November 2019 Newsletter
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ― John Bunyan
Congratulations/Acknowledgement:
Please make sure that all homes are to be clean, licensable and up to standards on a daily basis. Note that ALL property standards are the responsibility of the foster parents- the yard and the home are both important.
Please ensure your youth have all the necessities for cold winter this year – winter coat, boots, hats, gloves.
Please make sure to remember the Ministry Terminology Changes:
Crown Ward -> Extended Society Care
Society Ward -> Interim Society Care
Apprehension -> Brought into a Place of Safety
Indian & Native Children -> First Nation, Inuit and Metis Children and Youth
Extended family -> Expanded Definition
Dealing with Matters -> Dealing with children
He /She -> They / Person / Child/ Youth
Runaway/ Abandoned -> No Longer Used
November Special Days
November is Child Safety Protection Month
Did you know that November is Child Safety & Protection Month? Initiated to create awareness about the potential dangers our children face every day, this month is a good reminder for everyone – parents and caregivers, as well as educators and students – of the importance of keeping our children safe at all times.
November 3rd- Daylight Saving Time Ends
When local daylight time is about to reach Sunday, November 3, 2019, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned backward 1 hour to Sunday, November 3, 2019, 1:00:00 am local standard time instead.
November 11th- Remembrance Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and is also known as Remembrance Day.
It marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918.
A two-minute silence is held at 11am to remember the people who have died in wars.
There is also Remembrance Sunday every year, which falls on the second Sunday in November.
November 20th- National Child Day
National Child Day is celebrated in Canada on November 20 in recognition of our country’s commitment to upholding the rights of children and two historic events: the 1959 signing of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights of children with 54 articles that provide us with a solid road map of what is needed to raise healthy and happy children and youth.
Celebrating National Child Day is about celebrating children as active participants in their own lives and in communities, as active citizens who can and should meaningfully contribute to decision-making.
November 25th- International Day for the Elimination of Violence on Women and Girls
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
female genital mutilation; and
child marriage.
To further clarify, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
The adverse psychological, sexual and reproductive health consequences of VAWG affect women at all stages of their life. For example, early-set educational disadvantages not only represent the primary obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls; down the line they are also to blame for restricting access to higher education and even translate into limited opportunities for women in the labour market.
While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable - for instance, young girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, or women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those living through humanitarian crises.
Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights. All in all, the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - to leave no one behind - cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls.
2019 and 2020, the UNiTE Campaign will align its advocacy activities under the umbrella of UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign that marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. A global blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights adopted unanimously by 189 Member States in 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action sets strategic objectives and actions in 12 critical areas of concern, including ending violence against women and girls.
Kicking off during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December 2019), the UNiTE campaign will specifically focus on the issue of rape for the next two years. While the names, times, and contexts may differ, women and girls universally experience rape, sexual violence, and abuse. Rape is rooted in a complex set of patriarchal beliefs, power, and control that continue to create a social environment in which sexual violence is pervasive and normalized.
In 2019, the UNiTE campaign will mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, from 25 November to 10 December, under the theme, “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands against Rape!”
November Events
The Young Black Women's Project 2019
THIS IS A TWO FULL DAY PROGRAM (2 SATURDAYS); - Nov 2nd 2019; 9:30 am - 6:00 pm - Nov 9th 2019; 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Brampton
ATTENDANCE ON BOTH DATES IS COMPULSORY TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM. The Young Black Women's Project is a leadership program that exists to help young, black women connect with their community, find their voice, and own their power. Our workshop series will include a panel of expert facilitators covering topics including self-image, sex and relationships, community building, mental health, and physical health and wellness. This course runs over 2 Saturdays and is designed interactively to inspire critical thinking of issues affecting Black women. This will by achieved through through holistic discussion, presentations and session activities. Please note: a light breakfast and lunch will be provided on both days. Childcare will be available. Feel free to contact our Program Coordinator with your questions at kamindam@moyohcs.ca.
Women's Abuse and Mental Health Workshop
Friday November 1st, 8th,15th , 10am-230pm
The centre for education and training
The Centre for Education and Training invites you to a series of workshops: Women Abuse & Mental Health.
This workshop will increase awareness and break the stigma of mental health issues. Participants will also be issued a certificate after completion.
Learn about:
Increase awareness and break the stigma of mental health
Gain a better understanding of mental health issues
12-14 hours course content
Participants will deliver a presentation to their communities
This series of workshops run Fridays November 1st, 8th, and 15th.
Registration is required
To register please contact at 905-595-0722 ext. 4000 or email nic@tcet.com
Park in the Dark Hike
Friday, November 8th 2019
Claireville Conservation Area
730pm-830pm
Join us for an evening guided walk where we’ll learn about nocturnal wildlife! Experience the sights and sounds of the park in the dark!
Recommend for families with children over the age of 6. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Register for FREE
Brampton Parade and Service of Remembrance
November 11th 2019
2 Wellington Street West, Brampton
1045am-12pm
The City of Brampton and Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 15, acknowledge and thank all veterans and individuals, particularly those with a connection to the City, for serving to protect our freedoms.
Brampton Santa Clause Parade
November 16th 2019
Starts 5pm
The organizing Committee’s mission of maintaining a safe and entertaining community parade along with the support of our sponsors, and our community partners has resulted in the Brampton Santa Claus Parade becoming the largest single day event in the Region of Peel and the largest night parade in Canada.
Winter Lights Festival
Friday, November 15th 2019
6:00pm-9:00pm
Downtown Brampton
Celebrate the holiday season with Brampton's Winter Lights Festival. Join us in lighting the Christmas tree in Ken Whillans square, and watch downtown Brampton come to life with lights!
WTF: We the Future Youth Event
Saturday, November 16th 2019
LBP Theatre, 150 Central Park Drive Brampton
4PM-9PM
FREE
Get ready for a day filled with impactful info sessions, a community fair where you can connect with the City and community organizations, motivational speakers, live entertainment, a celebration of youth achievements, and more.
Register for one of the info sessions at the symposium and enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the evening social event! (Parents are welcome to attend with their youth)
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
November 1 to November 10, 2019
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair takes place every November in the City of Toronto. Come celebrate the best in agriculture, local food, and equestrian competitions from across the country. Whether you’re a visitor or an exhibitor, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is jam-packed with home-grown fun and the best in local food and animal entertainment.
Toronto Remembrance Day
November 11, 2019
Seven Civic Remembrance day services scheduled across the city
The Toronto Christmas Market
November 14th-December 22nd 2019
Free during the week- Charged Weekends
NOT active on Mondays
Inspired by the Old World and influenced by the new, this month-long event celebrates the sounds, sights and scents of Christmas. Set in the Victorian-era, cobblestone-lined Distillery Historic District, the Christmas Market brings together local craftspeople, musicians and artisanal food-makers for a truly festive experience. Sip on mulled wine and European-style Christmas cocktails as you browse through the selection of hand-made ornaments, wood carvings and crafts. Then cozy up by the fire or take in carollers, brass bands and authentic European dancers. Don’t forget to stop by the giant Christmas tree for your Instagram moment.
Toronto Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, November 17th
Starts at 1230pm
Santa Claus returns to the streets of Toronto, bringing a bit of early Christmas cheer with him. The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. It ends its route at St.Lawrence Market. Remember to bundle up and come early to get a good spot to see Santa.
Cavalcade of Lights
On November 30, 2019 the Cavalcade of Lights event will mark the official start to the holiday season in Toronto. The 53rd annual celebration will feature the first lighting of Toronto’s 60-foot (18-metre) Christmas tree, live musical performances, circus arts, a skating party and a spectacular fireworks display.
Fall is Here!
Leaves are falling and the weather is getting colder! Here are some ideas that can be used to go outside and enjoy the beautiful colours and changing weather with our residents!
Fertilize your lawn!
Although the exact timing can vary due to weather conditions and climate zone, the final fertilizer application should be made sometime in November in most regions--at the point when the grass has stopped growing or has slowed down to the pint of not needing to be mowed.
Do not wait until the ground freezes, however. Ideally, there is still active growth occurring, but not enough to warrant mowing.
Proper timing is essential. If fertilizer is applied too early while grass or garden plants are vigorously growing, it can invite winter injury and snow mold the following spring.
Go for a Hike!
If you want the ultimate test of will, visit one of Ontario’s scenic hiking trails this autumn and try not to break out your phone to capture the views. Toronto has numerous trails to explore this season that all offer a chance to take in beautiful fall foliage and break a sweat at the same time. Evergreen Brick Works is a local favourite during fall, and they also offer a complimentary shuttle bus north of Broadview Station. Or head west to Dundas, Ontario to the Dundas Peak for a trail walk that also features a waterfall.
Go Apple Picking!
Candy apples, apple pie and apple crumble made with fresh and crisp apples picked by your very own hand. What gets better? There are several orchards across the GTA where you can pick your own apples and many places also offer wagon rides, petting zoos, and country fresh markets where you can nab fresh jams, fruits, and veggies.
Make your way through a corn maze!
Find a farm near you, when this fun and seasonal activity is involved your kids will be more willing to get outside or exercise.
Clean the Yard!
Rake the leaves, and clean the yard! This simple task is a great way to have some outdoor fun with your kids while boosting your home's curb appeal. This is also a great life skill for our youth. Make it fun, or worth their while to help out by making it a paid chore. This is a good way to instil a sense of pride in the aesthetics and condition of their home. Please just ensure that they are taught how to properly and safely use tools prior to starting.
Preparation for fall
Getting things ready for winter: Drain and turn off hose taps, disconnect hose Change furnace filters Do no have thermostats set high with windows open Their responsibility to keep homes and properties safe: walkways clear of snow and ice Buy salt/sand to put down
We also just want to reiterate that it is the perfect time to do some fall cleaning both inside the home (including the garage) and out. For those of you who aren’t aware, the HYS pick-up truck is available to do garbage-runs. If you need to access it, please contact Erin Hurley at head office. We strongly advise that this gets done as soon as possible to prepare for the colder months.
Not many of us are actually looking forward to the weather getting colder but we have to be well-prepared for the coming winter, we advise you prepare for winter by buying extra non-perishable groceries, appropriate winter clothing, bags of salt, shovels and other important items.
We also want to advise our foster parents and staff to be watching the news regularly for any updates from Environment Canada regarding weather. It is important that we are well prepared for the winter! In addition to this, please ensure your residents have the appropriate winter clothing attire such as snow boots, winter coats, mittens, hats and scarves.
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. I'm tall when I'm young and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?
2. Which word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly?
DID YOU KNOW?...
Police warns parents about teens on social media apps
Parents may think some social media apps are safe or innocent, but police are saying now that more and more children are turning to the internet to promote cyber bullying or send inappropriate pictures and videos.
"It's becoming more of a common place anymore with all the apps and everything out there, the text messaging all the different forms of the social media that they have," Hall County Sheriff's Office Captain Quinn Webb said. "It's become really easy for the sexting type stuff to go on. Unfortunately it puts the kids that are doing that at risk."
Sexting can be defined as sending sexually explicit photos or messages via mobile phone. This can be risky for people underage because if they have those photos on their phone they can be charged with a misdemeanor. "If a juvenile is in possession of another juvenile's picture, they could be charged with a crime," Capt. Webb said. "The main one is child pornography or transmitting child pornography."
Some apps are created specifically for pictures and say once they're opened they disappear forever. Police say that's not the case.
"That's what dangerous and what's so scary about it for them," Capt. Webb said. "They think if they put those things out there that it will be seen by one person and it'll be done. Everybody knows that you can take screen shots. I know that Snapchat notifies you if a screenshot has been taken, but that still doesn't help you. It's still out there."
Parents are encouraged to check their teens' phones to be sure they're not storing pictures or videos that can get them in trouble.
A few applications police warn against are: - MeetMe - Grindr - Skout - Whatsapp - TikTok - Badoo - Bumble - Snapchat - Kik - Live.Me - Holla - Whisper - Ask.fm - Calculator% - Hot or Not "
Duty to Report
Please remember that we all have a duty to report abuse or suspected abuse of a child. The Child and Youth 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 manager/resource worker by submitting a VACATION/TIME OFF REQUEST FORM to them or the head office. They will seek approval from the directors of the agency, 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 staff/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 manager/resource worker as designated by the directors.
Brain Teasers answers:
1. A Candle
2. Incorrectly