United Way/Centraide Ottawa is leading an initiative to help build resiliency in the social service sector. The goal is to help you and your clients to better withstand economic uncertainty and to build capacity to better serve clients and the community in the longer term.  In addition to the resources gathered here, we have convened an Executive Directors Roundtable to discuss the opportunities for strengthening service delivery. 

We have collected specific resources, links and information for individuals and agencies here, and broken them down into three sections:

1. Services for Ottawa residents and community agencies (how to find and give help)
2. Resource links for service sector agencies related to the economic downturn (building capacity to meet increased demand)
3. Ottawa-specific economic information (economic indicators)

This list will grow over the coming weeks and months as a result of research into the impact of the economy on Ottawa’s social services sector.  We welcome your feedback and suggestions for additions to this site.

As part of this initiative, we are also working with agency partners to explore a Community Campus that would see the co-location of some capacity-building organizations to increase collaboration and enhance the level of social service support for our community.

For more information about the Resiliency Initiative, please contact:

Don Sucalit, Senior Manager, Capacity Building
(613)683-3784 resiliency@unitedwayottawa.ca

From Obstacles to Innovation: The Impact of the Economic Downturn on Ottawa’s Social Service Sector

Where Ottawa agencies and clients can go for help?

General

211/ Community Information Centre of Ottawa
211/ Centre d’information communautaire d’Ottawa 
http://www.cominfo-ottawa.org/main_eng.html

City of Ottawa / Ville d’Ottawa Community Resources:

Ressources communautaires
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/efa/community_resources_en.html

Ottawa Community Economic Development Network
Réseau développement économique communautaire d’Ottawa:
http://www.ced-dec-ott.net/english/web_resources_eng.asp

Employment and training

Causeway Work Centre
http://causewayworkcentre.org/

Ottawa Community Loan Foundation
Le Fonds d'emprunt communautaire d'Ottawa 
http://www.oclf.org/

Hire Immigrants Ottawa
Embauche immigrants Ottawa
http://www.hireimmigrantsottawa.ca/?language=en

Economic & Social Council of Ottawa-Carleton
Conseil Economique et Social d’Ottawa-Carleton
http://www.cesoc.ca/en/accueil.htm

Coopérative Horizon Emploi Inc.
http://www.horizonemploi.ca/en/index.htm

The John Howard Society Ottawa
La société John Howard d’Ottawa
http://www.ottawa.johnhoward.ca/jhoyerc.html

Information on the Minimum wage
Information sur le salaire minimum
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/guide/guide_4.html

Unemployment benefits:

Information on Employment Insurance
Information sur l’assurance-emploi 
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/menu/eihome.shtml

Information on Ontario Works:
Information sur l’Ontario au travail 
http://www.accesson.ca/mcss/english/pillars/social/ow/index.htm

Information on Ontario Disability Support Program
Information sur Le Programme ontarien de soutien aux personnes handicapées
http://www.accesson.ca/mcss/english/pillars/social/odsp/index.htm

Resources for food

Ottawa Food Bank
La banquet d’alimentation
http://www.theottawafoodbank.ca/

Help with utilities

Hydro Ottawa- Winter Warmth
Hydro Ottawa- Programme Winter Warmth
https://www.hydroottawa.com/corporate/index.cfm?lang=e&template_id=330

Community Agencies that offer Counseling / Mental Health Services

Maison Fraternité (No English)
www.maisonfraternite.ca

Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO)
l’Organisme Communautaire des Services aux Immigrants d’Ottawa
www.ociso.org

Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services (No French)
www.rideauwood.org

Somali Centre for Family Services (No French)
http://www.somalifamilyservices.org/

St. Mary's Home
La Maison Sainte-Marie
http://www.stmaryshome.com/en/stmaryshome/Home_p1186.html

Centre de services Guigues (No English)
http://www.centresg.ca/index.html

Catholic Family Service Ottawa (CFS Ottawa)
Service Familial Catholique d’Ottawa (SFC OTTAWA)
http://www.cfsottawa.ca/

Crossroads Children's Centre (No French)
http://www.crossroadschildren.ca/en/crossroads/Home_Page_p148.html

Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa (No French)
www.efryottawa.com

Empathy House of Recovery (No French)
http://www.empathyhouse.com/mission.html

Family Services à la famille Ottawa (FSFO)
http://www.familyservicesottawa.org/index.html

Harmony House (No French)
http://www.harmonyhousews.com/index.html

Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) (No French)
http://www.immigrantwomenservices.com/

Labour Community Services (No French)
http://www.ottawalabour.org/index.html
Minwaashin Lodge - The Aboriginal Women`s Support Centre (No French)
http://www.minlodge.com/

National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA
Le YMCA-YWCA de la région de la capitale nationale
http://www.ymcaywca.ca/

The Ottawa Mission (No French)
http://www.ottawamission.com/

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa
Le Bureau des services à la jeunesse d'Ottawa
www.ysb-bsj.on.ca

Canadian Hearing Society (No French)
http://www.chs.ca/

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
L'Institut Nationale Canadien Des Aveugles (INCA)
http://www.cnib.ca/

 

Financial Counselling

Entraide budgétaire Ottawa
www.ebottawa.org

K3 Credit Counselling (No French)
http://www.k3ccreditcounselling.org/Home/tabid/72/Default.aspx

Community health services

Ottawa Public Health
Santé publique Ottawa:
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/health/support/index_en.html

Coalition of Community Health & Resources Centres of Ottawa
Coalition des Centres des ressources et de santé communautaires d’Ottawa 
http://www.coalitionottawa.ca/

Centre d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALACS)
http://www.calacs.ca/

Ottawa Community Support Coalition/ Coalition des services de soutien communautaire d’Ottawa
http://www.communitysupportottawa.ca/

Housing services

Ontario Rent Bank Network
http://ontariorentbank.net/

Legal services

Ottawa Legal Aid Services
Cliniques juridiques d’Ottawa
http://www.aidejuridiqueottawalegalaid.ca/en/

La clinique juridique francophone de l'Est d'Ottawa
http://www.cscvanier.com/en/Law_Services_83/items/1.htmlEmergency services

City of Ottawa: Ottawa Essentials
Ville d’Ottawa: Guide des éléments essentiels à Ottawa 
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/immigration/guide/emergency_services_en.html

• Volunteer opportunities

Volunteer Ottawa
Bénévoles Ottawa
http://www.volunteerottawa.ca/vo-clean/

Websites that provide articles/ guidelines for community service sector agencies: Each link offers many links to other related resources.

Canadian Economy Online (Government of Canada website)
http://www.canadianeconomy.gc.ca/English/economy/index.cfm

Ontario Nonprofit Network: Resources for Managing in Tough Times
http://ontariononprofitnetwork.ca/resource/resources-managing-tough

Charity Village: Tough Times Essentials
http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/guides/guide9.asp

Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources
http://www.cavrcanada.org/other_resources.html

Board Governance Resources
Ressources-Gestion du conseil d'administration 
http://www.cvsrd.org/eng/ocvo/resources.html#pubs

Blue Avocado: Economic Downturn Articles
http://www.blueavocado.org/content/economic-downturn-articles-blue-avocado

National Council of Nonprofits: Nonprofit Economic Vitality Centre
(For an American perspective)
http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/economy

The Barefoot Guide: Working with Organizations and Social Change
http://www.barefootguide.org/

The Charities File/ Dossiers des organismes de bienfaisancehttp://thecharitiesfile.ca/en/front_page

 The Maytree Foundation
http://www.maytree.com/

 The Wellesley Institute
http://wellesleyinstitute.com/

Ottawa-specific Economic information

Monthly Ottawa Fact Sheet (No French) (See Archives for previous months)
http://www.ottawaregion.com/About_Ottawa/Ottawa_Facts/index.php

City of Ottawa/ Ville d’Ottawa:

Quarterly Performance Report to City Council

Fourth Quarter – October – December 2008 (eg., Housing, Employment & Financial Assistance)
Les rapports trimestriels sur le rendement présentés au Conseil

4è trimestre (octobre – décembre 2008) – par ex. Logement, Emploi, et Services d’emploi et d’aide financière
http://www.ottawa.ca./city_hall/ottawa_performance/quarterly_performance/2008/q4/index_en.html

Ottawa Centre for Research and Information (OCRI)
Centre de Recherche et Information d’Ottawa

The 2007 Ottawa Report
Le rapport d’OCRI 2007
http://www.ocri.ca/ottawareport/

City of Ottawa / Ville d’Ottawa:

Annual Development Report 2007
Le rapport développement annuelle 2007:
http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/statistics/dev_report/2007/

Ottawa Business Journal
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/

Ottawa Capital Network
http://www.ottawacapitalnetwork.com/research/vc.cfm?display=research