WE Summer/Fall 2014

MAGAZINE OF UNITED WAY OF THE ALBERTA CAPITAL REGIONSUMMER/FALL 2014

THIS ISSUE OF WE MAGAZINE IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY

PM#40020055

Working together to keep kids in school and

help families out of poverty

The Big Picture

Pedal Power

Plus:

Early Years Continuum Project takes a community approach to raising children Claras Big Ride encourages

year-round movement towards mental health The City of Edmontons

anti-poverty task force

Receive WE digitally by subscribing to wemagazine.ca

At Alberta Blue Cross, we believe in building healthy and sustainable communities across our provincecommunities where all Albertans have an equal opportunity to thrive. We work to

make a genuine difference in the communities where we live and serve through initiatives like our Healthy Communities Grant Program, Hearts of Blue employee-led charity

and annual United Way campaign.

ABC 83104 2014/06

Involved in YOUR communityBecause well-being is more than just a clean bill of health.

To learn more about our community involvement, visit www.ab.bluecross.ca.

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Complex ProblemsHave Solutions

myunitedway.ca

Poverty is Solvable. Discover how...

Did you find all 17 words? Visit myunitedway.ca for a complete list.

Donate now.

We are all part of the solution.

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4 MESSAGE FROM UNITED WAY

5 COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Sandra Woitas is a woman

of vision and an advocate for

childrens rights

6 THIS WAY IN A look at a handful of United

Ways recent community

initiatives

9 MYTH BUSTERS Teens dont drop out of school

because of laziness or the

promise of big money

40 BUSINESS WAY The Meal to End Hunger gives

MacEwan University students

a lot to digest

41 LEADING EDGE Northlands history of giving

back to United Way spans

more than four decades

42 MILESTONES Edmontons engineering

community shows its

giving spirit

23 STUDENTS DO MORE Post-secondary students are breaking the stereotype

of apathy and building a model for not-for-profits

at the same time

27 MENTAL MOVEMENT Claras Big Ride and other Alberta-based initiatives

are going the distance to raise awareness for mental

health and physical activity

30 TAKING POVERTY TO TASK Edmonton is tackling the problem as a team

with an ultimate goal of eliminating it

34 SET A NEW NORMAL Lifelong mental health starts from a foundation

of a strong education and builds with awareness

38 SPONSOR PROFILE: ALBERTA BLUE CROSS Employees, with the help of company matching

campaigns, have contributed more than $1.5 million

to United WayON THE COVER: Outreach worker Jenny Bochke is helping kids like Taylor get more out of school and life.

PHOTO: Kelly Redinger

DEPARTMENTS

SPOTLIGHT Education

10 SET FOR SUCCESS Lunch programs, outreach supports and stay-in-

school initiatives are all part of a collaborative

tapestry to help children succeed in their education

14 A STRONG START

It takes a community to raise a child, and its never

too soon to start seeking support from available

initiatives that focus on kids

19 BRIDGE THE GAP Creating meaningful programs for children

through collaboration is the mantra of the

Out of School Time Secretariat

SUMMER/FALL 2014

FEATURES

5

6

10

WE SUMMER/FALL 2014 WEMAGAZINE.CA 3

30

19

34

30

14

27

Complex ProblemsHave Solutions

myunitedway.ca

Poverty is Solvable. Discover how...

Did you find all 17 words? Visit myunitedway.ca for a complete list.

Donate now.

We are all part of the solution.

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WEMAGAZINE.CA 4 WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

O UR WAY

UNITED WAY OF THE ALBERTA CAPITAL REGIONEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Nancy CritchleyASSOCIATE EDITORS: Mike Kluttig, Sue Huff, David OdumadeCOMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT: Cindy McDonald

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEEMeredith Bongers, Ilene Fleming, Sheilah Pittman, Anne Smith

SPONSORSHIP AND CORPORATE SUPPORT COMMITTEEMeredith Bongers, Nancy Critchley, Kevin Fitzgerald, Myrna Khan, Mike Kluttig, Stephane Hache

VENTURE PUBLISHING INC.PUBLISHER: Ruth KellyDIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENT: Mifi PurvisMANAGING EDITORS: Lyndsie Bourgon, Shelley WilliamsonART DIRECTOR: Charles BurkeASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Andrea deBoerASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Colin SpencePRODUCTION MANAGER: Betty Feniak SmithPRODUCTION TECHNICIANS: Brent Felzien, Brandon HooverCIRCULATION: Karen Reilly

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Colleen Biondi, Martin Dover, Pat Fream, Lucy Haines, Jen Janzen, Brynna Leslie, Michelle Lindstrom, Cory Schachtel

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS: BB Collective, Nancy Critchley, Buffy Goodman, Pedersen, Darryl Propp, theravenwine Photography, Kelly Redinger, Curtis Trent

ABOUT UNITED WAYThe mission of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is to mobilize collective action to create pathways out of poverty.

WE is published for United Way of the Alberta Capital Region by Venture Publishing Inc., 10259-105 Street Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3Tel: 780-990-0839 Fax: 780-425-4921 Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 [email protected]

Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Interweb

WE is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper Publications Agreement #40020055

ISSN 1925-8690

Contents copyright 2014.

Content may not be reprinted or reproduced

without permission from United Way of the

Alberta Capital Region.

SUMMER/FALL 2014 VOL 3 No. 2

Our Children, Our FutureWE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN PROMOTING THE WELL-BEING of children and youth, and we all benefit from their positive

outcomes. In this issue, we examine the supports in our communi-

ty that help children and youth become all that they can be.

Some of the most important factors that contribute to high

school graduation actually start in early childhood. Communities

are adopting innovative strategies to build a strong foundation for

young children prior to entering school, because when children

start behind, they often have difficulty catching up.

If we think of child development as a scale with two sides, one is

stacked with challenging situations such as stress, neglect or pov-

erty, and the other side with positive factors like supportive rela-

tionships and skill-building opportunities. We need to be sure these

scales are tipped toward the positive. The programs and initiatives

highlighted in this issue of WE, like Partners for Kids, do just that.

At United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, we realize that

education is a stepping stone to future success. By starting from

the very beginning, we can address challenges that may be more

costly and difficult to overcome later on. Collectively, we can use

our time, energy and resources today to ensure all students have

educational success.

I hope you enjoy this issue of WE, which has been generously

sponsored by Alberta Blue Cross. Thank you for your interest in

the children of our community and thank you to Alberta Blue Cross

for making it possible to share these stories with you.

Ilene FlemingDirector, Community Building and Investment, Children and Youth, Success By 6United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

WE_p04-05_Summer14.indd 4 2014-08-15 2:02 PM

WEMAGAZINE.CA 5WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

FRIENDS AND PEERS DESCRIBE Sandra Woitas as a larger-than-life

trailblazer, a relentless advocate for

disadvantaged children and families,

a tireless volunteer and an inspiring

community leader. Currently the

executive director of the Edmonton

Public Schools Foundation, Sandra has

garnered several awards for her ded-

ication, including Woman of Integrity,

an Alberta Centennial Medal, Woman of

Vision, and Advocate of Young Children

Award. In 2004, the City of Edmonton

selected her as one of the top 100

Edmontonians of the century, part of a

celebration of the citys centenary.

This June, in recognition of her

extraordinary achievements, she was

granted an honorary doctor of laws de-

gree from the University of Alberta. Her

professional and volunteer titles range

from director to professor to guest

speaker, and in each role she aims to

break down barriers that limit kids.

She engages passionately and

wholeheartedly, and with steely deter-

mination she raises the bar and moves

mountains. Sandra took some time out

of her hectic schedule to answer some

questions from WE magazine.

WE: In what ways have you

affected the well-being of children

in Alberta?

Sandra: It has been my lifes

mission to see that disadvantaged

children have access to the high

quality education they deserve.

Ive pursued this passion in my

role as principal of Norwood School

and as director of the City Centre

Education Project, where I built a

network of support agencies now

called Partners for Kids, a program

that serves 3,700 students in 14

Edmonton schools.

While on secondment to Alberta

Education, I worked with parents,

schools and communities on the

cross-ministry Family Violence

and Anti-Bullying Initiative. Most

recently, as director of the Edmon-

ton Public Schools Foundation, I

launched campaigns to support full-

day kindergarten programs for kids

in socially vulnerable communities.

WE: What challenges have you

overcome?

Sandra: Waking the sleeping

giant in this province: the passion

Alberta parents and communities

have for their children, building

social trust, one conversation at a

time, and engaging society in the

all-important task of getting our

young children ready for life.

WE: What drives you?

Sandra: Believing I have a vital

role to play in building essential

networks for kids in need. Being a

part of a critical mass of positive

nurturers people who unite and

become committed to a worthy

cause, witnessing great teaching

in classrooms, helping kids who

struggle to graduate high school

and become healthy, competent,

contributing Albertans. I love seeing

kids cross the finish line!

WE: Whats the next milestone you

have in your sights?

Sandra: Hope is the oxygen of the

human spirit. I want to continue to

champion hope for all children to be

given opportunities to show that,

no matter what their life situation,

they have gifts and talents and they

deserve to shine.

Sandra Woitas is committed to breaking down barriers that limit kids success

Champ for Children

by PAT FREAM Sandra Woitas, executive director of the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation

WE_p04-05_Summer14.indd 5 2014-08-13 7:13 AM

by UNITED WAY STAFF


CHANGE IN THE CARDS IT MAY JUST LOOK LIKE A COLLECTION OF scrawled signatures on a sheet of paper, but for Angela

Kenny, collecting signatures for United Ways Statement of

Support is a commitment she has made to fight poverty in

her community.

When United Way asked Angela to sign a statement card

committing to help end poverty in the region, she didnt

have to think twice. In fact, she began asking everyone she

knew to sign. There was a point in my life when I had a

lot and then a part when I didnt, explains Angela, adding

that having used community services in the past, she knows

their value first-hand. Poverty shouldnt exist, she says,

especially in a province like Alberta.

Amanda Bennett agrees. Shes been collecting signatures

this past year by asking her neighbours if they want to

end poverty in the community; she sees it as a simple and

powerful way to help her community.

United Way first asked people to sign statement

cards in June 2013 during its public launch of Creating

Pathways Out of Poverty, a results-based approach focused

on collaborations with key partners to end poverty in the

Alberta Capital Region.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP: Myrna Khan, vice-president of resource develop-ment at United Way, lends a hand posting Statement of Support cards.

The statement wasnt meant as a petition to bring before government. Instead,

it was designed as a simple action people could take to join with United Way and

stand up against poverty in the community.

Statement cards have since been handed out during poverty simulations, United

Way events and to businesses in the community. In addition, visitors to United

Ways website can sign electronically. To date, more than 1,500 people have signed

the statement and their names are being proudly displayed at United Ways office,

filling up an entire wall.

Putting your name on one of these statement cards can be a simple but powerful

act, and Angela sees the results in herself and in the mindfulness of her friends.

Its all about awareness, she says. I have friends telling me that since signing, they

now donate a hamper of food to the food bank every time they go to Safeway.

And, with 1,500 signatures and counting, what seems like a collection of names

on a wall is turning into a growing effort to change lives.


WE SUMMER/FALL 2014WEMAGAZINE.CA 7

IN 1941, THE COMMUNITY CHEST OF GREATER EDMONTON adopted the red feather for its symbol of giving. More than 70 years later, we are

known as United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, and the red feather symbol is

still used to honour our most loyal supporters. They are known as the Red Feather

Society a group of 1,600 people with 25 to 60 years of dedicated service and

fundraising to our cause. Many members share history with United Way as past

board and cabinet members, longtime volunteers as well as donors.

This year, for the first time in five years, about 100 members of the Red Feather

Society gathered for coffee and a presentation by Denny and Marg May, longtime

supporters of United Way. The Mays shared stories of Dennys father, Wop May,

a First World War fighter pilot and Canadian aviation legend known for his

humanitarian efforts in the Mercy Flight.

The feedback from the event is positive. People enjoyed the interesting

presentations and the socializing afterwards, says Donna Roth, senior advisor,

community investments. With such a great response, we have received many calls

from people wanting to attend future events, says Donna. Future presentations

will continue to be about local history in the Alberta Capital Region. Its

POVERTY IS COMPLEX AND TRYING TO understand it can be challenging. In June 2013, United

Way of the Alberta Capital Region launched its first

official poverty simulation as a new learning tool to

highlight the daily challenges of living in poverty. It

is designed to increase awareness and bring a new

perspective to how difficult it is to emerge from poverty.

POVERTY SIMULATED

BIRDS OF A RED FEATHER

important to recognize the efforts of the loyal supporters,

adds Donna. And give them a chance to enjoy the history

they share.

Thanks to the Northern Alberta Pioneers Land

Descendants Association, who donated the hall at The Old

Timers Cabin and to Bon Ton Bakery and Starbucks Coffee

Company, who generously donated refreshments.

Contact [email protected] or call Donna Roth at

(780) 990-1000 to learn about future events.

FEATHERED FRIENDS: Meredith Bongers and Donna Roth of United Way with long-time donor and Red Feather Society member Bill Rees.

The experience, which lasts an hour, simulates a month in the life of

someone living in poverty, with each 15-minute segment representing a week.

Participants are assigned a role within a low-income family, as a parent, a

senior, teen or a child. Over the hour, they interact with volunteers acting as

agency workers, employers, daycare providers, police officers and business

owners. Each new week brings its own set of challenges to the participants.

Before and after every simulation, organizers ask participants a number

of questions to evaluate how the experience affected their understanding of

poverty. And the survey results, based on the feedback of 511 participants have

been astounding. For example, before the simulation, only 28 per cent of the

participants reported a high degree of awareness of the difficulties of becoming

self-sufficient on a limited budget. After, that number climbed to 94 per cent.

Similarly, just 32 per cent of participants reported a good understanding of the

difficult choices people living in poverty needed to make each month. After they

had completed the simulation, 95 per cent said they understood these tough

choices more clearly.

Judy Batty wasnt surprised by the survey results. Her own experience

with the simulation was profound and life-changing, she says. In fact, its

what prompted me to change my job at United Way to become the Poverty

Simulation Program coordinator. I think its a great learning opportunity.

Word is spreading about this opportunity, and Judy has already booked 21

simulations this year, nearly double the number of the previous year. Im happy

to see a growing interest in the program because it means more people are

becoming aware of the obstacles people living in poverty have to overcome each

day. To participate or volunteer, please contact Judy Batty at (780) 443-8384.



RED TIE GALA THE EDMONTON EXPO CENTRE BALLROOM

at Northlands was alive with the buzz of our collective

achievements and recognition during the annual Red

Tie Gala on February 27, 2014. Uplifting music played

and confetti cannons heralded the largest fundraising

achievement ever for our United Way: $23.3 million. But

more importantly, amidst our own diversity and differences,

there was an energy that can only be found in communities

that are connected and ready to power ahead for the same

cause. In this case, our cause is to end poverty in the Alberta

Capital Region.

As the focus of the 2013 campaign was Creating

Pathways Out of Poverty, a symbolic pathway in the

cocktail reception lobby showcased photos of donors who

support United Way, as well as individuals who accessed the support of United

Way-funded partners.

Poverty is a thief. It steals your dignity, independence, pride and hope for

success. And it can affect any of us at any time all it takes is one misfortune, one

unforeseen circumstance. No one should have to suffer the embarrassment and

vulnerability that poverty brings. Not families, not individuals, and especially not

children, says Gary Bosgoed, 2013 Campaign Chair.

Our sincerest thanks go to Gary for his commitment and dedication this past

year, and we give a big welcome to Ruth Kelly, president and CEO of Venture

Publishing Inc., who will lead our campaign next year as the Chair.

Ending poverty wont happen overnight. At United Way we believe this is a

goal we can achieve in time, and the energy from the attendees at Red Tie Gala

demonstrates that our community also aspires to this ambitious goal.

Thank you!

1. AFFIRMATION: Patrons show signs of possibility during the Red Tie Gala.

2. WOW FACTOR: The largest fundraising achievement ever is announced, $23.3 million.

3. NEW FACE: Incoming United Way Campaign Chair Ruth Kelly is joined by outgoing Chair Gary Bosgoed.

1.

2.

3.


ALBERTA IS OFTEN CITED FOR HAVING A lower high school completion rate than the national av-

erage and therefore higher dropout numbers but the

situation is actually improving, according to recent Alberta

Education statistics.

Despite the declining rate of kids checking out of class

it hovers around three per cent there is still room for

improvement. There are many reasons why students

leave high school before graduation. Dana Antaya-Moore,

education manager with Alberta Education, discusses some

of them, at the same time debunking myths surrounding why

students fail to complete school.

MYTH #1. Kids drop out of high school because

they are lazy.

I think theres that notion that theyre lazy, Dana says.

But we know that they drop out because of various life

events. They may become pregnant, they may have to

stop attending school to support their family, they may be

discouraged and eventually just become disengaged enough

that they dont see a point in being there and often in those

cases they dont feel connected to an adult at the school or

known by an adult at the school. So they kind of just fade

away. They dont have those connections that get them to

come and support them in that journey, she adds.

Sometimes, its about how competent they feel being in

school and with the course material, Dana explains. We

know kids will sometimes drop out if they have experienced

repeated failure in school and dont feel there is someone

there to support them in being successful, she says.

MYTH #2. Dropout rates are on the rise in

the province.

Alberta Education calculates student results related to high

school enrolment in Grades 10 to 12, each spring for the

previous school year. These results include three-, four- and

five-year high school completion rates, based on tracking

Reasons why kids check out early have nothing to do with laziness

High School Dropouts

by MARTIN DOVER

WE SUMMER/FALL 2014WEMAGAZINE.CA 9

MYTH BUSTERS

Grade 10 students.

And while the average

rates of kids opting out of

school before high school

grad saw a slight upswing

in recent years, that

trend has begun taking a dip. Our

current dropout rate is 3.5 per cent,

as compared to 2011s 3.3 per cent,

explains Dana. But the five-year

trend shows overall that things are

improving, with rates coming down.

There are schools with very few kids

dropping out, and some with more,

she says, citing values across the

province plunging as low as two per

cent or as high as eight.

MYTH #3. Teens drop out of

high school to make big money,

especially in the oil patch.

I think its another misconception

that kids drop out to go and work,

lets say, in the oil patch. Thats a

popular myth, especially in Fort

McMurray, Dana says. But the

oil and gas industry in and around

Fort McMurray actually wont hire

kids if they havent completed high

school, so they actually work closely

with both Fort McMurray public and

Catholic boards to ensure supports

are in place to ensure kids can finish

high school and then they will hire

them. And many communities are

doing that; theyre working with

whoever the local employers are.

MYTH #4. There is nothing that

can be done to encourage kids to

stay in or return to school.

Noting that local jurisdictions, rather

than the province, have authority to

oversee schools, Dana says she has

seen some Edmonton schools approach

the dropout problem by reaching out

directly to students who have left,

including M.E. LaZerte High School.

They have seen a significant reduction

in dropout rate. They saw their drop-

out rate go from just over eight per

cent to three per cent over a five-year

period, she notes of the results.

Elsewhere in the province, groups

are working to improve rates at

which Alberta teens finish high

school, Dana says. She cites a project,

All in for Youth, connected to

United Way Calgary and Area that

sees workers, many of them retired

teachers, reach out to kids who have

left school. They actually hire people

who have been in the education

system to call kids who have dropped

out and invite them back into the

school, and they set them up with

mentors, Dana says. Theyve been

having quite significant success with

bringing kids back into schools.

DROPOUT RATE THREE-YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE

2009-2011NUMBER:

AVERAGE :

DROP OUT RATE

179,2453.9%

179,3013.6%

178,8553.3%

2010-2012NUMBER:AVERAGE:

2011-2013NUMBER:AVERAGE:


BUDDING ARTIST: Delton School student Taylor Mikolas gets some painting pointers from Roots and Wings outreach worker Jenny Bochke, as part of Partners for Kids programming.



Ed

uca

tio

n

SuccessSET

for

ARTNERS FOR KIDS (PFK) IS BOTH A PHILOSOPHY AND A program that brings services to high needs children, youth and families in Edmontons inner-city schools and neighbourhoods.

As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. But while many schools have mentors and lunch programs, PFK is uniquely collabora-tive in nature, with supports that work together, in concert, at all the citys PFK schools.

What started in 1995 as an initiative of United Way of the Alberta Capital

Region, The Family Centre (TFC) and Big Brothers Big Sisters (now Boys and Girls

Club Big Brothers Big Sisters or BGCBigs) at Norwood Elementary School, has

grown to a program with many partners and service providers in 14 socially vulner-

able central schools.

Erica Mikolas and her daughter Taylor, in Grade 4, know first-hand the benefit

of having supports in school. Taylor has attended Edmontons Delton Elementary

School for the past four years, where she has benefitted from the schools PFK desig-

nation and services things like the E4C school lunch program, BGCBigs mentor-

ship and a connection with Roots and Wings outreach worker Jenny Bochke from

The Family Centre.

by LUCY HAINES Photography by KELLY REDINGER

Lunch programs, outreach supports and stay-in-school initiatives are all part of a collaborative tapestry to help children succeed in their education

P

11WEMAGAZINE.CA WE SUMMER/FALL 2014


MEETING OF MINDS: Jenny Bochke, left, often holds impromptu chats with parents like Erica Mikolas as part of a help-as-needed relationship at Delton School, where Ericas daughter Taylor is in Grade 4.

The school has helped my daughter so much. We can go

see Jenny at her office anytime, and Taylor is able to tell her

things that she might not share at home, like the grief she

felt after losing her uncle, Erica says. Jenny is an interme-

diary who doesnt take sides, and shes younger, so theres a

comfort for Taylor to talk to someone closer to her age.

Part of the extended community at Delton School

includes an on-site family therapist and Child and Family

Services workers that staff members know by name and

can reach with one quick phone call. Community resources

include a nurse, nutritionist and police constable, citizens

that are all part of that village it takes to raise a child. Each

partner is helpful to a family, says Nancy Webber, Deltons

principal. While were prepared to deal with crisis situa-

tions, our work is aimed at prevention through PFK were

all dedicated to see each child succeed.

Jenny has also co-facilitated a grief and loss group with a

therapist at Delton, which is one example of the customized

approach a Roots and Wings worker can personally take at a PFK school.

And for Jenny, flexibility in the work she does with students and their fam-

ilies is paramount, and something parents like Erica can appreciate. Jenny

has a coffee meeting for parents at the school every other week, where she

shares information about services we may want in the community, like a

parenting course or even help with the job hunt, Erica says. When I was

looking for part-time work recently, Jenny helped me with my resum.

Getting to know school children and their families, whether by opening a

formal case file or maintaining an informal help-as-needed relationship, is

par for the course and an enjoyable part of Jennys job. She says her typical

interactions include activities during recess or lunch and chats in the hall-

way with students, or even just a knock on the car window to say hello when

parents are dropping kids off at school each morning.

Nancy has seen what a community of caring service providers can offer

children and families. She remembers one case involving an expectant mom

with young children enrolled at the school. Shortly after coming to Delton and

meeting Jenny, the woman became homeless, but her positive experience with

the Roots and Wings worker brought her back to the school to ask for help.



We have a fabulous program here. Its hard to quantify, but its a huge

relief as principal to know that with the challenging issues people face, I

can point to someone that can help, Nancy says. It takes a lot to build that

trusting relationship, and to have a family open their home to us. But we

have that foundation here.

The annual PFK Outcome Report explains further. In it, one principal in

a PFK school notes the critical support children receive, which he says gives

them strength and hope to be successful in the future. He also underscores

that the program helps build confidence and resiliency in families, which

contribute to their ability and willingness to complete their education.

Jenny says that in her short time at Delton, she has learned to meet families

wherever they are the school office, their home or at a nearby coffee shop.

Every situation is unique, and parent-driven.

The need could be for emotional support in a

crisis, or to find connections for housing, ther-

apists or at the food bank. Having someone in

this safe, caring environment thats a liaison

sometimes its the connection people need.

The same is true for Allison Russell, a

community program facilitator at Delton and

other PFK schools. Working with BGCBigs,

Allison often runs a Creative Minds after-

school art class, plus mentoring programs that

pair elementary students with Grade 10 to 12

students or adult volunteers. Such programs provide the positive youth and

adult role models many children need, and a safe place to go.

That feeling of safety extends to the E4C snack and lunch program at

Delton, too. While all kids get a daily snack, students can opt-in for lunches

including sandwiches, fruit salad, subs, pizza and even spaghetti days. We

have a lot of business and volunteer support for the food program, Nancy

says. When it first began, kids would fill their pockets. But trust built, and

soon the kids felt safe that the food would be there again the next day.

PFK addresses the many factors that can stop kids from finishing school:

drug and alcohol abuse; unhealthy home environments; gang involvement

and other dangerous relationships; poverty; fetal alcohol spectrum disorder;

abuse and trauma; living in substandard housing; and parental dysfunction

and child neglect. The programs partners help make it possible to address

these challenges.

Key partners who fund or deliver PFK services include: The City of

Edmonton/FCSS; United Way of the Alberta Capital Region; Edmonton

Public Schools; The Family Centre (TFC); Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers

Big Sisters (BBCBigs); E4C School Lunch Program; Edmonton Community

Foundation; Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services and the Centre

for Family Literacy.

TFC has been a founding partner of PFK by providing Roots and Wings

outreach workers, therapists and success coaches to the schools. TFCs

vice-president of client services, Pauline Smale, says the program has been

a longterm journey to understand what is helpful for children and youth.

One clear area that has emerged is intentional

positive adult relationships through formal and

informal work in the schools. That includes the

notion that everyone is a resource, from youth

leaders and mentors, to teachers and counsellors.

We focus on the culture of the school

the entire school is part of PFK so the school

climate can change as the engagement and

attachments grow. That builds leadership

and brings a sense of stability and hope for

children and their families, Pauline says.

Today PFK continues to focus on the vulner-

able 118 Avenue

corridor, help-

ing about 3,500

students from

kindergarten to

graduation, with

special attention

to the transitions

between Grades

6 and 7, and 9 to

10. Weve talked

about the whole

child for years, but now we know what this

means, Pauline says. Theres the cognitive

engagement education and expectation but

the psychosocial part is just as important. We

work on keeping bums in seats by embracing who

the student is every time they come to school.

Pauline says the more engaged and supported

a child is in school, the more likely he or she is to

want to be there. When kids have a relationship

with someone at school it is easier to support

them when things become challenging, she

adds. That can begin with a simple hello and

kind word from the school custodian, lunch

server or staff who work in the office. Its about

creating what she calls hubs of pleasantness, at

the same time addressing things most of us take

for granted: a calm environment and basics like

food and safe shelter.

We work to keep all our school children

through to graduation, Pauline says. And we

want to continue pilots in different parts of the

city, where poverty and transiency are high.

Wed love more involvement from corporate

Edmonton with that.

Educa

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We work to keep all our school children through to graduation. And we want to

continue pilots in different parts of the city, where poverty and transiency are high.

Wed love more involvement from corporate Edmonton with that.

Pauline Smale, vice-president of client services,

The Family Centre



WEMAGAZINE.CA WE SUMMER/FALL 2014 WEMAGAZINE.CA 14

BEST BEGINNINGS: Greta Gerstner knew she could both contribute and learn at Parents as Champions.


It takes a village to raise a child, and its never too soon to start seeking support

15WEMAGAZINE.CA

by MICHELLE LINDSTROM Photos by BB COLLECTIVE

L AST SPRING, WHEN GRETA GERSTNER MADE THE 10-MINUTE drive from her Crawford Plains home to the nearby Knottwood Community League Hall, she couldnt help but feel a little nervous. She was about to walk into her first Parents as Champions meeting. The mom of two children under the age of six was hoping to connect with other Mill Woods-area parents who share her desire to pool resources and ideas to create a collective, collaborative approach to their kids education.

While she recognized the groups site coordinator, Shireen Mears, as a

fellow parent at her daughter Amys kindergarten, she had no idea that some

of the unfamiliar but friendly faces in the crowd would soon become great

resources to her, and she to them. I didnt know what to expect, to be honest,

says Greta of the meeting in Knottwood, one of three Alberta sites in the Early

Years Continuum Project.

STRONG Start

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WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

a



ally knew where to go for sufficient support to create the best

environment possible while raising their young children.

With these questions in mind, the AELC saw an oppor-

tunity to create an innovative project that would look from

the parent perspective to how we build a better continuum of

supports for families with young children, says Mary Stew-

art, community investment specialist with United Way of the

Alberta Capital Region. The result (advancing the work that

AELC had started) was a four-year project called the Early

Years Continuum Project (EYCP), established in April 2010.

The intent of the project was to learn, not to create new

programs that could not be sustainable, says Mary, also the

former EYCP project manager.

For Greta, that was exactly what she was looking for

from the Parents as Champions project: a chance to bounce

ideas off of other adults about their kids. Both my kids

have speech delays, so I have found it very frustrating, she

explains. How can you get involved and change some of

these things? Thats sort of what piqued my interest, trying

to change it so theres more support.

DONT EAT GLUE. SHARE YOUR STUFF. PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF. It sounds cute to say that everything you need to know, you learn in kinder-

garten. But truthfully, the foundations for lifelong health and flourishing

are built much earlier, long before a fresh-faced kindergartener meets his

classmates for the first time.

The early years, from birth to age six, are when a child starts learning the

critical social, emotional and practical skills that will set the stage for a healthy,

socially secure adulthood. Paradoxically, it can be a time when parents have few

touch points with the system, and are unaware of the programs or services that

could help them navigate the intricacies of raising a baby, toddler and young

child. School is often their first experience with these resources.

In answer to the lack of early-years support, in 1995 United Way of the

Alberta Capital Region created a program to support families called Success

By 6. Since then, the initiative has helped families prepare young children for

school. But roughly a decade later, service providers of early learning care said

they could meet families needs better by connecting with them more regular-

ly. They created a committee, Aligning Early Learning and Care (AELC), to

increase coordination and connection between services.

But it wasnt a case of if you build it, they will come. Some service providers

questioned what resources families accessed regularly, if any, and if parents actu-

PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Greta Gerstner found like-minded support for raising and educating her young son Aaron and daughter Amy through Parents as Champions.



Three communities were chosen to be part of EYCP,

picked because they already had some level of engagement,

and were also exploring similar questions about how to

best support children in their early years. The three sites

High Prairie, and Edmontons

Lymburn and Knottwood

communities worked on their

own challenges and created

site-specific initiatives. In all

three places, site coordinators

acted as a conduit, providing

linkages between families,

services and policy makers.

In Gretas Knottwood group, one focus that was near and

dear to her was literacy.

Lymburn, in west Edmonton, was selected as an EYCP

site because provincial data mapped it as an area in which

the early childhood predictors of adult health were lower

than elsewhere. Middle-class Lymburns place on the prov-

inces map of low indicators was surprising. Service pro-

viders and parents were curious to explore this in the area,

Maria Montgomery says. At the time, she was a 3Rs

(relationships, resources, resiliency) worker in the area,

contracted to provide crisis response, resiliency training,

early intervention and prevention programs.

Maria became the EYCP site coordinator in Lymburn and

nearby communities Callingwood and Ormsby. We found

that people want to collaborate and network, she says. People

want somebody to organize the work to support families, but

nobody has the time. Maria knew she could be that person.

Before EYCP came to a close on March 31, 2014, work in

Lymburn and areas set the stage for the 3Rs position to be-

come a sustainable role. A 3Rs worker will continue to work

with families and all the neighbourhood hubs including

churches, schools and community leagues. Further, the 3Rs

worker will be that person who orchestrates it all, turning

great ideas into concrete plans and connections.

Other initiatives have created opportunities to connect

service providers and families of young children. Among

them, Maria chairs Building Better Linkages, a group

whose work aims to counter the silo effect multiple efforts

working in isolation rather than in concert. The BBL meets

monthly as a network of early intervention service provid-

ers, she says. Weve been sharing and learning about each

other. It doesnt matter whose door a family goes to, each of

us is able to better support and refer the family.

THE THIRD SITE TO JOIN WAS MILL WOODS Knottwood, in April 2012. It created the Parents as

Champions project.

Parents as Champions came out of a growing awareness

about the importance of grassroots involvement and engage-

ment. Greta joined the group half-

way through the projects lifespan,

and attended for about a year. She

says that the most valuable aspect

for her was the chance to connect

with parents whose children, like

hers, were experiencing learning

difficulties and who referred her

to expert help. I found it helpful

that I got to meet professionals, Greta says, and find who to

talk to for answers and different programs available.

Shireen Mears is Knottwoods EYCP site coordinator

and Parents as Champions project coordinator. She says

Knottwood was chosen for EYCP because momentum was

already building locally, and its community league hosted

the project site. She also works with the Mill Woods Early

Childhood Coalition, a group working to better understand

its residents needs and determine the readiness of

pre- kindergarten children for school. Since the coalition

was already well- established, Knottwood prioritized

involvement with caregivers.

We wanted to focus on empowering parents to believe in their ability to make good decisions for their children, based on good information.

Shireen Mears, Knottwood EYCP coordinator

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The Early Years Continuum Projects provincial-level

steering committee oversaw the project with three main

focus areas:

Linking and Leveraging, which built on existing

networks and created more dialogue amongst

agencies

Building Capacity, which empowered site coordinators

and partners to be champions of the early years

Knowledge Mobilization, which was the result, in part,

of studying successful existing provincial services

and delivery methods, and talking to other service

providers and policy makers

Organizations represented on the steering committee

included United Way of the Alberta Capital Region/

Success By 6, Alberta Health Services, Child and Family

Services, Early Childhood Mapping Project (ECMap),

Edmonton Catholic Schools, Edmonton Public Schools,

Alberta Education, Getting Ready for Inclusion Today

(GRIT) and Interagency Head Start Network.


WE SUMMER/FALL 201418

project is very connected to the policy makers and the

decision makers for early years, she says. We were able

to show that parents want a voice, and that their voice is

very important in the decision making.

Mary says EYCP used a number of evaluation tools

to measure change. The idea was, if youre bringing

this collective together early childhood specialists,

partners and caregivers could this group affect change

and move the needle on early development? she says.

The findings from the project showed that by coming

together and having a plan and specific goals, communi-

ties and individuals felt they were able to affect change.

EYCP may have come to a natural close, but the

work continues. People are coming together, learn-

ing from each other, and finding meaningful ways to

engage in early childhood education. And the initiative

has brought forward information from more than 500

Alberta parents about what is important to them in

terms of services and supports for their children prior to

kindergarten.

As an end user of the services, Greta would like to see

the reach of initiatives like Parents as Champions contin-

ue. I think we have done a lot of great things for a lot of

parents, she says. As parents, we have collective prob-

lems. In finding other parents who are like-minded, we

can improve the quality of our kids education. I would

like to get back to the thinking it takes a village to raise a

child. I would like to get something started like that.

We wanted to focus on empowering parents to believe in their ability to

make good decisions for their children, based on good information, she says,

adding she found that parents rose to the challenge. We generated so many

ideas with parents that we wanted the opportunity to implement some of

those programs.

Some parent-led ideas included partnering with the Centre for Family Literacy

to create a monthly family literacy program that included supper, childcare and a

workshop for parents about developing their kids language, reading and writing

over a six-month period. This was a natural fit for Gretas family. It was a big re-

source for me in finding different ways to develop language, explains Greta.

While she opted to leave her son and daughter at home to give the meetings her

full attention, Greta says many in the Knottwood program appreciated that child-

care was available at the monthly Wednesday night meetings.

Knottwoods EYCP also partnered with the Edmonton Public Library to start a

Family Book Club program. The library recommended books for babies, toddlers

and preschoolers that the club members could talk about in meetings. Interested

members also attended conferences, including the Alberta Early Years Conference

in September 2012.

The EYCP has come to an end after four years, but Shireen says she hopes to

keep some of its projects going in Knottwood.

One is an annual Ive Outgrown it Sale, a used-clothing bazaar at which local

service agencies set up information outreach booths.

Another project is Photovoice, an initiative that encourages participants to

document their neighbourhood with images and words. We asked parents to take

pictures of things that resonated with them, Shireen says. Each picture tells a

story, so we asked parents to write a little blurb so others could understand. She

envisions the future of Photovoice in Knottwood to include quarterly themes.

Shireen, like many others involved in the EYCP, saw its effectiveness. The


IZ ONEILL HAS LONG SEEN A STRONG need for immigrant children to have sum-mer and after-school programs available

to them. The executive director at Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs), Liz is also chair of the Out of School Time Secretariat, which has been helping Edmonton organizations plan and administer out-of-school programs since 2006.

She says the goal of the secretariat is helping children

feel like they belong here, no matter where they might have

started their lives. The community cares for them, and the

community will stand by them, she says.

It all started when Liz, on behalf of Big Brothers Big

Sisters of Edmonton (now BGCBigs), teamed up with reps


L

Creating meaningful out-of-school programs for children through collaboration

by JEN JANZEN Photography by DARRYL PROPP

Bridge the Gap

from the Mill Woods Welcome Centre and Africa Centre

in 2006, to brainstorm how to deliver summer programs

to immigrant children. Edmonton only had two programs

geared to immigrant children, so the three groups knew

the need was there, but they didnt know how quickly the

group would expand.

In 2008, the first year of programming, they served

89 children. In the next year, ASSIST and the City Centre

Education Project came on board, and 601 children

attended customized summer programs. In 2014, there are

35 groups involved in what is now called the Out of School

Time Secretariat.

Annette Malin is a community investment specialist for

United Way of the Alberta Capital Region and shes been

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part of the secretariat since last September. Annette says shes delighted with

how seamlessly the group operates. Weve got great people doing this and our

kids have great support as a result of it.

But it wasnt always a smooth process, says Liz. In the early days of the

program, finding locations was an issue. We needed to get schools to open up

in the summer so kids didnt have to travel long distances, she says. It wasnt

really happening five or six years ago, but now its robust. There are joint-use

agreements at anywhere from 15 to 18 schools, with City of Edmonton employ-

ees lending a hand throughout the summer.

Last year, more than 1,000 children accessed out-of-school programs, a 60 per

cent increase from 2008. With support from the Out of School Time Secretariat,

more immigrant organizations are creating their own programs. They knew their

families needed programming, and they knew they needed support to provide

that programming. Even though these are all solid organizations, you can work

through barriers easier if you work as a team, says Liz. The Africa Centre, which

started without any programming, now provides out-of-school programs 12

months of the year, four days a week.

In the last 10 years, Albertas population has grown by a million people, and

Liz says half of that increase, either directly or indirectly, is a result of emigra-

tion from abroad and within Canada. It doesnt always look like immigration,

she acknowledges, explaining that Edmonton often isnt the first destination.

Montreal and Toronto are popular cities for new Cana-

dians, but the increased job opportunities lead many

people to jump across the Prairies to Alberta. Edmontons

francophone school system, for example which was built

around instilling bilingualism in Canadians now counts

immigrant children from French-speaking countries as

90 per cent of its student population, which speaks to the

increase in immigrants within the Edmonton regions

demographics.

Positive role models can also be lacking in an immi-

grant childs life, and often their parents are busy working

to support the family, even taking jobs they are over-

qualified for. Sometimes you see people from your home

country in your community, Liz says, and at home, they

might have been an engineer, but in Canada theyre driv-

ing a taxi.

Nancy Petersen of the Edmonton Public School Board

recently joined the secretariat, but was involved from the

beginning through her role with the City Centre Education

Partnership, which had a thriving summer program for

inner-city youth. She says many refugee children havent

NEWCOMERS: Most of the children who attend Africa Centres out-of-school programs are refugee children.

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had any formal schooling, and coming into a classroom at

nine or 10 years old when they dont know the language,

dont understand the material, and dont share the same

background as their peers, can find it overwhelming.

They may have been exposed to a deprived or violent

lifestyle in a refugee camp, and

there might be mental health

impacts that we dont under-

stand, says Nancy. She adds that

families dont always arrive in

Canada intact: sometimes family

members are left behind or have

been killed in a camp.

Tesfaye Ayalew is the executive

director of the Africa Centre, and

says most of the kids and teenag-

ers who use the out-of-school programs there are refugee

children. He emphasizes that before you start to consider

how the programs have benefited the youth, its necessary

to realize where many of them have come from. Refugees

dont plan to come to Canada to earn more money; they

come because of war, of famine, of displacement. They

dont choose, he says, adding that many parents have to

work two or three low-paying jobs just to make ends meet,

so theyre not able to keep a close eye on their kids.

That, says Nancy, is where the danger begins. Many of

the kids would otherwise be

at home doing nothing, or

on the street with whatever

the street has to offer them.

Theyre more at risk of

falling into illegal activity,

or getting involved with

gangs, she explains.

Tesfaye recognized this

danger in 2006, and wanted

to help bridge the gap that

was apparent in available programming: there were out-

of-school programs in Edmonton, but there werent many

that were refugee- or newcomer-specific, and there werent

many that were culturally appropriate.

Tesfaye calls the programs at the Africa Centre a

Many of the kids would otherwise be at home doing nothing, or on the street with whatever the street has to offer them. Theyre more at risk of

falling into illegal activity, or getting involved with gangs.

Nancy Petersen, Edmonton Public Schools

SCHOOLS OUT: Liz ONeill, chair of the Out of School Time Secretariat and executive director at BGCBigs, says the goal of the secretariat is to make children feel welcome, no matter where they were born.

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WEMAGAZINE.CA 22 WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

holistic approach. We wanted to help them get caught up in the school sys-

tem, but add a component of culture, identity and heritage to help them under-

stand who they are, so they can better understand where theyre going, he says.

And the knowledge isnt just academic-based, either: the children learn about

how to make healthy choices and get to play sports. Hes helped introduce many

refugee children to the Canadian joys of ice skating and skiing, for example.

The Harvard Family Research Project, a research organization operating

out of Harvard University, says out-of-school programs can foster a wide array

of benefits for the children who take part in them, but Tesfaye doesnt need a

study to be convinced of the rewards: he sees them every day, in the faces of the

children who attend programs there. There are numerous stories of students

becoming more confident as they spent time at the Africa Centre, such as a

teen girl from Sudan who volunteered to teach a hip hop dance class for other

girls. It was an after-school activity for several years, and when the girl left

the club, the students ran the club themselves, practising daily and planning

performances.

The feedback Tesfaye has received from parents has been encouraging, as

well. Parents like the fact that the programs emphasize African culture, and they

remark on the engagement level that their children have in school: more reading

at home, more homework completed on time and in general, happier kids.

I hear again and again that they cant wait to come here, Tesfaye says.

When the weather is bad, they dont want to stay home. Now they say, Lets go

to Africa Centre.

BUILDING BRIDGES: A volunteer plays UNO with children at Africa Centre, which strives through its programs to teach the participating youngsters confidence and emphasize both African and Canadian culture.

THE POWER OF MANY

The OST Secretariat doesnt organize the out-of-school

programs itself: it helps Edmonton groups organize

their own programs, helps them apply for funding

and figure out logistical challenges. The secretariats

strategy document is called Faster Alone, Farther

Together, and Liz and Annette agree that title sums up

the benefits that the cooperation has given them. This

initiative provides an effective way for groups to work

together, without having to compete for resources and

attendance, says Annette.

Collaboration was part of the secretariats initial

vision from the beginning, Liz says. The community

had to come together to get work done in new ways. We

knew we could get work done more quickly if we worked

alone, but could make a more substantial contribution if

we all worked together.

The programs have been so successful that the OST

Secretariat is looking at working with local groups

to open up the availability to all students, not just

immigrant children.



Post-secondary students are breaking the stereotype of apathy and building a model for

not-for-profits at the same time

by CORY SCHACHTEL

STUDENTS

Do More

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COMMUNITY MINDED: Alberta School of Business students led and participated in a not-for-profit business case competition this February.

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information with students, he says. I guess we were just

naive and inexperienced.

The committee selected Youth Empowerment and Support

Services (YESS) to feature in its case study, in part because the

organization has helped kids off the streets and into jobs since

1978. Steven distributed the case study throughout the faculty

of business, hoping to get as many as four teams interested in

representing the university at the end of February 2014. We

got 11 in the first 24 hours, and 14 in total, Steven says. Since

so many students wanted to compete, the committee held a

scaled down version of the competition at home, an internal

round exclusively for U of A students in advance of the broader

competition. It was great for our committee, Steven says. It

allowed us to revise things for the major competition, when

wed have students from across North America we wanted to

impress. The best part is this meant we got to help another

organization: the Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters

of Edmonton [and Area].

Case competitions are nothing new, especially at the U of A,

but most of them are narrow in focus. This competition was

multi-faceted, because thats how not-for-profits work, Steven

N MARCH 2013, ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (at the University of Alberta) student Sherin Noroozi went to Washington, D.C. to compete in a business case

competition. Something set this one apart from the usual student competitions. Rather than focusing on a large corporation, it focused on a not-for-profit organization, challenging competitors to tackle the challenges not-for-profits face. The business case tried to address question of how to boost the efficiency of social support initiatives. The solution, according to some local students, is simple: completely change the business-charity paradigm. While the U of A team did not come back with winning results, Sherin came home inspired to make a change.

She returned determined to create the first continent-wide, Canadian-

hosted not-for-profit case competition, here in Edmonton. With co-chair and

friend Nisha Patel, the two assembled a committee of nine students, beginning

work in April 2013.

One of those students was Steven Knight, who as past VP Academic at

the U of A sought out local business leaders and not-for-profit organizations

who might want to take part. Steven was prepared for disappointment. We

thought it would be tough to get people from the community to help out,

and we thought it would be impossible to get not-for-profits to share their

I

ON THE CASE: Clockwise from top left, United Way of the Alberta Capital Regions booth at the not-for-profit career and volunteer fair; event co-chairs Nisha Patel and Sherin Noroozi don their best; a group shot of the ANPCC executive team. Members are, from top left to right: Nicki Clarke, Nisha Patel, Webb Dussome, Deb Cautley, Alexandra Vu, Sherin Noroozi, Jessica Ireland, Andra Bob, Jordyn Lugg, Graeme Glassford, Steven Knight, Kevin Pinkoski and Alfonso Aguilar.


WE SUMMER/FALL 2014 25WEMAGAZINE.CA

says. You wouldnt do well at this competition if you only

focused on finance and accounting, or considered yourself a

marketing specialist. Its more of a holistic business approach.

Once the U of A students completed the internal round

and judges chose a winner, two more Edmonton teams

entered from MacEwan and

Concordia, along with two other

Canadian teams from Manitoba

and Prince Edward Island. Three

American teams from Florida,

Indiana, and American University

in Washington, D.C. rounded out

the eight spots.

The four-day event kicked off on February 26, and held

events at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Matrix Hotel, the U of

A and the Citadel Theatre. We figured, as students sitting

in classrooms all day, they would be reluctant to sit through

more talks at night, but they really connected with what the

speakers had to say, Steven says. He speculates this because

there is a general lack of information about not-for-profits at

university business schools.

Overcoming the absence of information was part of the

competitions main objective: change students perception of

not-for-profits, in order to change the way universities and

business institutions perceive them as well. To date, the Alberta

School of Business at the U of A teaches only one not-for-

profit course which is not unusual

for business schools across North

America. Many students disregard a

not-for-profit career simply because

they dont see potential for profit,

which leads to the competitions

second main objective. We wanted

to introduce the idea of social

enterprise creating social profit, says Steven. Instead of only

generating economic dollars, you generate social benefit, which

ends up saving money. We said to students, If you decide to do

this competition, youll generate social profit by allowing an

organization to improve efficiency, which in the case of YESS,

means helping more kids, which saves society money.

Mark McCormack is a current U of A student, but

he comes from the opposite end of the business model

We wanted to introduce the idea of social enterprise creating

social profit. Steven Knight, past VP Academic at

University of Alberta

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SHOP TALK: Instructor Howard Harmatz of the University of Manitobas Asper School of Business (who had the winning team) chats with fellow case competition participant Mark Loo.

POVERTY PARALLEL: Students attend a poverty simulation, the first ever held specifically for post secondary students.

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goes back into the companys social mission.

Making social enterprise the norm is an ambitious

mission, and the concept is not completely new, but there

are reasons for optimism. The united, global voice of Make

Poverty History has made significant ground since its

genesis in 2005. Another sign

may be the Alberta School

of Businesss Not-For-Profit

Case Competition, which sent

students from around the

continent home from Edmonton

with a new outlook, creating

social profit of its own.

There was a student from

the University of Southern

Indiana, an entrepreneurship major who had started a few

of his own businesses, says Knight. He said he never gave

much thought to the not-for-profit sector, and only came

to the competition because he wanted to come to Canada.

At the banquet, he came up to me and said, Im going to

change the entire way I think about business. A business

that can make economic and social profit is completely

viable, I just never thought about it before.

Hopefully, its just the start.

continuum, running the U of A chapter of Make Poverty History. Hes familiar

with the terms and glad to see the School of Business also heading to the centre.

The fact is, charities are not the future, and big business is not the future.

Social enterprise is the future, says Mark. Even though it makes us feel good

to run not-for-profits, theyre not as effective as they should be, because they

dont always think like a business. And if corporations

ran like social enterprises, some big problems could

already be solved. Its great to see the School of

Business start the discussion from that side.

Large corporations often do the most net good

in places where people have few options and having

a job any job beats going hungry. But getting

corporations to think of social benefit can be easier

than convincing a charity to splurge on software

that increases productivity. A big difference is the

measurability of success. It takes years for YESS to figure out how many kids

they get off the streets permanently, into homes and careers. For corporations,

even ones who provide social profit, it still comes down to dollars.

We are starting to see organizations from both sides migrating towards

the middle, because its the best of both worlds, says Mark. There are already

signs in the marketplace that when you create a product with a social mission,

it sells better. He mentions Telus pink phone for breast cancer as an example.

People want to be part of something they believe in. We want to capitalize on

that, and create profit, but make a legal guarantee that some of the profit

There are already signs in the marketplace that when you create a product with a social

mission, it sells better. Mark McCormack, of the U of As branch

of Make Poverty History

ELIMINATING POVERTY: Created at the U of A, the local Make Poverty History chapter has raised awareness about poverty by urging corporations to run like social enterprises.

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F27WEMAGAZINE.CA WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

OR MONTHS, 57-YEAR-OLD EDMONTONIAN Colin Simpson (pictured above) has been committed to walking 3.2 kilometres per

day, the distance from his home to work and back. It may not sound like much, but its man-ageable. And thats exactly the point.

Claras Big Ride, and other Alberta initiatives, raise awareness for mental health and physical activity

Its my way of getting moving, says Colin, who is

manager of Volunteer Edmonton and supervisor of The

Wellness Network at The Support Network. Im doing

what I can in my own small way to improve my mental

health and physical health, and hopefully inspiring others

to do the same.

by BRYNNA LESLIE Photo by PEDERSEN


WEMAGAZINE.CA 28

In his own small way, Colin has also raised money as

part of Move 4 Mental Health, a new annual fundraiser by

The Support Network and the Canadian Mental Health As-

sociation Edmonton Region

launched in March.

The two organizations

represent Edmonton as local

partners for a national fund-

raiser by Bell Canada called

Claras Big Ride. The national

event is named for Canadian

speed skater, cyclist and six-

time Olympic medalist Clara

Hughes, who embarked on a

110-day ride across Canada this spring to raise awareness

and funds to help end stigma about mental health issues.

When we first heard Bell was looking for community

champions for Clara more than a year ago, we part-

nered with the Canadian Mental Health Association and

applied, says Nancy McCalder, executive director of The

Support Network. Our role has been to take this as an

opportunity to leverage Claras Big Ride, so we can pro-

mote local services and raise awareness so people in our

community know where they can go if they have mental

health concerns.

The Support Network Crisis Centre is an umbrella for a number of essen-

tial organizations, including 211, the Distress Line, a crisis chat line, a crisis

support centre and The Wellness Network, a new web-based service launched

by Alberta Health Services that includes a drop-in location for anyone with

mental health concerns. The organizations partner, CMHA Edmonton, offers

a number of programs that it hopes the affiliation with Claras Big Ride can

promote.

CMHA has a range of services promoting mental health and recovery

education, suicide prevention and mental health, first aid training, housing

and family support programs and peer-led recovery support, explains Ione

Challborn, the CMHA Edmonton chapters executive director. Awareness of

these services is essential to social and economic well-being for the more than

20 per cent of Canadians that live with mental illness, she says.

People living with mental illness are not only affected socially, but are also

more likely to suffer from economic inequality, says Ione. People who suffer

from mental illness make up a disproportionate percentage of the population

living below the poverty line. Offering services for people with lived experience

are important strategies that create pathways out of poverty. Public awareness

about mental health issues and education around the stigma associated with

mental illness, of which Claras Big Ride is a part, is central to this.

Colin, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 17 years ago, says access to

resources has made all the difference in his life. His own diagnosis, and subse-

quent access to counselling, came as a relief after feeling different for much

of his life. He recalls his difficult adolescence in Alberta in the 1960s. I was

teased and bullied by boys at school, and I was suicidal at 13, he says.

At such a young age, with little public support available, he turned to booze

and drugs, a way to try to escape and numb the pain that he was experiencing.

He idled through life, went to post-secondary school three times, but says the

stress of never finding his place contribut-

ed to three psychotic episodes involving

suicide attempts, at age 25, 40, and most

recently, just after his 50th birthday.

Long before that, he says, the stigma

around mental illness was a great chal-

lenge for both Colin and his parents.

I know my parents struggled, won-

dering what to do with me, Colin says.

Their answer was to get me really busy,

into music, rodeo and sports all kinds

of things to keep me moving. Looking back, I can see it was definitely good for

me to be busy and active, to be connected to the community, and through all

those activities I had a sense of accomplishment when I was able to do well.

Thats exactly the theme behind Claras Big Ride. Clara, who suffered

depression as a teenager, found that through sport, she could mitigate symp-

toms. In fact, a number of studies support the experience of Clara and Colin,

that good nutrition and physical activity can help deter or mitigate symptoms

and psychotic episodes, in addition to accessing mental health supports.

There is no health without mental health, says Ione. Positive mental

health is a product of many things related to self care: eating well, having

restful sleep, exercising the mind and the body, enjoying other people and our

This year, more than 500 people will kill themselves in Alberta. We need to talk to

people, talk to kids and let them know theres someone they can talk to. Not talking about

it isnt working. Colin Simpson, supervisor of The Wellness Network

at The Support Network

WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

IN TANDEM: Ione Challborn, the CMHA Edmonton chapters executive director, pictured in the number two pedalling post above, says public awareness through events like Claras Big Ride is key to eradicating stigma surrounding mental illness.

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29WEMAGAZINE.CA

natural environment and having meaningful work and

volunteer activities.

Physical exercise helps the body relax and rest, she

adds. It can take us outside and put us in the company

of other people. It can help us change up our routines or

establish new ones. A little exercise can go a long way.

By fundraising, Colin hopes people will not only be

inspired to improve their everyday mental and physical

health, but that they will also become aware that there are

community services in Edmonton that can help people in

crisis. And most importantly, he hopes people will be

WE SUMMER/FALL 2014

CYCLING FOR CHANGE: As Clara Hughes wheeled into Edmonton in early June, she was met with a crowd of support. Local initiatives tied to the Olympians cross-Canada tour helped raise money and awareness for mental health.

inspired by Claras Big Ride and Move 4 Mental Health to talk

about mental illness more openly.

As a kid I thought there was something very wrong with me and

I was ashamed, and there was no one in my community to look up

to or to talk to, so I felt very, very isolated, he says. This year more

than 500 people will kill themselves in Alberta. We need to talk to

people, talk to kids and let them know theres someone they can talk

to. Not talking about it isnt working.

Someone like Clara Hughes is vital to the conversation, he adds.

Shes speaking out and saying, Im a six-time Olympian, I strug-

gled with depression. These are not life sentences for the fringes of

society, theres hope and the possibility of a good life these days if

you get help.

As Clara arrived in Edmonton on the first day of June, a crowd

of people were there to cheer for her and champion the cause in the

south part of the city. The mental health fair and evening gala were

hosted by The Support Network and the CMHA-Edmonton Region

with funding from United Way of the Alberta Capital Region and a

number of businesses and private sponsors.

Supporting Claras Big Ride is a good way to raise funds for

our local services through the Move 4 Mental Health Campaign,

says Nancy. It also helps to raise awareness about our services and

about the fact that getting active, simply going outside and having a

walk can clear your head and make you feel better.

At the end of the day, Nancy says both organizations hope tying

a local event to a national one will encourage people to seek help if

they need it. If people are having concerns around mental health

issues, there is help available, she says.

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WE SUMMER/FALL 201430

IN FORCE: Bishop Jane Alexander, who heads the Mayors Task Force for the Elimination of Poverty, is working towards a goal of no Capital Region resident having to live in poverty.

WEMAGAZINE.CA


by JEN JANZEN Photos by BUFFY GOODMAN

E COULD FEED THE HUNGRY PEOPLE AND PROVIDE HELPFUL PROGRAMS for those who are struggling to make ends meet, or we could create a world that keeps people out of poverty in the first place.

Jane Alexander, Bishop of Edmontons Anglican Church, prefers the second option. As co-

chair of the recently launched Mayors Task Force for the Elimination of Poverty, she is excited to

think about proactively approaching the poverty problem. Its a really exciting conversation to be

having, Bishop Jane says. And I think, in Edmonton, we have the resources to make it happen.

The task force officially began on March 20, and is meeting monthly until its conclusion in

2015. Its a diverse group, involving members from the business, education, social work, faith and

provincial government worlds.

Were drawing the threads together to reach as many angles as we can, Bishop Jane says.

Startup Edmonton CEO Tiffany Linke-Boyko was asked to bring her entrepreneurial

perspective to the task force. She says shifting poverty from charity delivery to practical solutions

is an important step. People dont want to experience homelessness, or live in poverty, she says.

Creating a world in which they can help themselves were really excited about it.

As of a 2013 report, there are more than 100,000 Edmontonians living in poverty, about 30

per cent of them children. Statistically, the immigrant and Aboriginal populations are more

susceptible to poverty: twice as many Aboriginals as non-Aboriginals have low incomes, and

about two-thirds of immigrants earn low incomes for at least three years after coming to Canada.

There are so many people working multiple jobs just to try and manage their bills, says

Bishop Jane. Youll just start to get your head above water, and then all of a sudden youve

reached a financial threshold and you dont qualify for aid anymore.

How Edmonton is tackling the problem with a goal of eliminating it

TaskPoverTy


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GROUP EFFORT: Bishop Jane Alexander and Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, joined here with Reverends Susan Oliver Martin and Scott Sharman, believe poverty will only be eradicated with a broad conversation change and action.

One of the ideas the group will be exploring is resil-

iency: why are some people able to successfully rise out

of poverty, while some cant? Along with housing and

transportation issues, theyre also looking at what a

living wage means for Edmontonians: how much a per-

son has to make in order to pay for accommodations,

utilities, food, daycare and other essentials.

Early intervention is another important link:

working with parents to make healthy choices for their

children, even before the baby is born, and working to

provide after-school care, as well as recreation options

and improved access to health services.

Mayor Don Iveson says the task force is a contin-

uation of work started in 2012, when Edmonton City

Council created the Poverty Elimination Steering

Committee to look at ways to reduce poverty in Edmon-

ton. The project, co-chaired by representatives of city

council and United Way, revealed three needs: to be

proactive about preventing poverty while intervening to

reduce its impact; to understand who the initiative

is serving; and to build awareness and seek solutions

as a city.

Thats the foundation the task force is building on.

The poverty task force is not completely out of the

blue, Bishop Jane says. Were not at the beginning

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of the conversation. The city has done amazing work

preparing for this. The task force will be joined by two

working groups: one focused on aboriginals and why

they are over-represented in poverty, and the other on

information and research.

In his keynote speech at the Mayors Symposium on

Poverty on March 20, John Rook, president and CEO

of the Calgary Homeless Foundation, said the task

force will need to use cathedral thinking to solve the

problem of poverty in Edmonton. The term references

the fact that the worlds greatest cathedrals have some-

times taken centuries to complete. Cathedral

thinking involves the greater collective coming

together with a shared vision for the future, he said.

Shaping Edmonton into a world-class city will take

a lot of work: work based on a vision beyond our own

times. And that means applying great forethought,

taking stock of our resources, and continuing for-

ward even if we dont experience the end result.

John encouraged the group to look at poverty

elimination as an investment that makes financial

sense. He gave an example of a mother who couldnt

fill a prescription for medication because she was $10

short and ended up heading to the emergency room in

an ambulance, with her children put into foster care

while she was hospitalized, leading to much greater

costs than the initial $10 the mother was missing.

Is it possible to eliminate poverty? It might seem

like a pie-in-the-sky goal, but Bishop Jane says not only

is it possible, the fact that stakeholders are speaking in terms of

eliminating, rather than reducing, poverty represents an import-

ant change in how people think of it.

The fact that its such a broad conversation means you really

are looking at all levels: not only how we can respond to the

situations that poverty creates, but how we can change some

structural things in our society that mean we dont create the set

of conditions that lead to poverty in the first place, says Bishop

Jane. I dont think its going to be easy, but we actually believe

that its possible: what might we bring to the table to make it

work? Its a fantastically courageous conversation to be having.

Shaping Edmonton into a world-class city will take a lot of work: work based on a vision beyond our own

times. And that means applying great forethought, taking stock of our resources, and continuing forward even if

we dont experience the end result. John Rook, president and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation

Tiffany adds that Edmontons vision has already been an

inspiration to other communities, with some of the task force

members receiving emails from organizations in other commu-

nities, extending well wishes to t

WE Summer/Fall 2014

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