Cover | Chapters - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 - Appendices

_______________________________________________________________

Chapter VI

Future Steps for the Implementation of Standards

Introduction

The development of standards for the immigrant service sector is but one component that would support accessible, equitable, responsive and accountable services and ensure that these services are delivered within the accepted principles and values.

The consultation process of the standards identified in Chapters 4 and 5 of this document generated a broad array of issues, concerns and recommendations. Most of the identified issues are related to:

· The implications of implementation of service and sectoral standards and measurement at the sectoral, agency and client level

· The funding levels necessary to support the necessary structural changes and capacity building at the organizational and sectoral levels (such as tools, resources, information, skills and knowledge, etc.)

The following chart summarises the issues, concerns, recommendations and suggested steps for implementation. They are classified into Implementation at the Sectoral, Agency and Client Level, and Funding and Capacity Building. This classification is only for working purposes only, as some issues may belong under both categories.

The purpose of this chart is to:

- Reflect suggestions obtained at the point of the release of this discussion document

- Provide a framework for feedback and further input

- Identify further work necessary to move forward with the project.

The challenge is to arrive at a document that represents the needs of immigrant serving organizations, address their concerns and provide information and tools that facilitate instead of hinder their settlement service delivery.

Implementation at the sectoral, agency and client level

Concerns, challenges, pending issues

Comments and suggested recommendations

Suggested implementation strategies

To continue with this process, it is necessary to build commitment at all levels of staff, board, clients and funders

The formulation and implementation of service standards and measuring tools require further feedback from organizations in the sector. This will be a long term but necessary process for the achievement of the expected outcomes.

Send the Settlement Service Standards Discussion Document in its present form to all OCASI agencies requesting feedback and input

Clarify expectations and purpose of the process and its implications at the agency level (requirement for compliance, staffing, funding, etc); at the sectoral level (accreditation, implementation, etc); at the client level (confidentiality of data; "creaming", etc)

There is a need for a comprehensive communication strategy to ensure that the objectives and purpose of the project are understood and supported.

Provide information about the project through the OCASI website and other OCASI and COSTI means of communication

Are there other organizations in the sector that are working on similar issues?

There is a need to expand the outreach to organizations in order to identify the ones that are working, or planning to work, on similar issues as well as to obtain a more complete inventory of resources available in the sector and share expertise.

Some organizations working on similar issues have been identified and coordination has been established.
Use the OCASI website and the Extranet to solicit information e.g. who is doing what in the field of standards, measurement and evaluation of services as well as what tools are available in the sector.

The innovation, creativity and flexibility with which immigrant services address new emerging needs in the sector could be hindered by standardization

The purpose of establishing core services does not preclude innovative ways of delivering these services or the implementation of additional services and programs

Not available

The standards could be used as a tool for accreditation. Small and new settlement service providers could be negatively affected.

The purpose of this project is not related to accreditation. The issue of accreditation for settlement service agencies requires further development.

Not available

Some settlement service organizations provide specialized services that do not correspond to the identified core services.

Development of a manual for immigrant service providers to include tools and information for the development of additional standards and outcomes indicators for other services and programs could be desirable. Agencies should have the choice to develop outcome indicators that reflect the regional, social and environmental conditions of their communities. However, funding issues are an important factor.

Not available

Outcomes indicators should be flexible to reflect regional, social and environmental differences

Is the sector moving towards a Service Outcome Model? Only for core services?

Some funders have identified this as an issue.

Further information from funders is necessary

Can the results obtained by measuring services at the agency level be used to identify successful immigrant settlement?

It is necessary to separate the technical aspects (measuring tools) from the macro level analysis of the overall settlement success, since many other factors intervene in the settlement process

Other organizations, such as CERIS, are researching at the macro level.

Funding and capacity building

Concerns, challenges, pending issues

Comments and suggested recommendations

Suggested implementation strategies:

Clients Outcomes can be affected by the different level of settlement service workers' competencies

Core services should be matched with corresponding core occupational competencies. This would allow for a more systematic way of measuring outcomes and identifying and addressing training needs

OCASI applied for funding to produce core competencies for settlement workers. The funding was not approved. The decision could be appealed or other funders could be approached.

Need to build agency capacity at all levels of staff and board

The implementation of changes at different levels of agency structures and services need to be supported with systematic training and professional development activities.

OCASI could compile information on existing training opportunities, incorporate newly identified needs into its training activities and look for other new alternatives.

The resources needed for the implementation of measurement of all core services could be detrimental to an agency's capacity to deliver services

Development of a system that can be implemented gradually, which would allow for different levels of participation from service providers, but would produce comprehensive results at the determined level. (i.e. x agency will targeted only x number of services for measurement)

Not available

Need to have access to adequate financial, human and technical resources as well as research and literature on the subject

Provision of training and technical assistance should be co-ordinated

Not available

Need to work on methods and tools for measuring outcomes, including data collection systems, management and analysis; system to use the outcome information to evaluate results, improve services, demonstrate the satisfaction with the services provided, etc

Develop and pilot test measuring tools

Not available

Using Identified Standards

The following are suggestions for the use of the existing information, at the present stage of development, by individual agencies or their networks:

- Assess the availability of identified core services in their agency, community, city or region.

- Improve their referral services, sharing of resources and information and networking

- Identify gaps at the agency organizational level and assess the necessary resources to implement changes

- Identify gaps in services at the agency and regional level and work toward addressing the need (program planning and implementation, resource development, advocacy, etc)

- Use the information to revise job descriptions

- Use the information to complement services plan with clients

- Use client outcomes initially as a basic checklist

- Start a process of identifying needed data to evaluate clients outcome

- Preliminary identification of existing data that could be useful to measure clients' outcome

- Review the identified sectoral values and principles against existing individual agency values and principles to complement or enhance either of them.

Recommended Resources for Information and Consultation

The following resources provide useful background information to support your input and feedback to the Discussion Document. Most of these resources are available at the OCASI office.

· Making the Road by Walking It: A Workbook for Re-thinking Settlement, CultureLink, Toronto, 1996.

The focus of this workbook is specifically on organizational change and reengineering in settlement so organizations can keep up with what's happening at the political and economic level. The experiences described in this workbook grew out of interviews and a series of group discussion with people from settlement agencies who were asked to describe, among other topics, the issues faced by the settlement sector; the impact of change on people in the sector and strategies to deal proactively with these changes. The workbook is geared primarily for settlement staff. However, since options for settlement workers depend on the state of their respective agencies and management, much of it attempts to speak to management and board as well.

· Best Settlement Practices, Settlement Services for Refugees and Immigrants in Canada, Canadian Council for Refugees, February 1998.

The purpose of this document is to present an overview of settlement services and in particular to identify some of the elements that are generally agreed to make for successful settlement programs. These elements, or "best practices", flow out of (our) understanding of the nature and challenges of settlement and of the role of settlement services in the process. For this reason (our) "best practice guidelines" are preceded by a detailed account of the context in which settlement services are offered.

· The CNC Outcome Evaluation Initiative: Summary Report. Coalition of Neighbourhood Centres, Toronto, 1999. Available at www.interlog.com~cnc/summary

The Coalition of Neighbourhood Centres is a network of fifty neighbourhoods centres across Ontario, many of which provides settlement services. The Introduction of this Report indicates that "The materials presented should help agencies focus more precisely on how, and in what circumstances, outcome evaluation might be used to support their evaluation goals. We hope as well that the report will further the efforts of staff, community members, supporters, and funding partners, as they work together to develop practical and effective methods for evaluating the impact of community services in people's lives." This Report includes invaluable information of great importance to the settlement sector.

· Building Healthier Organizations Manual, Association of Ontario Health Centres, Toronto, 1998

This Manual (BHO) defines healthy organizations as those prepared to manage change in a creative, innovative, productive manner without sacrificing quality. It provides community health centres) with tools and resources to assist them in achieving excellence. In its Overview, the Manual states that "in order to make the BHO process manageable we have divided it into five activity areas called 'building blocks'. These five building blocks are essential to the life of a healthy organization. Within each of these building blocks the BHO process has been designed to provide a step-by-step review of the elements essential to an efficient, effective and healthy community health centre. The five building blocks are: Governance; Management; Administrative Systems and Practices; Community Capacity and Programs and Services. This Manual provides the basis for an accreditation process. Although designed specifically for CHC in Ontario, the information and resources are a valuable contribution to any other community-base service sector.

· Outcome Measurement: Showing Results in the Nonprofit Sector. Margaret C. Plantz and Martha Taylor Greenway, United Way of America, Alexandria, Virginia and Michael Hendricks, Independent Consultant, Portland, Oregon.

This article summarizes the history of performance measurement in the non-profit health and human services sector and defines key concepts in outcome measurement. Next, it reports on activities in five key areas and describes 30 lessons the field has learned from those who have led the way. Finally it identifies seven pressing challenges that lie ahead. Available at www.unitedway.org/outcomes/ndpaper.htm

· Child Welfare Accountability Review. Final Report. Prepared for: The Deputy Minister, (Ontario) Ministry of Community and Social services. Submitted by; The ARA Consulting Group Inc. January 1998

The purpose of this review was "to assess the current accountability relationship between the ministry and children's aid societies and propose any changes to ensure a clearer focus on child protection." Although dealing with a mandated service, this document addresses issues that could be of relevance for the settlement sector, such as changes for a streamlined monitoring and measurement of performance based on outcomes and the use of information technology and available knowledge to make decisions and continuously improve management and delivery of services.

· Building on Strength: Improving Governance and Accountability in Canada's Voluntary Sector, Panel on Accountability and Governance in the Voluntary Sector, Final Report, February 1999

In its Executive summary and Principal recommendations, this document indicates that "the goal or our report is to enhance the effectiveness and credibility of the voluntary sector in its ongoing role of strengthening civil society. Our proposals are far-reaching, and are directed to a variety of audiences, including voluntary organizations, the sector as a whole, foundations, corporations, and federal and provincial governments." It indicates that "At the end of the millennium, voluntary organization are facing an environment in considerable flux. Changing government roles, increasingly diverse populations, and new social and economic realities are requiring the sector to broaden, deepen, and adapts its approaches - and to do all of these at one." The Report includes recommendations to the audiences mentioned before, in areas such as capacity building; organizational governance and stewardship; program outcomes, fundraising, access to the Federal Tax System and others.

· Outcomes Measurement in the Human Services: Cross-cutting Issues and Methods. Edward J. Mullen and Jennifer L. Magnabosco, Editors. ISBN:0-871-1-275-8

The Introduction of a summary of this book states that "this book is the first to present state-of-the-art theory and practice regarding outcomes measurement in human services with a specified focus on social work. The book expands on the National Symposium on Outcomes Measurement in the Human Services sponsored by the Center for the Study of Social Work and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. The Symposium was held at Columbia University in November 1995".