March 2018 Newsletter
HANRAHAN HERALD
March 2018
“It’s a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together” Anonymous
Employee of the Month
Hanrahan Youth Services would like to recognize Mark Rutten as employee of the month for January.
Mark Rutten has been with Hanrahan Youth Services for 6 months. In his 6 months he has become a full time Staff member and a true leader for the Staff. Mark works well with his Manager and staff, he is very enthusiastic in the work he does with the Youth in the home. Mark mainly works at the Budworth residence, where he has been able to manage some of our most difficult residents. His hard work is shown by having the residents involved in recreation, minimizing aggressive acts from the residents and being a great mentor to Students and Staff members. Fellow Staff members seek out Mark's assistance and are very happy to work with Mark. His Manager States that Mark sincerely cares for the residents and the agency, is very consistent in supporting his peer staff members. Mark responds and follows through with Management incentives.
Congratulations to Mark from everyone at HYS!
Congratulations/Acknowledgement
Hanrahan Youth Services would give a shout out and acknowledge all our Placement Students! Thank you for all your hard work and keep it up!
Congratulations to our staff member Neruban and his wife Sofia on their new baby boy, Nicolas J. Neruban! Born at 6 pounds and 12 ounces.
Our Placement Students are:
Head Office:
Chelsea Dubros
Section Class:
Courtney Dubros
Budworth:
Joris Wong, Riana Silviera, Natalie Holec
Landfair:
Calvin Szetc, Jackie Tieu, Shantel Jones
Geneva:
Yineiri S. Vargas Abreu, Kayla Paulo-Cabral, Ariana Debatista
Fernbank:
Catherine Cardinal Bailey, Joseph Cirillo
Head office is excited as we are now located at 28 Malcolm Crescent, Brampton.
Thank you to everyone who attended UMAB to update their training!
For the Year 2018, we would like to update our Hanrahan Family board, take an updated photo of the youths and send it to Taylors email or bring it by head office!
As per Bob and Brian, please click on the link below and read on Serious Occurrences and what is happening across the board.
March Special Days
March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
There are a few great ways to celebrate this month. Do you know someone who has Multiple Sclerosis? If so, this month is the perfect time to show you care about them, so give them a call, make them a pot of stew or just drop by their place to see if there is anything they need help with. Being disabled often makes people feel helpless, useless, and like they don’t matter anymore. But nothing makes a person feeling lonely, scared or just plain miserable feel better than knowing they haven’t been forgotten
March 2- Dress in Blue Day
The idea for ‘Dress in Blue Day’ was originally come up with by Anita Mitchell, a stage IV colon cancer survivor who had lost a close friend and her own father to the disease. Greatly saddened by the fact that both of those tragedies could have been prevented, Ms. Mitchell saw a need to bring greater awareness to a cancer not many people wanted to discuss. So, in 2006, she worked with her children’s school to coordinate a recognition day. That very year in March, students who normally had to wear uniforms to class were allowed to wear a blue outfit of their choice, if only they made a $1 donation to colon cancer awareness.
March 2- Employee Appreciation Day
According to David Nuualiitia "Employee Appreciation Day first arrived on calendars in 1995. One of Recognition Professionals International’s founding Board members, Bob Nelson, together with his publishing company, Workman Publishing, created Employee Appreciation Day as a way of focusing the attention of all employers, in all industries on employee recognition."
March 11- Daylight Saving Time
Sunday, March 11, 2018, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, March 11, 2018, 3:00:00 am local daylight time instead.
Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later on Mar 11, 2018 than the day before. There will be more light in the evening.
March 17- St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick's day is in honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland, who brought christianity to the Emerald Isles, as Ireland is known. It is truly a day of celebrating Irish history, ancestry, traditions and customs.
Saint Ptaricks' Day has many symbols and traditons, from shamrocks and leprechauns, to green beer and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Saint Patrick's Day parades are popular in many cities around the U.S. Interestingly, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade did not take place in Ireland. It took place in New York City, in 1762.
March 21- World Down Syndrome
World Down Syndrome Day is all about raising awareness about this disorder and finding ways to improve the lives of those who have it. No matter where you live in the world, there are plenty of events and activities taking place on this day you can take part in to support the cause, such as concerts, runs, conferences and carnivals. All you have to do is get on the official website of World Down Syndrome Day to see a complete list of all the fun and education events taking place on March 21st. If none of these events happen to be near you or you would like to celebrate this day differently, how about finding a way to help a person with Down syndrome in your area? With approximately 1 in 1,000 babies being born with the disorder, there is bound to be a family somewhere near you facing the challenge it is to raise a child with Down’s, or an adult with Down’s working harder than all the rest of us to live their life.
March 25- Earth Hour
The best way to celebrate Earth Hour is, of course, to participate! You should also remember, however, that Earth Hour is not just about one hour, but about caring about our planet every other hour of every other day of the year, as well! The thousands upon thousands of Mwh of energy that are saved worldwide during Earth Hour mean nothing if we do not continue to care about the environment afterwards. So think about what you can do on a daily basis to save energy and then do it—even little things like exchanging your regular light bulbs for more power-saving ones can make a huge difference if many people do them at once. Let the one hour that is Earth Hour inspire you to make the world a better place for the remaining 8,760 in the year!.
March Events
Canadian National Highschool Basketball Championships
Featuring over 200 of Canada's best male (14-18 yrs.) high-school basketball players from across Canada.
Sheridan College
March 1st, 2018
Rogers Hometown Hockey
This family-friendly, interactive weekend will showcase hockey in Brampton, our alumni, upcoming talent, heros, influencers, clubs, etc. The downtown will come alive, as we paint the town red to show our passion for the game of hockey. Join us for an outdoor viewing party as Ron MacLean and Tara Sloan (Rogers Home Town Hockey commentators) host the pre-game NHL Calgary Flames vs New York Islanders, broadcast live in Garden Square, downtown Brampton.
Garden Square, Brampton
March 10th & 11th 2018
12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Toronto Comicon
March 16-18th, 2018
With a range of guests from cos play, comic characters and celebrities, ComiCon presented by FAN EXPO CANADA™ is 15,000 square feet of fan heaven!
Brampton Beast vs. Adirondack Thunder
The Beast enters its fifth season in the ECHL, and the third as the Montreal Canadiens affiliate. Join the Beast for a day of fun! Enjoy our Sunday skate day with the players after the game!
Powerade Centre
2:00-5:00 PM
$16.00
The Toronto Light Show
Distillery Historic District
Starting January 19th- March 4th
Free
March Break Activities
These are great opportunities to get out as a group and have some fun!
Toronto ZOO
March Break at the Toronto Zoo. Get acquainted with the city’s most beloved furry, feathery and four-legged friends at the Toronto Zoo.
This year’s special March Break programming means even more fun: everyone can take part in activities with the Zoo’s Fun Team, listen to some educational Keeper Talks and join in on up-close-and-personal Animal Encounters.
Plus, it’s your last chance to hang out with Canada’s only giant pandas! Bring family along to say goodbye to Er Shun, Da Mao and baby cubs Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue before their big move to the Calgary Zoo. Snap a photo with the panda farewell clock – but hurry, the Giant Panda Experience closes on Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Viking Village at the ROM
March 10-18th
Looking for a fresh March Break activity? Bring the kids to the ROM and travel back to the Viking era!
Legendary explorers on land and sea, imaginative myth-makers and skilled craftspeople, the norse left a multipfaceted legacy. As one of Toronto's top must-see attractions offering fun family events the museum will be buzzing with creative things to do, live performances and the best of the Viking spirit.
PLAYDIUM
Mississauga’s Playdium is the ultimate place to play – it’s 40,000 square feet filled with 200 high-tech attractions, rides and simulators, including MaxFlight Roller Coaster Simulator and Laser Maze. Bring the whole family and a whole lot of energy to burn..
Sugar Shack T.O at Sugar Beach
Get your fill of sweet liquid gold as the kiddies munch on maple-infused goodies at the winter marketplace, then warm up with a maple sugaring demonstration and sample the sweet stuff. Plus, parents can head over to the sugar shack bar tent to warm up with some special winter drinks
March 10th & 11th
11 AM- 5 PM
March Break Visitations
If anyone of the residents plan on having visitations during the week, it is imperative that they be planned beforehand and properly. Obtain permission from their workers, clearly communicate the details with the family and your resource worker/manager, make check-ins a priority for group homes, ensure that visitation logs are being completed.
Spring is here!
March 20th marks the first day of Spring!
Perfect time to do some spring cleaning both inside the home (including the garage) and out! Get the whole group involved and de-clutter. Having everyone join in will make a big difference in the workload. To motivate them, try turning up some music or establishing a “reward” for when the work is done.
There are some special chores that need to be done seasonally like cleaning patios and windows. We ignore them for most of the fall and winter, but now it is time to get these things clean. Even though these chores only need to be done once or twice a year, they will help the home look better.
Temperatures are slowly creeping upwards which means that the snow has melted. We ask that staff and foster parents take a walk around the properties to see if there is any garbage laying around that needs to be picked up or any items that may require fixing.
If you need to use the HYS pick-up truck to do garbage-runs, please contact Erin Hurley at head office to book it. We strongly advise that this gets done over the next month or two to prepare for the warmer months
Summer Employment
With the warmer weather slowing approaching, it is time for our foster parents and group home staff to find ways to motivate our youth to use their summer holidays as constructively as possible. If appropriate, and if outlined in our youths’ plans of care, then employment should be an obvious option. Although the summer may seem a long way off, opportunities for summer employment are already in play. One excellent source of information is the www.ontario.ca/summerjobs website. Another local agency is Job Skills in Brampton which can be accessed at www.jobskills.org. Services available include resume and interview success workshops. Summer job placements begin earlier than you make think, so now is the time to begin researching what’s out there.
Brain Teaser
Just for fun, try to solve the following brain teasers. The answers will be at the bottom of the newsletter. Good luck!
1. How far can a rabbit run into the woods?
2. In a year, there are 12 months. Seven months have 31 days. How many months have 28 days?
3. Jimmy’s mother had four children. She named the first Monday. She named the second Tuesday, and she named the third Wednesday. What is the name of the fourth child?
4. What is full of holes but can still hold water?
DID YOU KNOW?...
'I am the center of the universe'
The hormone changes at puberty have huge affects on the brain, one of which is to spur the production of more receptors for oxytocin, according to research detailed in a 2008 issue of the journal Developmental Review.
While oxytocin is often described as the "bonding hormone," increased sensitivity to its effects in the limbic system has also been linked to feeling self-consciousness, making an adolescent truly feel like everyone is watching him or her. According to McNeely and Blanchard, these feelings peak around 15 years old.
While this may make a teen seem self-centered (and in their defense, they do have a lot going on), the changes in the teen brain may also spur some of the more idealistic efforts tackled by young people throughout history.
"It is the first time they are seeing themselves in the world," Johnson said, meaning their greater autonomy has opened their eyes to what lies beyond their families and schools. They are asking themselves, she continued, for perhaps the first time: What kind of person do I want to be and what type of place do I want the world to be?
Until their brains develop enough to handle shades of gray, their answers to these questions can be quite one-sided, Feinstein said, but the job is to help them explore the questions, rather than give them answers
Duty to Report
Please remember that we all have a duty to report abuse or suspected abuse of a child. The Child and Family Services Act is clear on the civic responsibilities of ordinary citizens and their duty to report any concerns of abuse and neglect to Children’s Aid Societies, but there is a special responsibility on the part of professionals who work with children. It's important for all of us to increase our awareness about child abuse and neglect, to learn the signs and some of the underlying causes. Too many children lack the nurturing family and community supports essential for them to thrive and succeed. This has resulted in too many families coping with stressors and challenges affecting their ability to provide a safe, secure home for their children. (“Help Stop Abuse & Neglect”)
Please be sure to revisit the Duty to Report section of the Policy and Procedure Manual should you have questions regarding reporting procedures.
Strength Based Perspective
The Basics of Strength-Based Approach
Working from a strength-based perspective is a collaborative approach, whereby the person being supported by services is an active participant in the process of problem-solving issues they are experiencing. This allows the opportunity for the individual’s voice to be heard, and for the individual to be engaged in the decisions that affect their life. This is a chance to empower the client, but to also foster skills of self-advocacy. There is a significant focus on the quality of the relationship between the individual receiving support, and those that are providing the support. The relationship must be one of trust and transparency, in order for there to be real success.
A strength-based approach focuses on the inherent strengths of individuals, what their skills and abilities are, rather than on their deficits or problems. This also means investigating what resources are available, and how they can be used to accomplish what is needed. Although the goal is to promote the positive, this does not mean denying that issues or problems are affecting the client. Instead, it means combating situations based on the abilities and resources that exist, and utilizing these things in the most effective ways possible. The problems and concerns are not the main focus of intervention – the individual is.
Family and community work models often focus on the problems identified with the individual – thus, the individual is the problem that must be fixed. However, strength-based perspective focuses on the problem often existing because of interactions between people, organizations and structures.
Although issues exist, the individual only experiences the issue – the individual is not the issue.
The following are important principles of the strength-based perspective:
1) People are recognized as having potential, unique strengths and abilities, and have the capacity to continue to learn, grow, and change.
2) The focus of intervention is on the strengths and aspirations of the people we work with.
3) The language we use creates our reality – for the care providers, as well as children, youth, and families.
4) Communities and social environments are seen as being full of resources.
5) Service providers collaborate with the people they work with, and the client’s perspective of reality is primary.
6) Interventions are based on self-determination.
7) Change is inevitable.
8) There is a commitment to empowerment.
Problems are seen as the result of interactions between individuals, organizations or structures, rather than deficits within individuals, organizations or structures.
Training
We would like to continue to remind our staff and foster parents of the importance of ongoing training which can be used to assist you when dealing with the youth in our care. Hanrahan Youth Services is always willing to consider funding the many different sessions/webinars offered throughout the GTA and online that would be considered useful in working with our clients. We actually encourage all of you to make it a priority and take advantage of this opportunity to expand your professional development.
Should you be interested in doing so, please contact your resource worker or program coordinator with the details of the specific session you are looking to attend.
We have just recently registered a number of our staff and foster parents for workshops on:
· Motivating Change – Strategies for Approaching Resistance
· Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – Strategies for Supporting
· Sexual Assault and Abuse Training
· Addictions and Mental Illness – Working with Co-Occurring Disorders
Many of our staff and foster parents have attended different workshops offered through the Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute (CTRI) in the past. They provide a wide range of training opportunities and included in their upcoming events are:
· Working in Social Services – The Essential Skills
· Violence Threat Assessment – Planning and Response
· Self-Injury Behaviour in Youth – Issues & Strategies
· Crisis Response Planning
· De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations
· Anxiety – Practical Intervention Strategies
· Challenging Behaviours in Youth – Strategies for Intervention
For a complete list and descriptions of their upcoming workshops, you can visit:
* Be sure to select the Toronto or Mississauga local listings.
Please note that approved training is not limited to CTRI, these are just some examples of ones that we regularly take advantage of. We are always open to anything new that comes up. If you come across something different that you think would be worth exploring for our staff and foster parents, please send the information to the management team.
Our mandatory annual trainings, including UMAB and First Aid & CPR, will continue as per the usual schedules throughout the year. For upcoming sessions, please contact the head office.
Foster Parent Time-Off and Scheduling Relief
We understand how hard it can be to work around the clock. We also know how important it is to take time off whether it be for running errands, taking a break, visiting family and friends, or just taking care of business...we get it!
Hanrahan has a growing list of relief staff to utilize for the time you need, however, there is a process that needs to be followed in order to do so. It is essential that you communicate your request with your resource worker by submitting a TIME OFF REQUEST FORM. He or she will get this time approved, and then provide you with the relief staff list or book the relief for you. It is imperative that you keep them well informed of the time you take off, as well as ensure that your relief staff are documenting their hours and signing signature sheets when necessary.
Please note that any changes in dates or time need to first be approved by your resource worker.
Rec Night!
Don’t forget about REC NIGHT which takes place every Wednesday at 8:00pm at Century Gardens in Brampton. This is a great opportunity to get out of the house and get your kids to be active and mingling with the Hanrahan family. It is open to all foster parents and staff. Take your youth to play some basketball, volleyball, or whatever indoor sport has been organized for that evening. Don’t miss out!
Should you have any questions regarding rec night, please don’t hesitate to contact Gamin Teague.
Brain Teasers answers:
1. Halfway. Then he is running out of the woods.
2. They all do
3. Jimmy, because Jimmy’s mother had four children!
4. A sponge