We have moved the release day for What's on the MOVES to Friday. We will continue to share information received about upcoming events, agency news and announcements with the DC MOVES mailing list. If you have information to share through this bulletin, please contact the DC MOVES Coordinator  Carol Good.
DC MOVES June 21 Forum recap

On June 21, we held the DC MOVES Forum at Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS). As the Coordinator, I welcomed the participants and led the round-the-room introductions. Amber Wood, DC MOVES Leadership Table member and Manager, Family & Volunteer Services for Habitat for Humanity Wellington Dufferin Guelph provided opening remarks. We received updates on the DC MOVES priority pillars - Community Wellbeing, Poverty Reduction and Resource Sharing.
 
Ishan Angra, Health Promotion Specialist with Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health, presented his proposal for increasing access to recreation in Dufferin County. After a lively discussion, we moved onto a presentation by Diana Morris and Nick Lumia from the Dufferin Board of Trade. Our third and final presentation was made by Earl Phillips from Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP). After the presentations, participants moved into small discussion groups. The evaluations collected at the end of the session highlighted the value of meeting in person and learning first hand about how to increase connections and collaborations in Dufferin County. Mark your calendar for the next DC MOVES Forum on September 15.

Resource Sharing
Volunteer Dufferin Welcomes
New Members
 
Did you know that when your organization joins Volunteer Dufferin, you get:
  • the opportunity to post an unlimited number of volunteer opportunities annually
  • social media posts such as this one, uniquely crafted, as well as ones that profile your organization, at no additional cost
  • free resources that will be available on our new website that will launch in the Fall
All this for less than the cost of one print ad, or less than a cup of coffee a day. I'd love to meet with you and let you know all that's in store, for the benefit of your organization and our community. Please contact me at [email protected] or 519-942-0723.

Community Wellbeing
Well on the Way with 649 Hats!

The latest count shows HatsOnDufferin has surpassed the 500 hats mark reaching 649 completed hats. With this mark exceeded, HatsOnDufferin has taken an important step closer to meeting its goal. Founded in 2016, HatsOnDufferin is a non-profit organization with the goal to ensure that every child within Dufferin County has a hat to keep warm this winter.
 
This innovative initiative has support from many local and regional players. They have helped to raise the profile of both the initiative and the reality of poverty in Dufferin. HatsOnDufferin would like to thank the following organizations: Craft Happy, The Wool & Silk Co., The Friendly Chef Adventures Inc., Lavender Blue Catering Ltd., Soulyve Caribbean Kitchen, Headwaters Tourism, County of Dufferin, The Town of Shelburne, Headwaters Communities in Action, DC MOVES, Volunteer Dufferin, Snapd Dufferin, Dufferin Women in Business, Crochet and Knit Club Dufferin.

The progress was marked on the HatsOnDufferin progress-meter on display outside Craft Happy in Orangeville. In total the organization plans to donate 150 hats to each of Dufferin County's twenty-nine schools in recognition of Canada's 150th anniversary. Those looking to get involved in the initiative are encouraged to visit hatsondufferin.ca for more information and like HatsOnDufferin on Facebook. Yarn and hat donations are being accepted at Craft Happy in Orangeville

OMSSA Newsletter Highlights re: Community Wellbeing

Multicultural Community Capacity Grant Program
The Province is accepting applications until August 1 for its new Multicultural Community Capacity Grant Program, which will support community projects that advance diversity and reduce barriers to inclusion, while providing opportunities for newcomers and ethno-cultural communities to participate fully in civic, cultural, social and economic life.
 
Newcomer and Refugee Settlement Grant Programs
The Province is inviting community organizations, municipalities and the broader public sector to submit proposals for four programs that enhance services to immigrants and refugees: 
  • The Municipal Immigration Information Online Program and Municipal Innovation Fund 
  • The Ontario Bridge Training Program 
  • The Newcomer Settlement Program 
  • The Adult Non-Credit Language Training Program 
Funding applications are being accepted over the summer. Learn more about about eligibility and timelines at the above links.
 
Poverty Reduction
As we continue to plan for a large-scale build in Dufferin, we look to our community for support. At Habitat for Humanity, support comes in many forms. 
  • Volunteer with us! Learn more about our volunteer opportunities in Dufferin here.
  • Shop at the Orangeville ReStore, or donate your gently-used furniture, appliances and more. Learn more here.
  •  #PartyHardforHabitat: This September, we're hosting our first ever Ultimate Habitat House Party in Dufferin! Find out more about tickets, sponsorships and more by emailing [email protected] 
We're building homes and building the future of community - our community.

  Help Wanted: Update on 
Precarious Employment in Rural Ontario

As part of a larger emerging investigation on rural precarious employment in Ontario, thirteen key informants (including Keith Palmer, Director, Community Services, County of Dufferin) participated in interviews with the goal of learning more about how precarious employment is experienced on the ground. Click here for more information on the research project.

Responses suggest challenges associated with precarious employment are experienced by individuals, families, and communities. Firsthand accounts of experiences from those precariously employed will be collected in the next phase of this study and will prove highly valuable in triangulating data collected thus far.

At this stage, the perceived impacts on individuals and families are at the forefront of responses from key informants. The impacts on communities are less direct and are more difficult to identify. Outmigration, industry specific norms, and employment support resources are all elements contributing to the experience of workers who are precariously employed in rural Ontario.

A reimagining of elements in the employment system such as hiring practices, wage minimums, and up-skilling are components to plans for reform identified by interviewees.

OMSSA Newsletter Highlights re: Poverty Reduction

Rising Poverty in Canada: What Does the Data Tell Us?
Maytree's latest report, What does the data tell us about rising poverty in Canada?, explores how different groups have been impacted by poverty, how government transfers helped some people, and indicates directions for the upcoming federal poverty reduction strategy.
 
Federal Government Seeks Input on Removing Barriers to Employment
The Federal Government launched a Call for Concepts for a program to help federally regulated, private sector workplaces break down barriers to employment for women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minority communities. 
 
The Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity grant and contribution program will provide up to $500,000 a year to help make workplaces inclusive and diverse through partnerships and industry-specific strategies.