Systems Engagement
Overview
With big challenges come big opportunities. In April 2020, CFY launched a survey and consultation process that, over the span of two months, reached 486 young people across NL. In August 2020, CFY published a report, “Forward Together: Investing in a Youth Centered Recovery for Newfoundland and Labrador”. From investing in basic income and affordable childcare to supporting growing social enterprises to creating a work/study at home subsidy, youth highlighted the gaps that they are experiencing and the solutions that would make all the difference. The results of this report also informed how CFY navigated the following two years with a focus on digital equity in programs, youth retraining and expanded employment offerings, and community outreach to meet youth where they were during a time of heightened uncertainty.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CFY saw a 72% increase in the number of youth served, a 65% increase in mental health interventions, and an 80% increase in housing interventions. For young people who are engaged in our programs, we are proud to demonstrate decreases in negative outcomes such as days spent in addiction treatment centers, ambulance use, and engagement with crisis response teams, and an increase in positive outcomes such as high school graduation, housing stability, and labour market attachment.
From implementing a Progressive Income Support Pilot Project with the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development (CSSD); to costing out a Basic Income model for NL with the Department of Finance, CFY has worked hard with partners to advocate for the needs of vulnerable populations across the province. Below are some further examples of advocacy initiatives that have been championed by the CFY team over the course of the last fiscal year.
Integrated Youth Services Network
We are continuing to build a provincial model of youth support with the goal of operating an additional four sites across the province by 2024 through a provincial model of Integrated Youth Services. To date, we have consulted with over 1000 young people and 300+ service providers in 32+ communities to understand what service and support needs look like outside of the St. John’s metro region. We have been able to develop a model of Integrated Youth Services that can be customized to meet the needs of various regions across the province. Since then, we have been able to secure $1.4 million in funding from various sources to support this initiative.
In January 2022, we hired a director to lead the initiative, and we look forward to hosting an announcement of the initiative in partnership with the Government of NL and our philanthropic partners in the coming months.
Rapid Tests for Vulnerable Populations
In response to challenges accessing expensive rapid tests for vulnerable populations, CFY collaborated with the St. John’s Status of Women’s Council to develop a campaign to advocate for the free and accessible provision of rapid tests to vulnerable populations. This included collaboration with approximately 35 other non-profit organizations and public healthcare providers, and designing a social media campaign, advocating government and healthcare systems to invest in accessible testing options. We were pleased to see a move towards increased investment in the Red Cross Rapid Test program, and distribution of rapid tests through Eastern Health.
Basic Income NL Policy Paper
CFY collaborated with nine other community agencies, including End Homelessness St. John’s, Food First NL, the Provincial Advisory on the Status of Women, Stella’s Circle, Empower, First Light, among others, on the creation of a Basic Income Policy Paper for NL which launched on June 23, 2021. This policy paper includes financial modelling from Harvey Stevens who developed the proposed Basic Income model for Prince Edward Island. This concept has gained growing traction across the province, and the country more broadly. CFY will be co-hosting a Basic Income Summit as a member of the Basic Income NL Coalition in 2022. To read the Basic Income policy paper and to see the full list of signatories, please visithttps://www.basicincomenl.ca/.
Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth With Quadrangle NL
Approximately 23% of the youth who we support at CFY identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ population. During this fiscal year, we entered into a formalized partnership with Quadrangle NL, a non-profit organization with the goal of developing a centre for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in St. John’s. The goal of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to support Quadrangle NL’s development as a non-profit organization, in particular:
Partnership management and strategic development
Finance and administration support
Human Resources
Fund Development and Communications
To date, we have had several conversations to build out a work plan and brainstorm a fund development campaign and are working to hire two dedicated staff members to support this work.
Social Enterprise World Forum
In Fall 2021, CFY co-hosted the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) in partnership with the NL Social Enterprise & Innovation Coalition. This Coalition includes representation from Memorial University (Centre for Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship), Food First NL, End Homelessness St. John’s, Stella’s Circle, Choices for Youth, the NL Association of Cooperatives, among others. The Social Enterprise World Forum featured a blend of digital content, streamed from the international SEWF event, along with locally-curated content which spoke to the local opportunities for social enterprise growth and social finance investment in our province.
The event welcomed over 70 participants from across the province and spurred critical discussion about the future of social enterprise and social finance in NL.
Employment Stability Support Pilot Project
Income Support is the backbone of supporting the most marginalized individuals in our communities and it can also serve as the cornerstone on which to build a future. To ensure that youth are supported in part-time skill-building employment opportunities, we have been working with Stella's Circle and the Department of CSSD on the development of a pilot that assesses a progressive Income Support model that will see youth retain more from wages and benefits while creating a transitional approach to employment. This facilitates additional participation in the labour market and incentivizes youth to access and maintain employment. CFY launched the Employment Stability Support Pilot project in Fall 2021. Since the development of this pilot project in 2019, the Government of NL has announced a full review of the Income Support system. Our goal is that this pilot project will demonstrate the positive impacts of supportive employment paired with benefits that incentivize youth employment.
Social Procurement Groundwork
Through social enterprises, we have provided demonstration projects to the Government of NL on what's possible through social procurement. We have also engaged directly with the government at their request on improving social procurement legislation. With social procurement legislation, there are significant opportunities for social enterprise expansion. Investment in Social Procurement was a key recommendation of "The Big Reset: The Report of the Premier's Economic Recovery Team", and in March 2022, the Government of NL began public engagement to inform how social procurement could be implemented in NL.
Young Parents’ Resource Centre
Through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), CFY has been approved for funding to build 14 units of affordable housing as the first of two stages of development of the Young Parents' Resource Centre (YPRC) for vulnerable young moms and their children. The first phase will include affordable housing with supports for young moms, and the second phase will include a built-in childcare centre for residents. The YPRC will disrupt the cycle of poverty and homelessness by providing safe and stable housing and wrap-around supports to vulnerable moms and their children. These units will be completed in 2023.
Charting Next Steps
Tackling the issues of homelessness and poverty requires direct interventions and systems-level engagement. CFY aims to work in collaboration with community and government partners to directly address the systems-level challenges that keep youth in a cycle of poverty and homelessness.
By supporting youth in reconnecting with family, re-engaging with the school system, connecting with the labour market, and gaining access to healthcare, housing, and mental health supports, we are able to save the government $8.93 for every $1.00 they invest in CFY programs.
With collaboration and support from the community, government, and private partners, we can support young people with what they need, when they need it, while dedicating time and resources to the systems change work that is necessary to stop the cycle of poverty and homelessness for children and youth.
