Table of Contents
- United Way/Centraide brings global phenomenon Malcolm Gladwell to Ottawa
- Join us for an exciting Community Conference
- TELUS helping children and youth at risk
- project s.t.e.p. scores big with Police Hockey Tournament
- HIO’s 2009 award recipients
- Up close with the Governor General
United Way/Centraide brings global phenomenon Malcolm Gladwell to Ottawa
Malcolm Gladwell, hailed as one of the most brilliant and influential writers of his generation, will be in Ottawa on June 11 to share his thoughts on society and the challenges we all face.
Join United Way Ottawa and Board member Mark Sutcliffe for a discussion with Malcolm Gladwell at the National Arts Centre, Southam Hall, from 4:00–5:00 pm.
“We are delighted to bring this calibre of speaker to our community,” says Michael Allen, President and CEO, United Way/Centraide. “Ottawa is in for a great event, and with Malcolm Gladwell sharing his insights and unconventional wisdom, this is sure to be a thought-provoking session.”
Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for The New York Times since 1996, is best known for his three best selling books, The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers. Time Magazine named him one of its 100 most influential people in 2005.
Group and individual ticket packages are available now. Seating is limited and expected to sell out, so book now to avoid disappointment.
Proceeds from this event go to United Way/Centraide.
Join us for an exciting Community Conference
Interactive workshops, a marketplace, youth involvement, networking opportunities. Welcome to our 8th annual Sharing our Strengths Community Conference to be held on June 24 and 25 at Ashbury College. As in past years, the 2009 conference will provide an affordable opportunity for staff and volunteers from the public and non-profit sectors to develop skills, exchange information and learn best practices.
Along with helping organizations share strengths, the community conference offers a range of networking opportunities, along with a number of new attractions. The June 24 marketplace will feature both exhibitor and agency booths. Over dinner that same evening, with entertainment to include a performance by the Royal Ritchie Drummers, Ashbury students will join attendees to find out how they can get involved in the community. A “mix and mingle” dessert hour caps off the final day of the conference.
Building on last year’s environmentally friendly format, presenters at this year’s conference will have an opportunity to use the Smart board technology for their workshops — an interactive take on the traditional flip chart, which makes it easy for attendees to copy presentations onto USB sticks or e-mail to their workplaces.
Don’t forget it’s all happening at Ashbury College, where the parking is free. This year’s sponsors include Ashbury College, Blackbaud, RBC Financial Group, and Stonewood Group. You can check out the program by clicking here. A full conference pass, which includes meals, costs $85 until May 8; the cost increases to $100 between May 9 and May 29. Individual session passes cost $20 up to May 8 and increase to $25 afterwards. Although meals are not included with individual passes, attendees can purchase a meal voucher (details to come).
You can register for the conference by contacting Julie Lefrancois at 613-228-6896 or by e-mail at jlefrancois@unitedwayottawa.ca.
TELUS helping children and youth at risk
In one downtown Ottawa neighbourhood, children and teens are struggling. Many come from low-income, single-parent families and at least half are first-generation immigrants or from a visible minority group. They live in an area of the city that has no green space and is cut off from sports and cultural facilities. Because of their families’ financial situations, they can’t afford to enrol in soccer, take an arts class or attend camp.
Starting in May, this will all change.
Thanks to a partnership between the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Somerset West Community Health Centre and United Way Ottawa, up to 300 young people will benefit from recreation, arts and social programs and educational support — all in a fun and engaging environment. They’ll even get bussed to and from a local school where the programs will be offered.
“This project specifically addresses the need for safe, supervised, structured and accessible after-school programming,” says Peggy Austen, Senior Director, Impact Strategies, United Way Ottawa. “Based on the success of this project, we hope to adapt it for other neighbourhoods in the city.”
Helping to make all this happen is TELUS, which provided $50,000 towards the pilot project. Both United Way/Centraide and the Boys and Girls Club have also contributed financial support.
“For TELUS, the welfare of our communities is a priority. We were very interested in partnering with United Way/Centraide and other community organizations to develop a program that will benefit young people living in one of Ottawa’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods,” says Janet Yale, TELUS’ Executive Vice-President, National Chair of TELUS Community Boards.
TELUS’ support is one more example of people or companies changing our community. In December 2008 Stephen Greenberg and family donated $1 million over 10 years to support the expansion of two homework clubs in southeast Ottawa. If you are interested in exploring ways you can get involved, please contact Carole Gagnon, Vice President of Investor Development, at 613-228-6893 or by e-mail at cgagnon@unitedwayottawa.ca.
project s.t.e.p. scores big with Police Hockey Tournament
On March 25, the project s.t.e.p. campaign received a $25,000 boost in support of the Ottawa Residential Youth Treatment Centre. The 50th annual International Police Hockey Tournament, hosted this year by the Ottawa Police Association and the Ottawa Police Service, raised $25,000 during the two-day tournament. About 90 teams from Ontario, Quebec and the United States faced off at rinks throughout the city earlier in March.
From left to right: Police Chief Vern White; Constable Kevin Bowie, tournament organizer; Dave Smith, Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre; Rolland Choquette, Maison Fraternité; Steve Boucher, President, Ottawa Police Association.
HIO’s 2009 award recipients
At first glance, a post-secondary institution and a large federal government department may not have much in common. But when it comes to recruiting skilled immigrants, they share a common purpose.
From left to right: Rosemarie Leclair, Co-Chair, Employer Council of Champions; Irma Bala, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada; Nathalie Morin, University of Ottawa; Hicham Adra, Co-Chair, Employer Council of Champions
On April 1 at the 2009 Employer Council of Champions (ECC) Summit, Employer-Led Solutions: Skilled Immigrants, Opportunity and the Evolving Workforce, the University of Ottawa and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) received awards from Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO), an employer engagement initiative managed by United Way Ottawa funded by the Government of Ontario. Both employers were recognized in the large-size employer category for outstanding recruitment practices in their workplaces.
Honourable mentions were also presented, one to small-size employer Citizen Advocacy Ottawa for its work in retaining skilled immigrants, and, in the medium-size category, to the Association pour l’intégration sociale d’Ottawa for its recruitment practices.
The annual ECC Summit is an opportunity to highlight the successes of local employers in addressing barriers to effective hiring and integration of skilled immigrants in Ottawa’s labour force.
Rosemarie Leclair, President and CEO, Hydro Ottawa Group of Companies, says, “As Co-Chair of the ECC, it is gratifying to see organizations of all sizes recognizing the value that internationally trained individuals bring to their workforce.”
Hicham Adra, ECC Co-Chair and Senior Vice President and General Manager, National Capital Region, CGI, shares this sentiment: “Having local employers acknowledged on stage really speaks to the work we are doing through HIO to make an impact in the community.”
More than 500 skilled immigrants have been successfully placed in skills-appropriate jobs by participating HIO employers. For information on HIO, contact Melinda Wong at 613-683-3882 or by e-mail at mwong@hireimmigrantsottawa.ca. You can also visit www.hireimmigrantsottawa.ca to access employer resources.
Up close with the Governor General
Imagine getting the chance to hang out with the Governor General of Canada for a morning? Imagine doing this if you are 13 to 16 years old?
More than 100 young teens, girls and boys, did just that on March 3 as part of a regular youth dialogue series initiated by the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean in 2007 to provide young Canadians with a space to voice their opinions. The topic of the morning was What about us? Women and girls changing the shape of democracy. The latest series was held at Rideau Hall to mark International Women’s Day.
Enjoying their day with the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean are (left to right): Marie Coligado (YAP), Shaudae Murray, Jana Moise, Danielle Mouaga (United Way/Centraide Youth Engagement Coordinator), Kaylan Mafurt-Breakenridge (YAP) and Rasha Al-Katta (YAP).
Involved in the series were five girls with ties to United Way Ottawa’s Youth Action Panel (YAP) — three members and the other two aspiring members with proposals in for funding consideration. The day was both inspiring and insightful, says Danielle Mouaga, United Way/Centraide’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, who accompanied the girls to Rideau Hall.
Marie Coligado was inspired by “the many ideas on what we can bring back to the community.” For Rasha Al-Katta, it was appreciating “that women have a voice.”
To find out more about how you as a young person can get involved in our community, you can contact Danielle at 613-683-3845 or by e-mail at dmouaga@unitedwayottawa.ca.