Causeway empowering people

strengthening our community

Causeway is a not-for-profit community economic development agency that empowers and supports people facing significant barriers to employment, to help them find rewarding work and live more independently.

We are focused on helping people overcome

complex employment barriers such as mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness,

lack of education and poverty.

We do this through an integrated network of innovative programs, one-on-one support, cross-sector partnerships and by creating socially minded

businesses... …which have all grown “organically” over time and

link to provide an intersecting series of programs designed to support our mission: Causeway is a bridge to economic independence

Our network of programs

• Assist clients in managing their own finances, and accessing

financial services

• Financial literacy

• Rise Asset Development

• Causeway’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity (CEO)

• Provide opportunity for clients to develop life skills in support of their employment goals.

• Solutions for Youth

• Wellness

• Provide clients with training, practical work experience, and short-term paid employment

• Krackers Katering

• Cycle Salvation

• Good Nature Groundskeeping

• RightBike

• Provide support to clients as they prepare for, obtain and retain paid employment

• Employment Resource Centre

• Job Quest

• ESP

• Needle Hunters

• Supported Employment in Rural Ottawa

Community Employment

Supports

Social Business

Financial Literacy &

Self-employment

Pre-Employment

For 35 years, Causeway has expanded its impact through an ongoing commitment to best practices and capacity building, including partnership development, community asset development, and shared space (ex. CISED, Innovation3)

Through this commitment, Causeway has been able to: • support a broader spectrum of disadvantaged people,

• pilot new ventures that address community needs,

• become a recognized leader in the area of social business.

Causeway Social Business Our triple bottom line: people, profit, planet

A social business operates as a business but is managed on the belief that financial profit should never come at the

expense of people’s growth, independence and wellbeing.

Located at 473 Bronson Avenue, Cycle Salvation provides training in the refurbishment and sale of used bicycles.

In 2013-2014, 8 Causeway client-employees developed bike mechanical skills and good work habits, while keeping hundreds of unwanted bikes out of landfill sites.

People

• 8 mechanics trained & employed

Profit

• $87,000 projected revenues for 2013-2014 fiscal year

Planet

• Over 500 bikes a year saved from landfill

“A paycheque is nice, but even nicer is the way you feel about yourself.”

Will Johnson, Cycle Salvation

Since 1999, hundreds of individuals have gained substantial training and work experience at Krackers, to move on to other employment opportunities in the community. Year after year, Krackers’ revenues have grown, allowing them to provide more client work hours.

People

Currently, there are 25-30 part-time catering staff.

Profit

In 2013-2014, Krackers has a projected earned revenue of $280,000

“Krackers Katering helped me build up confidence, and I realized I had the skills to go back to school.”

Stephanie Sizer, Krackers Katering employee and Algonquin culinary school student

Good Nature Groundskeeping provides landscaping in spring, summer and fall, and snow removal throughout the winter.

GNG has commercial contracts with Ottawa Community Housing & local BIAs.

People

10 client-employees in winter

16 client-employees in other 3 seasons

Profit

$160,000 projected revenues for 2013-2014 fiscal year

“I enjoy watching my crew

members become self-reliant

and lead more independent

lives.”

Dave Segaert, business manager,

Good Nature Groundskeeping

RightBike is a community owned and operated bike share project

promoting sustainable transportation

in partnership with many local organizations and the City of Ottawa.

People

6 client-employees in 2013-2013

Profit

$14,000 projected revenues for 2013-2014 fiscal year

Planet

- “poor man’s” Bixi

- ease traffic congestion

- reduce urban pollution

RightBike

KEY PARTICIPANT ATTRIBUTES

Mental illness +/or addictions +/or

disabilities

SECONDARY

Homeless or at risk

Lapse and/or non-completion

of education

If in

div

idu

als

exp

erie

nci

ng

thes

e b

arri

ers

to e

mp

loym

ent

Other personal challenges to

getting / keeping employment

PRIMARY

PROGRAM MODEL

Employment goals & accommodation needs defined

Pre-vocational training Job specific skills Work habits & work skills

Financial literacy Self-employment

Along

with

Links to: Community supports +/or Referrals to other CWC services +/or Community service organizations

The

n t

hey

will

hav

e th

ese

ou

tco

mes

OUTCOMES

Increased job readiness

&

Decreased work accommodation needs

Leading to

Job Readiness for meaningful & sustained

employment

MEASURES (draft)

Measured by

Measured by

Measured by

Increased: skills, initiative/goals, duties, workload, productivity, hours; Improved: attendance, social & communication skills, teamwork; Decreased: supervision, reprimands;

Increased: non-work activities, schedule flexibility; Improved: Decreased: training, supervision;

Definition (employability readiness profile)

Intake/JQ/Recruitment Interview/orientation

5% of clients transition to self employment (or education) & are employed for 1 year or more

15% of clients leave due to attrition

External employment & self-employment & education Follow-up at : 6/ 12/ 24 months Internal employment: Increased goals/job readiness with follow up every 6 months.

Par

tici

pat

e in

th

ese

pro

gram

s an

d s

erv

ices

Low income, government

support

Un/under employed in last

3 years

15% of clients transition to & maintain external employment for 1 year or more

65% remain working in a CWC social enterprise and progress towards their goals

CAUSEWAY WORK CENTRE Intended Impact Statement: Causeway’s social enterprises support individuals who experience barriers to employment to increase their level of job readiness by providing employment in a competitive and accommodating environment, with the goal of transitioning 20% of client workers each year into external competitive employment, self employment, or further education. 65% of client workers will continue to build their job readiness while the other 15% will leave due to attrition.

Assumptions: 1. By working in a supportive work environment, individuals experiencing mental health issues and other disabilities can increase their level of job readiness in measureable ways,

while contributing to the economic performance and sustainability of the social business they are employed with. 2. Each year 20% of individuals working at Causeway’s social enterprises will obtain a competitive job, move into self employment, or participate in further education. The 12 month

retention rate for clients transitioning to other employment or further education is 100%. 3. Some individuals require a higher level of accommodation than the competitive workplace currently provides and will have very limited work opportunities to transition to. These

individuals may remain employed with a Causeway social enterprise for an extended period of time with no goal of transitioning to external employment. 4. Causeway social enterprises can successfully mirror the technical aspects of a competitive work environment. The supportive environment offered at Causeway is available to all

clients with the expectation that individual usage will lessen over time. 5. The majority of individuals in receipt of ODSP will give priority to maintaining their benefits over an expanded work opportunity that may jeopardize their eligibility for benefits.

Social Enterprise – Step In, Step Up & Step Out – The Employee transitional process

Purpose Process Measures, Metrics,

Tools, Data Collection

Source

Pre-Requisites

External &

Internal

Outreach

to expand HR recruitment beyond traditional

(in-house) referral base

to recruit effectively by ensure transitional

component of SEs is understood internally &

externally

Community presentations

Brochures, web pages

Job postings

Tours

Partnerships

Media

Internal communications

# of hires identified as

recruited/informed externally or

through partnerships

job classifications* for each SE

% of annual transitions targeted

for each SE

% of permanent/semi-permanent

positions targeted for each SE

Primary Intake

(only when SEs

are hiring)

To explain mission of social enterprises

to explain transitional nature of hiring

Screen out inappropriate hires

Meet first level HR needs of SEs only when

required

Screen potential candidates to SEs

Refer inappropriate candidates to

appropriate programs/resources

Complete basic employment

readiness tool*

OCAN, CSM

Readiness tool (basic level)*

Job classes* for each SE

% of annual transitions

% of permanent/semi-

permanent positions for each

enterprise

Specific job description with

duties & responsibilities

Social Enterprise

Hiring Process

to allow SE to hire the most appropriate

candidate

to ensure an understanding of expectations

on the part of candidates

Interview potential candidates

Review intake employment

readiness tool*

Complete next step of readiness

tool with candidates*

Letter of offer – training stage

CSM

Readiness tool (advanced

level)*

Job description

Appropriate hiring committee

Standard letter of offer –

training stage

Trainee

orientation

To set expectations

Review policies and procedures

Set goals with trainee*

Review job description & policies

Review available hours/shifts

Employment goal setting

Required training scheduled

HR information package completed

for Administration

Tentative term of employment

Contract

Employment goals & action

plan

Contract

Job description

Policies and procedures

Goal sheet & action plan*

Contract

Initial Training

Period

10-shift assessment/adjustment period

Introduce required work skills

Introduce required work habits

Promote integration

Indentify deficits & add to goals

Intense training & feedback

Intense observation & feedback

Training allowance provided

Updated employment goals

and action plan

Probation report*

CSM

On-going feedback over 10 shifts

Hiring – post-

probation

Trainee is hired

or

Referred back to intake if deemed

inappropriate

Successful candidate is

introduced to Community

Support worker & available

services

Wage is established

Employment contract

signed*

updated employment goals

& action plan*

Probation report*

CSM

On-going feedback over 10

shifts

Review of CSM

Agreement on employment

tern (contact)*

6-month milestone

Review employment plan * & and

progress on action plan*

Re-set plan or maintain current

priorities

Review employment term

(contract)*

Evaluation of process

against plan*

Term reviewed or revised

both in terms of progress &

needs of SE

Performance Appraisal

Performance Appraisal

Updated plan*

CSM

Employment contract*

On-going feedback & review

of CSM notes

12, 18, 24 month, or

end of employment

contract

Review and evaluate progress

re-set plan* or refer to job search

Revised goals* & action*

Revised term (contract)*

Refer to JQ/ESP/Rise or

external provider

updated plan*

CSM

Transition status

On-going feedback &

reviews to date

Post-Transition

to track client outcome

to track SE outcome

Contact through SE

Contact through Causeway

program/external provider

CSM Access to client contact

* Required Documentation

Work readiness tool - broken into 2 parts (basic information to be collected at Intake; more comprehensive section to be done by SE)

Employment goals, barriers/challenges + action plan

Probation/performance appraisal forms

Job classification for all positions in SEs

Database/CSM to follow up on all client milestones (monthly report)

Probationary report

Employment contract

HR Requirements

HR information provided to Administration

More time allocated for evaluation, review, etc.

Administration to provide monthly status report

Follow-up on external employment status (JQ/ESP)

Employment Supports & Job Quest Provide long- or short-term support to prepare for, obtain and retain competitive employment

• One-on-one support from their assigned Job Developer

• Goal-setting & labour market research

• Development of job search skills: mock interviews, résumé and cover letter preparation

• On-the-job training and job coaching

• Follow-along support

Solutions for Youth A six-month pre-employment program assisting youth to develop the skills and work habits to gain employment or return to school.

• Assess skills, set goals & identify barriers • Develop professional work habits: stress/conflict

management, budgeting, self-esteem • Workshops on careers, job search techniques, résumés

• Co-op placement, to put it all into practice

An integrated system: Integrating employment supports with other community and personal support systems can break barriers to job readiness and retention.

• Community Supports

• Employment Resource Centre

• Wellness

• Financial Literacy

Employment Resource Centre All Causeway clients have access to our Resource Centre:

• Assisted or independent on-line job search

• Access to employment listings/leads

• Use of computer terminals, telephone, fax, photocopier

• Daily newspapers

Wellness Recognizing that the search for employment takes energy, stamina and the confidence that comes from general well-being, participants in all of Causeway’s employment programs are encouraged to take full advantage of the Wellness Centre

• Physical health and mental health are linked

• Life expectancy is 20 years shorter than average for persons with severe mental illness

• Secondary health issues brought on by poverty, poor nutrition

Causeway Wellness Warriors at the Ottawa Race Weekend

Wellness Centre: •Fully equipped gym, supervised by a certified personal trainer •Weekly yoga and spinning classes •Nutritional & weight management counseling

Financial Literacy is an

important tool for individuals moving into employment. A variety of programs assist clients in managing their own finances, and accessing financial services

START (Saving to Achieve Real Transformation) matches the savings of community housing residents as they save for education, housing or entrepreneurship goals.

rise encourages entrepreneurship among individuals with current or past mental illness/addictions, by providing loans for small-business start-up.

Our first START graduate, Jocelyne, receives a cheque matching her savings 3:1.

Your Financial Toolkit is a series of workshops covering basic to advanced financial literacy CEO supports entrepreneurs living with a disability to develop business plans focusing on the dream of self-employment

Cycle Salvation – a video by The Cooperators Foundation Community Economic Development Fund

Causeway empowering people

strengthening our community