advisory Council is currently building a strategy to engage specific stakeholders within the private sector for the purpose of building awareness of the poverty in our community and to co-create innovative solutions to connecting our community’s resources with our community’s needs.

Halton Living Wage Campaign

Our goal is to provide the community with a clearer understanding of the challenges of poverty, and the economic benefits of tackling poverty together. Through articles in community media and convening of community events the HPRT is working to raise awareness & engagement of Halton residents to the need to take action to reduce poverty & inequity in our communities.

Business Advisory Council

Building Awareness and Reducing Stigma

April 19, 2011 First Meeting of the

Halton Poverty Roundtable

(Nov. 2013) Halton Living Wage Work-ing Group press release to commemo-rate Living Wage Week.

(Jan. 2012) Ontario Trillium Foundation Funding announcement, $225K over three years, enabled April hiring of Manager, Community Development.

2008

(Feb. 2011) Steering Committee update to Halton Region Housing and Social Services Committee.

(June 2008) Halton Community Conver-sation on Poverty Reduction convened by MPP Kevin Flynn.

(Dec. 2010—Apr. 2011) Task Force drafts Terms of Reference, recruited Roundtable members & Steering Com-mittee.

(June 2009) Tamarack Conference in Kitchener: Reducing Poverty in Ontar-io—A Place-Based Approach, attended by Halton representatives.

(Nov. 2010) Halton Leadership Summit on Poverty Reduction—120 partici-pants provide direction for the creation of the Halton Poverty Roundtable.

(Oct. 2009) Exploratory meeting con-vened to determine interest of key non profit leaders in a collaborative ap-proach to poverty reduction in Halton.

(Sep. 2011) Co-hosted Provincial All Candidates meeting with YMCA of Oak-ville.

(Mar. 2013) Transit sub-group letter to Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring re-questing reconsideration of proposed 8% fare increase.

(Mar. 2012) Halton Housing Forum “Moving Hope into Homes” - 140 par-ticipants convened to discuss housing issues in Halton.

(Feb. 2013) Housing Working Group organized meetings with Halton Mem-bers of Parliament to discuss Bill C-400 & need for a National Housing Strategy.

(Mar. 2013) Submission to Halton Re-gion Comprehensive Housing Strategy.

(Apr. 2013) Poverty Reduction Forum—200 participants convened to further enhance poverty reduction strategies in Halton.

(Apr. 2013) Collaboration with Metro-land Media to produce 4 part series on poverty in Halton.

(Sep. 2013) HPRT Strategic and Oper-ating Plan approved.

(June 2013) Follow up Report and Ac-tion Plan from Poverty Reduction Fo-rum.

(Oct. 2013) Response to Ontario Pov-erty Reduction Strategy Consultation.

(Nov. 2013) HPRT one of a coalition of 27 concerned organizations from across Ontario to send a letter to gov-ernment urging that the $42 million be made a permanent part of the CHPI fund.

(Jan. 2014) HPRT Submission to Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

(Nov. 2013) Collaboration with Afforda-ble Housing Halton for National Hous-ing Day—80 participants.

(Apr. 2014) Smart Start Halton Canada Learning Bond Action and Awareness Campaign launched. Enrollment events held in Burlington, Oakville and Halton Hills.

(Jan. 2014) HPRT letter to the editor: Is it time for income security?

(Oct. 2014) Series of Poverty Primers for Political Leaders in Halton.

(Apr. 2014) HPRT engages in two day strategic planning process and establishes vision and mission.

(Oct. 2013) Business Breakfast : Driving Community Investment– 90 partici-pants ; addressed by Senator Hugh Segal. Event designed to engage busi-ness sector in dialogue around poverty.

DOCUMENTING THE JOURNEY 2008—2014

2014

(June 2014) Joint presentation with the Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Committee: Stories of Strength and Resilience. Panel presentation by people living with low income to discuss the reality of poverty in Halton.

HPRT STRATEGIC PLAN—VISION 2020

The Halton Poverty Roundtable will work to increase strategic engagement of targeted community sectors in the work of systemic poverty elimination to improve socioeconomic outcomes for 4000 or 10% of people living in poverty, or at risk of being in poverty, by 2020.

Impact Statement

1. Poverty is an "Invisible Tax" paid by every Halton resident. 2. The causes of poverty are complex. 3. Poverty cannot be ended by money alone. Commitment and broad community will are also crucial. 4. Eliminating poverty is possible and Halton has the resources to achieve this objective. 5. All citizens, businesses, community organizations and governments must unite behind this cause.

Every Halton neighbourhood and community is strong, supportive and inclusive.

Everyone has the income and assets needed to thrive.

Everyone can access the right supports, services and resources to fulfill their unique potential.

Everyone needs to be part of the solution.

We Believe

Our Aspirations

HPRT Levers for Change

Goal 1: Engage the Halton community in the work of

poverty elimination through education and

collective impact.

Goal 3: Foster a collaborative community

network and leverage existing assets to maximize

community impact.

Goal 2: Identify, leverage, and develop community assets in Halton for the purpose of filling vital

resource gaps to increase community impact.

Increased Coordination

Enhancing Services

Policy Change

Learning Through Pilots

3 Foster a collaborative community network and leverage existing assets to maximize community impact.

1 Engage the Halton community in the work of poverty elimination through education and collective impact.

Strategic Goals, Tactics and Outcomes

Outcomes: Narrative and number of

change agents engaged to action (new people active in poverty elimination work)

Number of sectors engaged Number of people living in

poverty involved

Develop a Halton-wide Speakers Bureau for the purpose of building our community’s capacity to educate and engage each other on our collective reality of poverty in Halton.

Engage with the Business sector, the Faith community, Women’s groups, Youth, and Healthcare to work collaboratively to eliminate poverty in Halton.

2 Identify, leverage, and develop community assets in Halton for the purpose of filling vital resource gaps to increase community impact.

Outcomes: Number of engagement

opportunities for people living in poverty

Number of changes to level and use of resources

Number of new initiatives established as a result of connections made within the HPRT

Number of changes to system

Conduct an environmental scan to better understand work being done by community organizations to eliminate poverty in Halton

Complete pilot and provide backbone support to the Halton Sport Leadership Program; designed to empower at promise youth via a recreation-based skills and competency building program to improve employment prospects, and Smart Start Halton; an initiative focused on ensuring more families who are eligible, register for the Canada Learning Bond.

Outcomes: Number of new mechanisms

established to improve social assistance system

Number of partnerships created

Change in personal assets/physical assets/social assets/human assets/financial assets

Number of substantive policy changes

Intentionally connect and contribute to municipal, regional, provincial and national dialogues to influence and advance progressive policies.

Participate in and support key community initiatives for the purpose of building community engagement and to influence policy. Groups we support include: Halton Housing Alliance, Income Security Initiatives, Community Food Collaborative, and the Mental Health Roundtable.

OUR SPONSORS The work of the Halton Poverty Roundtable is made possible by our generous sponsors:

The HPRT also gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the following donors through the Oakville Community

Foundation, a registered charitable public foundation serving the Oakville Community:

The Amarna Fund

The Alexander and Bernice De Maio Foundation Fund

Fidelity Investments

Franklin Templeton Investments

Mackenzie Financial

Paul & Hellen Garreau

Robert Anton

IA Clarrington

Yvette Hamel

Roger Wright

OUR MEMBERSHIP: FALL 2014 Joy Anderson Town of Milton, Recreation Services Lyle Benson Engagient Management Consulting Barb Chilwell Community Representative June Cockwell Oakville Community Foundation Carol D’Amelio Community Representative Cathy Gerrow Links2Care David Goodings, Poverty Free Halton Ariam Gomez Community Representative

Marc Hamel Hamel Wealth Management Group Julia Hanna HealthyFam Ancilla Ho Young Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Council Zilay Khan Community Representative Kim Jenkinson Halton Multicultural Council Ivan L’Ortye Halton Regional Police Gord Truffen Halton District School Board Brad Park United Way of Oakville

Steven Rodrigues Community Representative Joyce See Halton Region Health Department Cathy Stokes Community Representative Rita Thompson Oakville District Labour Council Jeff Vallentin/Angela Dawe United Way of Burlington & Greater Hamilton Jeff Ward St. Luke Anglican Church Sheldon Wolfson Halton Region Social & Community Services

CONTACT Leena Sharma, Director of Community Development leena@haltonpovertyroundtable.com (905) 635-3131 ext. 303

Anna Kiani, Manager of Community Development anna@haltonpovertyroundtable.com (905) 635-3131 ext.302

www.haltonpovertyroundtable.com HaltonPovertyRT