6/9/2022: Member Support and Information Recap

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This month’s Member Support and Information Exchange Meeting covered The Federation’s June Conference & AGM, new Workplace Learning Coach positions, CYSN Engagement, board fatigue, contract language, and results of the member survey regarding engagement with MCFD.

Member Support and Information Exchange meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of every month.
The next meeting is: July 14th: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Federation Updates

June Conference & AGM

A reminder that attendees must register separately for each event.

Workplace Learning Coaches

The Federation and CMHA have partnered and hired two Workplace Learning Coaches to support employers and employees in Community Social Services to access mental health and wellness support and resources. Members shared the following mental health resources they currently use:

  • Employee Assistance Programs
  • Relius resources on mental wellness (self-directed)
  • Emergency Response supports when a crisis in the community
  • Some members have added mental wellness supports to a strategic plan,and do an ongoing assessment of staff needs
  • MS Teams channels are used to share supports that cover a wide range of topics
  • CMHA workshops
  • Communities of Support across agencies (for Executive Directors and new leaders)
  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN)

The Federation, The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Inclusion BC and the BC Association for Child Development and Intervention were given funding to support community development work regarding CYSN implementation. There is an information session for members to discuss what this engagement process will look like and how we will incorporate learnings from early implementation sites. Register here for June 28th joint meeting.

The Federation also hosted two member meetings for members to discuss areas of concern for CYSN and how The Federation can support them. This information will be taken back to the Federation Board, as well as shared with those who attended these sessions.

Member Discussion

Board fatigue

  • Member expressed difficulty recruiting Board members for peer-to-peer training.
  • Member shared using community events to re-engage Board in the organization.
  • Member shared finding ways to engage in-person with different colleagues (coffee meetings, conferences, community events) as a way to re-energize.
  • Member shared starting Board meetings back up in-person. Energy has increased as a result.

Contract Language: Highly Sensitive Information

  • Member mentioned language in contract around “Consent-based access” to highly sensitive information. This is in addition to Two-Factor Authentication.
  • Member mentioned doing a cyber audit and sending results to MCFD to address contract requirements.
  • Rebecca offered Fed’s support in looking at contract language.

MCFD Member Survey Results

  • The survey intended to take the temperature of the relationship between organizations and MCFD at a community level.
  • Areas of interest: Communications, Engagement, Cultural Sensitivity & Inclusion, Trauma-Informed Practice.
  • 107 respondents; 95/107 respondents had MCFD contracts.
  • Respondents spread fairly equally across senior leadership, management and front-line.
  • The Federation is planning a workshop with the MCFD Procurement team and the CSS sector in September.
  • Fed using the survey results to advance SDA-level engagement opportunities between MCFD and members. Some have happened and more are planned that involve procurement, quality assurance, service delivery and joint training.