FACILITATING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND NGOS

OCASI Executive Directors Forum

November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this session is to explore LIPs as a strategic

vehicle to foster effective relationships between government and the NGO sector.

This session will examine the implementation of LIPs in communities across the province, focusing on the development of effective relationships between government and the NGO sector.

Through a review of the learnings from LIPs and a discussion of strategies, this session will provide participants with a deeper understanding of the LIPs process to date, and provide tools and resources to ensure that successful outcomes can be replicated across the province.

Your Panelists

Tracey Vaughan, Community Development Council Durham

Audrey Andrews, Regional Municipality of Durham

Bill Sinclair, St. Stephens Community House

Sonali Chakraborti, City of Toronto

Overview

Introductions

Context

Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs) History, Objectives and Deliverables

Types of LIPs across Ontario

City of Toronto Toronto Newcomer Initiative

Lessons from the LIP experience for NGOs

LOCAL IMMIGRATION PARTNERSHIPS

History, Objectives and Background

HISTORY OF LIPS

RFP for Local Immigration Partnerships were issued across province in 2008

Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs) began in 2009

Currently there are LIPs in small and medium sized cities across the province, and several neighbourhood based ones and one City-Wide table, in Toronto

OBJECTIVES OF LIPS

Improve access to, and coordination of, effective services that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration.

Improve access to the labour market for immigrants.

Strengthen local capacity to integrate immigrants.

Establish or enhance partnerships and participation of multiple stakeholders in planning, and coordinating the delivery of integration services (including settlement, language training, labour-market integration.

DELIVERABLES FOR LIPS

To establish a Partnership Council.

To create a Terms of Reference for the partnership council.

To conduct research and establish a settlement strategy to be implemented over three years

To develop an annual action plan that addresses the priorities for a that fiscal year.

TYPES OF LIPS

Population Growth

Service Coordination

Capacity Building

A municipal government

A regional government

or

Established community

organizations with

extensive experience

serving immigrants in the

community.

3 Types of LIPs LIPs are led by:

34 LIP COUNCILS ACROSS ONTARIO

(INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO)

Regional Municipality of Peel

Regional Municipality of York

Regional Municipality of Durham

City of London

City of Greater Sudbury,

County of Essex - City of

Windsor,

City of Ottawa

City of Toronto (18 Councils)

Regional Municipality of

Waterloo,

City of Sault Ste. Marie,

County of Lambton,

Municipality of Chatham Kent,

Regional Municipality of Niagara

City of Brantford

TORONTO: MULTIPLE LIPS

CITY OF TORONTO

In Toronto, there are 17 Neighbourhood based LIP Councils, each facilitated by a lead nonprofit organization

• Members include local settlement service providers, grassroots organizations, community health centers, institutions such as school boards, hospitals, City of Toronto and others

The City of Toronto (municipal government) leads the City-Wide LIP as part of its Toronto Newcomer Initiative which will

• Implement pilot service projects to improve the City’s service system to better serve newcomers

• Conduct research, coordination to enhance the broader service system to better service newcomers

Toronto Newcomer InitiativeEncourage participation of newcomers in the life of the city and community

Enhance City Service SystemsEnhance the Broader Service

System

Newcomer Programming in Recreation Centers

Supporting Families During Reunification

City-WideLocal Immigration Partnership

Newcomer Health ResearchSettlement Workers in City Services

City-Community Delivery

City Direct Delivery

TORONTO NEWCOMER INITIATIVE

A key aspect of this initiative is partnership with community based organizations

Pilot service projects involve collaboration with several community based organizations

Health research project is guided by advisory and consultation committees from academic, community-based research and settlement service organizations

City-Wide Local Immigration Partnership table includes representation from 17 Local LIP Councils Several federal and provincial ministries Institutions such as TRIEC, Council of Educators, Francophone

serving organizations For-profit sector

Goal: develop a City of Toronto Newcomer strategy

LESSONS FROM LIPS FOR NGOS

LESSONS FROM LIPS

Join your LIP and take up a leadership role.

Recognize the value and unique roles that NGOs bring to the LIP

• Expertise

• History working with CIC

• Social capital

• Community relationships

• Freedom to advocate for immigrants

LESSONS FROM LIPS

Understand that municipalities are on a big learning curve.

• But, also that immigration is a priority among municipalities

Understand your municipal culture of partnership

• Learn the rhythm of the municipal year and cycles.

• Determine if your municipality partners with NGOs on other issues.

• Examples could be Poverty roundtables, Accessibility Committee, other Advisory Committees

LESSONS FROM LIPS

Gain a greater understanding of jurisdictional issues between regional and local governments.

• The LIP in the Region of Durham includes several cities such as Ajax, Pickering and more, each with its own Mayor

Expand your relationship to your municipality beyond the City Councillors.

• Broaden partnership to include libraries, public health, housing and other City Divisions

MORE INFORMATION

Seeking advice?

• Feel free to contact panellists or OCASI.

• CIC has created a resource guide that may be helpful; contact CIC for more information.

In Toronto, get to know your Toronto Newcomer Initiative (TNI) Team.

• Contact TNI Community Development Officer, Nisha Nagaratnam at nnagara@toronto.ca

DISCUSSION

Discussion Notes

Small organizations are concerned about being swallowed up larger

ones

Concern about smaller agencies dropping out of the council table

Concerned about the effects of modernization of LIPs on smaller

organizations

Stipends are important for small organizations

Big players well represented at councils

More work needed on how to make organizations more comfortable

and "join the train”

Some LIPs used the collaborative table to coordinate information

during a CFP process – issued supporting letters for each other

NGOs often lead or co-lead/co-chair councils

Active Role in beginning, but role/balance is shifting over time

Council may use nomination process – challenges to engagement

DISCUSSION NOTES

What does sitting at the table mean?

Need more consistent governance structures for LIPs.

Continue to discuss how all members benefit from councils

Council role is facilitation of competing agendas – a challenge

Importance of facilitation skills for a successful LIP council

Municipal regions can lack local voices due to size

LIPs work in conjunction with WCI projects and municipal portals

CIC is now clarifying what LIPs will and will not do

Shared leadership must be continued/monitored

Still trying to determine best practices

Community development process, need protocols that are shared

Recognise LIPs are brand new and still early for significant learnings

Discussion Notes

DISCUSSION NOTES

Next steps/Future steps:

Support stipends for small organizations and engage small

organizations

Create guidelines/value statements for LIP process

More info-sharing, best practices for LIP

Do community development, planning and training

Develop LIP coordination/community of practice

Analysis of 17 reports of Toronto LIP Councils

Discussion Notes