Serving the Thorncliffe Community since 1985

ANNUAL REPORT 2007/2008

Because neighbourhoods matter

2

Because neighbourhoods matter...

This has been a stimulating year of challenge and oppor-tunity for Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office. TNO has celebrated significant achievements over the past year and is forging ahead with confidence, vigour and a re-newed sense of vitality. TNO supports thousands of community members each year. We are proud of and inspired by the tremendous efforts and remarkable resilience of the families and indi-viduals participating in our programs. Newcomer parents struggling to find homes, jobs and schools for their chil-dren, professionals burdened by ‘Canadian experience’ hurdles, youth navigating new and unfamiliar hallways and playgrounds, seniors breaking isolation, and women chal-lenging violence; these are just some of the stories that unfold at TNO’s various programs and locations on a daily basis. Our report highlights the remarkable growth that has taken place in our community. The enhancement of set-tlement services provided to the community, especially for seniors and youth, completes a two-year expansion ushered in by the Canada-Ontario Immigration Accord signed in November 2006. The significant increases in investment in programs sup-porting newcomers’ services enable us to meet consider-able and immediate adaptation and settlement needs of dozens of families moving into Thorncliffe Park each year. The area continues to be a high immigrant and refu-gee receiving community. The opening of the newcomer support services facility at 28 Overlea Boulevard is a milestone addition to the community and the agency. Housing newcomer seniors’ support services and youth language and host programs, the new facility is a modern space that attempts to fill a generational gap and mitigate conditions of isolation. The new space aspires to be a forum to inspire and harness the community’s creativity and vitality. Seniors have not always been considered when develop-ing integration and settlement programming. This is why we are delighted with the fact that CIC is supporting this particular program. Seniors bring a wealth of knowledge and lifetime of experience from which we can all benefit. Youth remain at the heart of parents’ decisions to immi-grate, whether as wealthy investors, skilled immigrants, or refugees fleeing persecution; the successful and speedy integration of children and youth is a key element of parents’ hopes when they come to Canada. Thus, lan-guage training, both in class and by computer assisted instruction provides an opportunity for a strong start. In addition to building our newcomer support services, TNO is developing its capacity to assist jobseekers in navigating the complex and seemingly inaccessible labour

Message from TNO’s Chair & Executive Director

market. We will partner with reputed employment train-ing agencies to bring much needed specialized training and job development services to the neighbourhood. Our Child and Family Services are continually growing to address the needs of 0-6 year olds and their families. We have expanded our after-school and school readiness programs offered by well-trained early childhood devel-opment and education professionals in partnership with area schools and other service providers. We are assisting other communities and neighbourhoods in developing their capacity and resources. With signifi-cant investment from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, TNO is leading an ambitious initiative to build a multipur-pose facility for the residents of St. James Town in down-town Toronto. TNO is already present in the community providing school and library-based settlement services. In addition, we are working in partnership with Bangladeshi Community Services to develop their youth initiative. TNO believes in the important role of arts in the com-munity. As part of the “Art in the Park” initiative, we have partnered with the Toronto School of Art to deliver drawing lessons to members of the community by re-nowned Toronto artist Martha Eleen. Last year TNO hosted several high-ranking visitors from different parts of the city, the country and the world, including two Dutch Cabinet Ministers who visited the agency and the neighbourhood. Under the guidance of United Way Toronto, TNO has been part of an innovative partnership with Davis + Hen-derson, a large and respected corporation. Together we are looking at ways to engage the corporation in the agency, the community and the neighbourhood. Davis + Henderson has already started providing significant and real support to the agency and the community. This is a remarkable neighbourhood of diversity and den-sity. Through a number of services in this centre to one of the highest concentrations of immigrants in the coun-try, we will ensure that immigrants have the tools neces-sary to navigate educational, employment and other op-portunities while aiming for success. This will have a great value to society and to the families being served. We strongly believe that this neighbourhood can be a model of how well we integrate new Canadians into soci-ety and especially into the labour market. Today’s Thorncliffe Park is tomorrow’s Canada

Nirupama Barua Jehad Aliweiwi Chair of the Board Executive Director

3 TNO’s Employment & Training Services

Employment Assistance Program (EAP) This program services clients who are unemployed or working less than 20 hours a week who are Canadian citizens, Landed Immigrants or Convention Refugees. The program serves the areas of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park. Services provided are: • One-on-one counselling to develop an EAP Plan for

individuals experiencing barriers to employment • Job Placements for participants who are unem-

ployed or underemployed • Interview coaching • Job Search Workshops • Resume preparation support • Assistance with credential assessment processes • Vocational/Training goal setting • Identification of transferable skills • Referrals/Case management

2007 Statistics: Job Search Workshops Employment Assistance Program,

& Job Development Program

Clients & Services Actual #

# of clients served 1,001

# of clients employed 470

# of employers contacted 433

# of Job Search Workshops held 13

Resume Writing Service

The Resume Writing Service is provided to support community members in the preparation of their initial resumes so that they are ready to enter the local labour market. Clients are directed through the process of drafting their first Canadian resumes with the advice and guidance of an employment counsellor. Clients receive support in the areas of intake and interviewing, resume

writing, and obtaining appropriate job search referrals

The Bridging Program for Inter-nationally Trained ECEs The recently launched ECE Bridging Program was spe-cially developed for individuals who are internationally trained Early Childhood Educators (ECE) or kindergarten or elementary level teachers wanting to work in the field of ECE in Ontario. The program provides eligible applicants with the upgrad-ing and experience they require to be recognized to work under provincial requirements. The program ac-knowledges participants’ skills and international educa-tion. The main features of the ECE Bridging Program are:

TNO’s most recent group of ECE Bridging Program participants, on their way to returning to their chosen professions.

• Individual assessments, recognition of participants’ international training, and guidance through the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario (AECEO) equivalency process

• English and ECE skills upgrading specifically designed for the Canadian context • Coursework facilitated by experienced ECE faculty from George Brown College • Field placements and observational opportunities in college childcare centres • Mentorship opportunities and support through the job search process • Paid supply teaching opportunities to gain Canadian ECE experience • Connections to employment opportunities after successfully completing the program

Job Search Workshop (JSW) Programs The Job Search Workshop program supports newcom-ers in learning about job searching in the local context, and helps develop confidence in: • Accessing the hidden job market • Resume and cover letter writing • Cold calling • Networking • Interviewing

4 TNO’s Settlement Programming and more…

Language Instructions for Newcomers (LINC) LINC is an English language training program for adult newcomers who are landed immigrants or Convention Refugees or holders of Minister’s Permits. TNO offers 13 part-time classes, from literacy up to level 6-7. LINC is part of the set-tlement and integration programming we offer to facilitate newcomer integration into Canadian society. Part of the curriculum includes field trips to local sites of interest such as the bank, local libraries and other places newcomers might find useful. In order to improve the accessibility of our LINC classes, childminding is offered to eligible partici-pants. TNO also offers Youth LINC classes, designed specifically for newcomers aged 18 to 24 years, to support their acquisi-tion of English. This age group in particular forms an often neglected or underserved sector. The aim is to offer English classes that focus on youth challenges, including employment, higher education, and social supports. Language is taught using a new methodology that is geared towards engaging youth, encouraging them and also creating a space for them as they struggle to integrate.

Women and Work Series This initiative is lead by a number of employment agencies serving women, and MPP Minister Kathleen Wynne. The purpose is to provide information to women from the Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park communities about vari-ous employment related subjects. The sessions are information-based, and we often showcase women who are suc-cessful in their fields and who share clients’ experiences of struggles and successes. Some of the topics that have been included in the series are starting your own business, and operating a home based childcare.

Newcomer Settlement Services TNO offers an array of settlement programs, including: Immigration Settlement Adaptation Program (ISAP); Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS); and Library-based Settlement Workers (LSP). They are funded by Citizenship and Immi-gration Canada to assist immigrants, refugees and other eligible clients with immediate settlement needs or ongoing integration issues. Services include (but are not limited to) information and referral for any of the following areas:

• Healthcare system information, including finding a doctor or clinic, getting a health card, etc.; • Employment and job search information, and information about daycares; • Sponsorship, Child Tax Benefit, Passport, and Citizenship Applications; • Social Assistance (Family Benefits, Welfare, etc.)

information; • Information about recreational activities for both

students and families, and parenting information; • Information on upgrading, universities and colleges; • Applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN); • Referrals to English classes (LINC and ESL); • Housing applications and information; • Income tax preparation support; • and many more subjects related to the settlement

process. LINC students mark a milestone as they celebrate their graduation together.

The Volunteer Program TNO’s Volunteer Program is a great way for people to gain practical experience in different fields. In 2007 we re-cruited over 100 volunteers, including youth and senior volunteers, who assisted us with the delivery of many of our programs. We also hosted ten placement students. Not only do volunteers benefit from the opportunity to gain or practise useful work-related skills, but also, their participation allows TNO to offer a breadth and scale of programming that would not be possible without their invaluable contribution.

Annual Income Tax Clinic TNO and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) hold an Annual Income Tax Clinic for low income clients. The Clinic connects volunteer accountants with community members who require their expertise to fill out income tax returns. Over 300 people had their tax returns filled out for free through this year’s Tax Clinic.

5 TNO’s School Settlement Program

Settlement Workers in Schools The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program ran the Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW) pilot at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in August 2007. When new-comer youth arrive in Canada, they are dealing with changes in language, culture, school and the family. These changes can be difficult for a youth to face alone. The NOW program, run in collaboration with Toronto Dis-trict School Board and funded by Citizenship and Immi-gration Canada, helped youth adjust to a new school and make friends. The program prepared newcomer youth for their new school, allowing them to meet with peers and familiarize themselves with the school community through activities and mentorship. 17 Peer Leaders were chosen for their own past experiences as newcomer youth, and their resulting awareness of the difficulties of adapting to a new school. Peer Leaders were energetic and acted brilliantly as role models for their new friends!

Individual Service Statistics: 2006/2007 vs. 2007/2008

Clients & Services 01.Apr.06 -

31.Mar.07

01.Apr.07 -

31.Mar.08

Newcomers registered in TNO catchment schools

3,025 3,346

Newcomer individuals served (calculated per service)

10,111 12,036

Newcomer students served 1,300 1,924

Other services 863 958

Settlement Workshop Statistics: 01.Apr.07 to 31.Mar.08

Group Workshop Topics # of Workshops

# of Participants

Education 208 3,254

General Newcomer Orientation 95 1,140

Employment 60 1,230

Immigration & citizenship 92 1,213

Health issues 46 651

Parenting information 46 505

Youth issues 34 683

Other topics 30 352

Libraries, parks & recreation 12 135

Total 623 9,163

Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW) Program participants Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute. This new pilot program first run in August 2007 was so successful that the SWIS program is working on expanding it to more schools.

TNO’s school settlement workers and Marc Garneau Collegiate teachers also participated, giving youth a chance to gain firsthand informa-tion from their new teachers while also learning how approachable the school staff are. Participants learned how to navigate the school and community while getting to know each other by creating personal profiles; going on a scavenger hunt; putting on skits; learning the school rules, procedures and graduation require-ments; learning what their new school offers; working on a simulated timetable with extracur-ricular activities; and finding out how to access teachers and guidance counsellors through role-plays. The youth also went out into the commu-nity, visiting Flemingdon Park Library and taking the grand tour of TNO to found out about re-sources available to them and their families. The 44 newcomer participants stated they made lasting friendships they might not have if they weren’t involved in the program. They feel a sense of belonging and confidence, and the nerv-ousness they felt before the program has disap-peared. They are confident they will succeed at a new school in a new country.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK AT TNO… On an average day at TNO’s reception desk…

94 phone calls are received by the hardworking reception staff, and

17 clients are referred to TNO’s various settlement programs and 3 are referred externally .

20 internal and external referrals on a typical day comes to over 4,000 referrals per year from the front desk alone!

Growing Together Growing Together is one of our registered programs, promoting learning through play and guided activities that foster development for children with special needs and their families. Parents and our Special Needs Resource Teacher develop individualized program plans. While participating in the Growing Together program, informal screenings and resources are provided as needed. This will wholly support the families in helping their children attain their goals. Upon completion of the program, the parents and staff will evaluate each child’s progress and the effectiveness of the program. If needed, the children may be referred for additional support services by other professionals.

Pictured above and to the left are some of TNO’s youngest clients; though small in size, they’re just as important to us as any community member!

6 TNO’s Family & Children’s Services

Over the Rainbow Over the Rainbow builds on the idea of creating a safe and relaxing atmosphere for children with emotional and social development concerns. It was widely accepted in the community, making this its most successful year in terms of attendance. Children used drama and storytel-ling to explore their feelings. We involved community members like the Potter’s Studio to organize pottery classes for the parents, so that they were able to relax, and enjoy the experience and at the same time discuss parenting related matters in a supportive and comfort-able group setting.

The Ontario Early Years Centre The Child and Family Team continues to work to better the lives of all families in the Thorncliffe neighbourhood and its surroundings. We have improved our client cen-tred approach where each individual entering our ser-vices is treated with dignity, respect and an inclusive atti-tude. We enhanced the programs to take care of the most vulnerable members of our community, children with special needs and women who have experienced abuse. We are proud of our achievements; numbers are only a quantitative example of our efforts, but last year alone we served over 2,000 children, many of whom come back day after day to enjoy the learning opportuni-ties provided by qualified OEYC staff.

Violence against Women (VAW) The VAW team provided intervention and crisis counsel-ling and arranged priority housing for100 women last year. This difficult day-to-day work was supported by agency wide training on abuse issues. With Ministry of Community and Social Services funding, the project in-creased awareness of domestic violence, amplified com-munity involvement and gave TNO employees and volun-teers tools to identify abuse and provide initial interven-tion and referrals. The VAW team also took part in a provincial conference: Communities Working Together to End Violence against Women, where they were chosen to present “Working from the ‘inside’: ending violence against women in the Muslim community in Thorncliffe”. This is another example of TNO staff recognizing we are all connected and issues of abuse are universal and not only confined to the TNO community.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK AT TNO… From April 2007 to March 2008, the TNO Ontario Early Years Centre served…

1,562 children who participated in the OEYC’s programs, and

1,368 adults and caregivers.

OEYC clients of all ages (parents, caregivers and children) made over 21,000 individual visits in the 2007/08 year!

7 TNO’s Family & Children’s Services

Mental Health Support Program The term ’mental health’ often brings to mind a clinical model involving medication and therapy. We recognize the widespread stigma in acknowledging and accessing services; hence we offer a non-clinical model of service in a suppor-tive community setting. Many factors influence a person’s mental health and emotional well-being, and it is natural to experience ups and downs, particularly during major life changes such as a move to a new country, financial insecurity, a lack of social supports, or not being able to access timely and appropriate healthcare. Mental Health services are of-fered to individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anger management issues, sub-stance abuse, gambling, grieving and relationship issues. The mental health counsellor guides people through alternate methods of coping and problem solving and makes referrals to suitable internal or external services if needed. Services are offered on a strictly confidential basis. In 2007, we served over 250 individuals and facilitated 30 group sessions.

Multicultural Women’s Group This group has been part of TNO’s commitment to serve the women of Thorncliffe Park since 1991. Despite numer-ous changes in members, locations, and programming over the years, the Multicultural Women’s Group remains viable and dynamic. Its goal is to create an environment where women support each other through building friendships and social networks. The group meets each Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Sessions run in 9-week cycles, each week with a different program. Free childcare is provided so that women get more time to spend with each other. Some of the topics include: cooking, sewing, skincare, foot care, baking, pattern cutting, glass painting, information about health top-ics, safety in the community, first aid for children, nutrition, and many more. The group drew in 208 women and pro-vided the free childcare service to 87 children in 2007. One of this year’s highlights is that the Multicultural Women’s Group joined forces with the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee, a group of local women seeking to improve public spaces in and around the neighbourhood. If you are interested in either group, contact TNO at 416.421.3054. We are very grateful to the United Way of Greater Toronto for sponsoring such unique and valuable programs as: Growing Together, Over the Rainbow, the English Conversation Class’s Multicultural Women’s Group and the Mental Health Program. The complementary nature of these programs allows us to serve our clients in a holistic and individu-alized manner. We are glad to be at your service.

English Conversation & Literacy Enhancement Project The English Conversation and Communication program runs twice a week for residents of Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park. The program began in 2004, and continues to provide a space where participants can practice English in a safe, language-focused group where they are encouraged to develop their verbal communication skills. Session are struc-tured to allow everyone an opportunity to have meaningful conversations, starting with introductions, light conversa-tion, and a discussion about the previous lesson and its use in their daily lives. Then the evening’s lesson is introduced and new vocabulary explained. Themes include: introducing oneself, topics of conversation, small talk, saying goodbye, telephone conversation, formal versus informal talk, discussing opinions, community participation, giving advice, and ‘breaking the ice’. A key feature is a parallel program for children to engage in a literacy program while their parents attend the conversation and communication group. The main aim of the children’s literacy group is to create an envi-ronment where children can improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Sessions begin with circle time, where students settle down, introduce themselves and discuss the events of the day. Then the facilitator introduces the theme of the day or a storybook. Students have a chance to share their knowledge of the subject and learn new infor-mation. Each child receives his or her own copy of the story to read alone or in small groups. Facilitators are able to work with three age groups individually to assist them as needed. In 2007, we served 900 adults and 549 children.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK AT TNO… On an average day at TNO’s reception area…

7 community members come in to use the courtesy phone, and

37 community members drop in to make use of the community access computers.

But office equipment is only the smallest part of what makes TNO a hub of activity for the local community!

8 TNO’s Youth Centre

We and Math participants enjoying the Wii after a round of math practice.

We and Math In May 2008, the TNO Youth Centre launched ‘We and Math’, an outreach program of the Toronto Police Services, 53 Division Community Response Unit. In partnership with TNO and Future Shop, the six-week program’s main goals included fostering a healthy relationship between the police and the Thorncliffe community while providing an opportu-nity for positive interaction that would encourage youth to learn and enjoy math. During the program, sixteen grade 5 students from Thorncliffe Park Public School were encouraged to have fun, develop a positive attitude towards math,

and recognize the importance of math in their daily lives. The program was led by Harry Shore, an auxiliary police officer and full time elementary teacher. Harry led each session with a brief practice exercise during which the We and Math Coaches identified the strengths and weak-nesses in each participant’s math abilities, followed by a fun and interactive Wii session. The program was a tremendous success in large part due to Officer Nilo Espino, whose passion for education and commitment to social responsibility led him to design this innovative program. Along with Nilo, a special thank you goes to Steve Moore from Future Shop for his gen-erous donation of TVs and Nintendo Wii’s. The Centre is set to run We and Math again in September 2008.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK AT TNO… On a regular day at TNO’s main office…

13 faxes are sent and 139 photocopies are made, and

123 pages are used for printouts made by our clients.

Even as our client base keeps growing, visitors are using less paper than last year - thanks for being green all!

TNO’s Youth Centre Builds on Success in Our Second Year The TNO Youth Centre first opened its doors in April 2006 to offer programming and services specifically tailored to the needs of Thorncliffe’s youth. The programs aim to provide a fun, social environment for youth aged 13 to 24 years. Supported by youth workers, participants have the opportunity to provide constructive input into their own weekly

activities through the Youth Steering Committee. These programs serve as a valuable stepping stone for many leadership opportunities. Last year about 1,100 youth participated the Youth Centre’s programs, which cur-rently include: the Intergenerational Program, Home-work Club, Boys’ Program, Girls’ Program, and Com-puter Classes for Seniors and Newcomers. We also lead an After-School Mentorship Program at Valley Park Mid-dle School, with 53 Division and mentors from Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute. The Youth Centre also runs recreational programs delivered through area schools, and currently offers floor hockey, basketball, soccer and squash. The Youth Centre’s staff work closely with a large team of dedicated volunteers. Volunteer Orientation Sessions are held monthly so that the Centre has a sustainable volunteer base. During the summer months, the Youth Centre expands its program capacity and numbers.

Above are some of the TNO Youth Centre’s Around the World Cooking Program participants, eager to sample the fruits of their labour.

9 More on the Youth Centre, and on What’s up at TNO…

Thorncliffe Park Citizenship Com-mittee Established The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is dedicated to the idea that citizenship is one of the most important bonds we share. With a full program of research and events and a growing network of Citizenship Commit-tees, the ICC works to foster conversation on the role of citizens in shaping Canada's future. This year the ICC began a new project to help welcome new Canadians, setting up dozens of local Citizenship Committees in communities across the country. These committees work with ICC and the Ministry of Citizenship and Immi-gration to host community-based citizenship ceremonies which take place in legislatures, city halls, community centres, schools, libraries, parks and other public places and include roundtable discussions between new and established Canadians.

Thorncliffe Park has established a Citizenship Committee under the able chairmanship of Holly Bacchus and Dave Suth-erland. We are very pleased to announce that the first special citizenship ceremony was held in March 2008 at Thorn-cliffe Park Public School. The purpose of having the ceremony in a local area is to so that new citizens from the same community take the oath of Citizenship together and meet each other. Part of the agenda before the actual ceremony was the ‘Roundtable Discussion’ during which eight New Canadians were seated at a table with two Hosts (who are either born or naturalized Canadians). The purpose of these roundtable discussions is to allow the people at the tables to share their experiences and get to know one another.

Computer Classes at TNO TNO offers basic computer classes for people interested in improving their technical skills. The classes are gener-ally run by volunteers and teach the students how to cre-ate an e-mail, browse the internet and use the Microsoft Office software package. These 8-week classes allow stu-dents to become more confident, especially for job search purposes, by helping them learn how to browse the internet for jobs and e-mail resumes to different em-ployers. The class also helps the volunteer instructor gain valuable facilitation and teaching experience. Over 50 clients attended computer classes at TNO in 2007.

Pictured to the left are some of TNO’s Computer Class participants, learning how to put information and communications technologies to use.

A judge welcomes a new Canadian into the fold in Thorncliffe Park’s very first community-based citizenship ceremony!

‘Chill Out!’ with PEN Canada In December, 2007, the Youth Centre partnered with PEN Canada, a non-profit organization that assists writers throughout the world who are persecuted for the peaceful expression of their ideas, to host our first ‘Chill Out!’ event; an evening of spoken word, performance and film. The event featured a number of young artists who inspired the audi-ence with their words, including performances by: the theatre group ‘Crossing Gibraltar’, a training, performance and outreach program for young refugees and newcomers; Kaziwe Saleh, a Kurdish poet and journalist; a short film by Nadia Alam about educating and communicating the opinions of young Muslims entitled ‘Muslimunication’; and spoken word acts by Abdullah Ayaz and Emral Samaad. Chill Out! was a tremendous success. Both the presenters and the audience enjoyed the opportunity for youth to come out and be heard. It provided a platform for youth in the community to creatively express their thoughts on love, is-sues faced by newcomer youth, and the culture of rap music. The Youth Centre recognized the positive impact such an event has within the community and is looking forward to hosting another installment of Chill Out!

10 Some more highlights of the year that was at TNO…

The TNO gang got together to do our part on Earth Day 2008.

A group of summer Career Week program participants pose in front of a fire truck after learning about the invaluable work of our emergency services; just one example of the many ways in which TNO works at building a sense of community and encouraging youth engagement.

Community members participated in the Jane Jacob’s Walk in May 2008, in which we took a walk around the community to let people know more about Thorncliffe Park.

Through participation in events like the United Way’s Cabinet Campaign and the United Way Rat Race, TNO’s staff, friends and volunteers raised almost $10,000 over the past year!

This year’s annual report provides a glimpse of the dedication and commit-ment with which TNO strives to deliver client-centred programming, con-stantly challenging ourselves to remain innovative and responsive to commu-nity needs. The example we are setting is bringing interest from as far away as Europe! Above, a Dutch minister addresses attendees after an official visit to TNO in February 2008.

TNO hosted a community open house in June 2008 to showcase our new facility dedicated to providing programs and services for newcomer seniors and youth. The Community Resource and Wellness Centre at 28 Overlea Boulevard (Lower Level) was created as a result of the federal government’s increased investment in settlement and adaptation programs in Ontario. As a high immigrant and refugee receiving community, Thorncliffe Park has directly benefited from increased funding in settlement services.

Statement of Revenues and Expenditures Financial Year Ending 31.Mar.08

2008

2007

Revenue

Association of Early Childhood Education Ontario 63,200 60,079

City of Toronto 57,250 -

Donations and fundraising 26,112 6,182

Federal Government - per Schedule 3,230,674 2,256,786

Foundations 87,000 74,600

Provincial Government - per Schedule 778,588 783,139

Sundry income and interest 17,834 2,389

542,081 422,231

Total Revenue $ 4,802,739 $ 3,605,406

Expenses

Insurance 27,111 25,901

Office & general expenses 39,770 36,026

Professional fees 20,645 9,260

Program expenses 343,930 245,090

Rent & occupancy costs 293,047 217,665

Repairs & maintenance 106,136 124,097

Salaries & salary costs 3,491,841 2,536,244

Telephone 49,598 32,416

Amortization 124,802 91,054

Total Expenses $ 4,496,880 $ 3,317,753

Excess of Revenue over Expenses $ 305,859 $ 287,653

United Way of Greater Toronto

Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office’s financial statements were prepared by Weinstein Raisin Chartered Accountants, and are available in full to any community member upon request.

11 TNO’s Statement of Operations

The dedicated members of the Thorncliffe Citizenship Committee (L to R): Bill Pashby, Abdul Ingar, Geoff Kettel, Dave Sutherland, Sander Dankelman, Yusuf Syed, and Holly Bacchus

The first of what we hope are many community-based citizenship ceremonies in Thorncliffe Park, introduced by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Community Citizenship Ceremonies initiative.

And some more highlights of the year… thanks to the efforts of the new Thorncliffe Citizenship Committee!

12 TNO is…

TNO’s many programs and services are brought to you by the following dedicated staff: JehadAliwewi ● AdinaRafiqzad ● AfieMardukhi ● Ahmed-Hussein ● AlimKhoja ● AmbreenAkbar ● AngieTurner ● Antionette-Zichy ● AnumWani ● AshiaIslam ● AzamHassim ● BakulaManek ● BalasundaramElayathamby ● BozenaStepian ● Brendalee-Patton ● CorrieIsrael ● CurtisNash ● DuraniPopal ● ElizabethMuchogo ● EselPanlaqui ● FahmeenaTabassum ● FaizaKaka ● FaridhaKhimani ● FarookMohammed ● FatimaHussain ● FoziaKhan ● FrankDuff ● FredaRosengarten ● GinaHuang ● Gooli-Jina ● GraceZhang ● GuanxinHua ● HabibahAbowath ● HossinHaider ● IreneBarboza ● IrfanAhmad ● JenniferAguire ● Jenni-ferRajasekar ● JessicaChen ● JuanShi ● KathyFeng ● KhadijaAlidad ● KiritPitroda ● KirstenEdlund ● KusumMishra ● Lailo-maAhmadzai ● LatifaLodin ● LeoZuniga ● LeonardoZuniga ● LianaChivaran ● Lok-CheeWu ● MahmudaAfsana ● Majida-Shaikh ● MalikaShah ● MaliniSingh ● MariaLeynes ● MarijanaCuvalo ● MastoraAlakozay ● MerajKhan ● MonicaArora ● MonicaDaga ● NadiaAlakoozi ● NaimaZahid ● NasimDamani ● NatasaBikova ● NawalAteeq ● NazmaAhmad ● NikkiGoldman ● Niran-janaDamani ● NooraniChatur ●NoraHachemi ● PamelaPolan ● PartibanVadivelu ● ParveenAmlani ● RaviSubramanian ● Ruby-Moayer ● RumanaIslam ● RupanethaThiageshwaran ● SadiaZafar ● SaradhaKumarasamy ● SarahShi ● ShahidaRabbani ● Shan-thaKirupa ● SlavicaSimic ● SosanEtrat ● TahminaAhmadzadi ● TomHan ● UshaSisodia ● WefakMohammad ● WendyHernan-dez (maternityleave) ● YamoSaidOgho ● YasminAshraf ● YasminDhanani ● YingYin ● ZaidMajoo ● ZarsangaPopal Including those who left TNO (with all our best wishes) over the past year: EglantinaResulaj ● HodanNur ● MandeepKaurMucina ● PranotiMenon And of course, we couldn’t do what we do without TNO’s committed placement students: ClaudiaRojo ● ElizabethBarberiz ● HabibaAbowath ● HelenaGuan ● HematSadek ● MonaKamal ● NinaAhuiwalia ● Shalanda-Goulboum ● VoulaPetropo And last but most certainly not least, our invaluable volunteers help keep TNO running: AbantikaJana ● AbdulQureshi ● AfsanehJamal ● AlinaMilosan ● AlinaShabnamAhmadi ● AmbreenWajahat ● AnaCarmen-MuroLopez ● AnnieFayyaz ● AyazRafiq ● AyshaHaseen ● AzizaAlidad ● AzraHussain ● BilqeesFatima ● BushraHussain ● Dee-baKhan ● FarrahHussaini ● FarahNasri ● FarhanaMajid ● FaridehShakouri ● FarishtaAjam ● FatemehShirani ● Guira-Geraldine ● HiteshKumar ● HumairaAmir ● HumratBibiAzimiBahri ● IsmailBawa ● JasiaSiddiqui ● KhaterehMansouri ● KhatimahAlidad ● KrystalMcKenzie ● KunduShilpi ● LuisAlcantaraMoreno ● MalalaiMalalai ● ManisaShafique ● Manzura-Karimover ● MariaAlejan-draMuroLopez ● MariamSultana ● MarionSladen ● MaryamShakouri ● MeenakshiJohn ● MithaZainab ● MohammadNasir ● MohammedFarook ● MohammedWani ● MuhammadNaeeumUlHaq ● MuhammedNaeem ● MuniraBawa ● NaheedZia ●NahidZia ● NailaAyaz ●NaiyeraAhsan ● NajibaBanouri ● NamiraNagamia ● NatasaBikova ● NormaDeLaCruz ● PadmaVish-wanath ● ParveenSafia ● PingLu ● PrathanaSingh ● RahatMansoorKhan ● RashidaShaherwala ● ReefaMahboob ● RefkaMoham-med ● RimaKarimi ● RitaMakri ● RosauraGuerrero ● SabaTabassum ● SabeehahMotala ● SadafShahid ● Sadia-Nasri ● SafiaAmien ● SairaJafri ● SalmaNaeem ● SalwaAbdullah ● SamiyaKhanum ● SangeetaChowla ● SarrahAnkleshwria ● ShafiaTeli ● ShakilaRaja ● ShakoofaAzizi ● ShamailaZulqurnain ● SharonMan ● ShivaniThanalapati ● ShukriaAlidad ● SimaHushimi ● SoniaMesa ● SumaiyaJaved ● SwetalinaTripathy ● SyedTasnim ● SyedaRoshaAra ● TheresaAjodhja ● TimoorTemori ● UrooshaMemon ● VictorFurangi ● YamoSaidOgho ● ZaheeraGhumra ● ZahraAbdul ● ZahraShah ● ZainabBahman ● Zainab-Memon Including the hardworking TNO Youth Centre volunteers: QuratulAan ● AamirMohammed ● AhteshamAftab ● AzazHussain ● BatoolFatima ● BeetaSenedjani ● FoziaKhan ● IffatSajjad ● IrfanKhan ● KedarThomas ● KhatimahAlidad ● MarvinSahagun ● MuntazarAbd ● NeelaMohmand ● PeterLin ● PetyaPopova ● RokayaShaker ● RozinaZiyaudin ● SarfrazHussain ● ShahidJogiyat ● ShukriaAlidad ● TahminaAhmadzai ● TanazHashimi ● Tha-nalapatiShivani ● UsmanTarique ● WesalAbuQaddum ● ZahraShakil

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, you are sure to receive a warm welcome at TNO’s front desk.

An Amazing Team of People Our team of over 80 employees and many more volun-teers is responsible for the provision of more than twelve programs and services in a variety of languages. The TNO team is able to serve the community in all of the following languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Hungarian, Katchi, Malayalam, Mandarin, Marathi, Pashto, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, and Urdu.

The governance of community-based organizations like TNO is entirely dependant on the dedication, energy, hard work and leadership of volunteer Board members. The Board is the highest decision making body of the agency and is entrusted with the chal-lenging task of ensuring that we are complying with our obligations to be effective, effi-cient and transparent stewards of public funds. Over the years TNO has been blessed with a magnificent team of volunteer board members who have guided its operations, governance and management. However, there are always those who, even in outstanding company, manage to distinguish them-selves from the rest by their sheer grit, commitment and sense of purpose. TNO has experienced tremendous growth over the past five years. At the heart of our ability to expand and develop to such an extent are two individuals who provided decisive leadership, clear vision and intelligent insight. It is difficult to exaggerate the remarkable impact that the leadership of directors Nesan Bandali and Brook Physick has had on the organization and the neighbour-hood. Both were familiar with and connected to the daily challenges facing the commu-nity. Nesan grew up in the neighbourhood and continues to have roots in and connec-tions to Thorncliffe Park that guided her thoughtful contribution to the Board’s delib-erations. Her keen understanding of the challenges facing young people, families and newcomers was instrumental in our ability to design services that meet those needs and challenges. Brook has spent the better part of an entire career in the community. A tireless advocate and a consummate professional with a deep understanding of sys-temic barriers facing individuals and communities, Brook stands out as a superb exam-ple of a remarkable community activist. Few can match Brook’s knowledge of and active engagement with the community and Nesan’s attachment to and understanding of the neighbourhood. We grew because of their leadership, we excelled following their vision and we are in better shape today because they contributed their time, effort, talent and resources to support the com-munity and the agency. Together you have invested more than 15 years of your time in the agency and the community. For that we are grateful, fortunate and will always be inspired by your generosity and dedication. TNO has also benefited from the incredibly wise and perspicacious leadership of our chair for the last two years, Nirupama Barua. Her kindness and respect for others is inspiring and empowering. We learned a lot from her example and her commanding style. Her congenial but firm management of the Board’s often cantankerous delibera-tion has contributed to clear agendas and productive meetings. She was generous with her time and immediate in her response to TNO’s demands of her creativity and skills. We wish her and her family all the best as she moves on to the United States to take on the job of her dreams. It is difficult to imagine TNO without this truly exceptional triumvirate. On behalf of the community, staff and volunteers of TNO, a thousand thank yous.

Board of Directors of Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office

Executive Committee: Board Members at Large:

Chair: Nirupama Barua Nesan Bandali

Vice Chair: Bill Pashby Rubina Habib

Secretary Tajul Islam Sofian Mostafa

Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair: Stephen Udensi Brook Physick

HR Committee Chair: Jaswant Seahra Nadeem Siddiqui

Nirupama Barua

Brook Physick

Nesan Bandali

13 TNO is also…

And a great big thank you to Brook, Nesan and Nirupama…

15 More on TNO’s Partnerships and Where to Find Us

Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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TNO Main Office

18 Thorncliffe Park Dr. Toronto, ON M4H 1N7 Tel: 416-421-3054 Fax: 416-421-4269 info@thorncliffe.org www.thorncliffe.org

TNO @ the Mall

East York Town Centre 45 Overlea Blvd., Lower Level, Ste. B20 Toronto, ON M4H 1C3 Tel: 416-421-2507 Fax: 416-421-1832

TNO Thorncliffe Community

Wellness Centre 28 Overlea Blvd. Toronto, ON M4H 1B6 Tel: 416-421-1495 Fax: 416-421-8656

TNO Ontario Early Years Centre

East York Town Centre 45 Overlea Blvd., Ste. 108A Toronto, ON M4H 1C3 Tel: 416-421-8997 Fax: 416-421-8990

TNO Youth Centre

East York Town Centre 45 Overlea Blvd., Ste. 108 Toronto, ON M4H 1C3 Tel: 416-421-8397 Fax: 416-421-8990

TNO’s Main Office & Service Locations

Our Mission Statement Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office is committed to building a safe and healthy community through supporting and

strengthening the quality of individual and community life in Thorncliffe Park.

TNO is mentored and adopted by Davis + Henderson Membership with the United Way has many benefits. The Corporate Engagement Program is one such incredible and creative initiative that the United Way is actively building. Under the stewardship of the United Way, TNO is develop-ing a creative partnership with Davis + Henderson (D+H), one the city’s most respected and responsible corporations. The partnership centres on providing a terrific variety of support services to the agency and the neighbourhood. The Davis + Henderson team meets regularly with TNO to develop this partnership. The company’s adoption of the agency, while in its early stages, has already resulted in meaningful and tangible outcomes, including supplies of print resources and job opportunities for community members. The partnership includes management and governance men-torship that the company will provide TNO in the coming year. The relationship developing between TNO and D+H is a truly exemplary expression of responsible corporate leader-ship that is conscious of its role in the community. The business discipline that this partnership is providing is already contributing to TNO’s organizational growth and institutional maturity. For further information on this initiative please call Faiza Kaka, Office Manager, at 416-421-3054 ext 235.

Today’s Thorncliffe is tomorrow’s Canada

16 TNO’s Art in the Park Project

The talented 2007 Art Class students are:

Mairajhabeeba Ahmed Khatimah Alidad Shukria Alidad

Sadia Arif Jaloo Cooper

Pearl De-Freitas Hafsa Fatima Salim Najem

Ashraf Remtullah Juan Shi

Annie Zhong

This year’s Art in the Park Project built upon last year’s success, and was a collaboration between the Toronto School of Art and TNO. This 7-week course was facilitated by well known local artist Martha Eleen, who played an instrumen-tal role in TNO being able to introduce such programming last year. The students’ work was showcased at the Arts Council for public viewing.

Don Valley Parkway and Thorncliffe Park (2008), a collage of the work of TNO’s Art Class Students

Pearl De-Freitas pictured by the collage of the art class students’ renditions of Thorncliffe Park