Community Report

Community Assessment Report

Jane-Finch Community
August-September 2006


Written by Jill Koller BA, BED, MED

Executive Summary:

The Jane-Finch community is one of the most notorious neighbourhoods in the city of Toronto, receiving media coverage for disproportionately high incidences of poverty, unemployment, teen pregnancies, crime, and violence. The individual reports broadcasted and published about the Jane-Finch community are factual, however, the cumulative story of this infamous neighbourhood has never truly been told. It is the intention of this report to tell that story, to share the current chapter of this community’s five-decade novel of hope, despair, successes, failures, strengths, weaknesses, losses, and victories. The following pages will outline the present assets and needs of this truly amazing neighbourhood with the purpose of offering programming suggestions that will support its members in writing continuously brighter chapters for the future.

The boundaries of the community referred to as Jane and Finch vary depending on the publication referenced or the individual consulted. For the purposes of this report and the development of future programs, the geographic location of the Jane-Finch community is defined as the space South of Steeles Avenue, West of Keele Street, North of Sheppard Avenue, and East of the 400 highway. It is comprised of wards seven and eight and is often still referred to as being located within North York.

Poverty by Postal Code, a report issued by the United Way, identifies that between 1981 and 2001 there has been a 100% increase in the number of children living in high poverty neighbourhoods and a 91% increase in the number of lone parent families (pp. 24, & 42). By 2001 the number of visible minority families living in high poverty neighbourhoods was eight times what it was in 1981, and visible minority families now account for 78% of the families living in high poverty communities (p.50). Specifically, this study noted that “poverty intensified in five main areas. The most prominent is the Jane-Finch area, where formerly ‘high’ poverty neighbourhoods evolved into four ‘very high’ poverty areas, and where others that had ‘lower’ or ‘moderate’ levels now have ‘high’ poverty.” (p. 34)

The Jane-Finch community is a living, breathing example of a community functioning with the characteristics noted in the Poverty by Postal Code report. This community is the most diverse in the city being comprised of 120 different nationalities and over 100 different languages. It boasts the largest populations of youth, sole-support families, refugees, immigrants, low-income earners, and public housing tenants of all other communities in the city of Toronto. (Jane-Finch Neighbourhood Action Plan Report, p. 4) The 2001 census report (www.statscan.ca) indicated that 71% of the population of Ward Eight were visible minorities, almost double the city average, and that 30% of families were headed by single parents, a 50% increase over the city average. The census also revealed that only 40% of high school graduates living in Ward Eight go on to do post secondary education, which is 30% less than the city average.

To understand the circumstances that produced such statistics one only has to turn the pages back to the first chapter of the Jane-Finch story, to the community’s genesis during the 1960s. It was nearly five decades ago when the intersection of Jane and Finch was selected as the location to erect multiple low-income and metro housing high-rise apartment buildings. Toronto’s poor families were relocated out of the city’s downtown core, and what was created was an intensified community of people struggling with poverty, and unemployment. Lower rents have continued to attract families struggling with the same issues, and what has evolved is a community faced with numerous problems stemming from chronic poverty and employment uncertainty.

It was an understanding of this community’s specific compounding issues caused by poverty that drove the investigation of this assessment. Our hope was to uncover both assets and needs within the community and propose programs that would then build on strengths and help to meet identified needs. To develop such an understanding a three-tier investigation model was employed. To begin, a secondary research review of the community was conducted. Previous needs assessments and community issues reports were analyzed, community meeting minutes were sifted through, and government funded projects were reviewed. In total, the findings of eight studies specific to the Jane-Finch community were compiled and common themes were teased out to form the foundational framework of the primary research that was to follow. Following that initial research, the other two prongs of our investigation commenced simultaneously. The first was a series of interviews conducted with the executive directors, program coordinators and front-lines workers of service organizations already working within the community. These stakeholders were asked to describe the services and programs offered by their organization, and then to identify from their perspective and experiences what needs were not being met within the community. Their suggestions always supported the research that had been previously conducted. Some ideas were novel, asking for new initiatives to fill a definite gap in programming while others called for more programs that had been successful, but were just too few to service all areas and members of the community. The last method of investigation engaged the community members themselves, both the children and adults that will hopefully benefit from the programs proposed. One-on-one interviews were conducted with these community members probing into the positive and negative aspects of their neighbourhoods as they viewed them. These stakeholders were also asked to identify the issues that they struggled with as well as the types of programs they felt would alleviate the problems caused by these issues. Their insights were invaluable to the report, and directly influenced the initiatives recommended in this document.

Our secondary research data was extremely informative and we were able to benefit from the concise findings of many recent reports generated by organizations committed to this community. Their findings cut across varying social issues, however, clear and repeating themes became apparent as each new report was analyzed. Those themes centred around the disproportionately high incidence of the single parent family and youth populations of this community (Black Creek West Capacity Building Project, Phase III). These two factors in turn appear to have a compounding effect, where lone parents (the majority of which are single mothers) are struggling to support the development of their children due to the time limitations caused by working multiple jobs, or the financial limitations caused by under-employment.

Our primary research investigation revealed that many organizations interviewed had already acknowledged the problem identified above and have taken steps to support families struggling with such limitations. Toronto Parks and Recreation, the Jane-Finch Community Family Centre, the Delta Community Centre, Youth Connect, Youth Inc, PEACH, Firgrove Ministries, the YMCA, and various faith-based organizations offer after-school programs which help to stand in the gap created by the long work day facing many single parents. Employment services work to address the issues of unemployment and under-employment. However, all would agree that more work needs to be done to support families within this community, both the children and their parents.

After consulting with community members, organization stakeholders and previous research, one message became clear, that a multifaceted approach to addressing the issues stemming from families stressed by financial or time limitations would be necessary. Such an approach would provide mentoring programs for both boys and girls during the hours that parents were absent from the home and unable to perform such a role. Programs would focus on school success, recreation, and life skills in order to stimulate holistic development, and would be designed to foster a close relationship with a positive adult role model. A second component to this approach would be to provide programs that offered training opportunities for parents in order to alleviate employment issues.

In conclusion, the specific mentorship and education programs proposed in this document are a direct result of both primary and secondary research conducted within the Jane-Finch community. This research has clearly identified that many families are functioning in a state of crisis due to economic and time constraints, much of which is connected to the high incidence of lone parent families. It is essential for the health of the members of the Jane-Finch community that more programs designed to support children being raised within these families be created. It is also necessary that these programs focus on fostering close relationships with positive adults who can mentor these youth in making key life decisions. Lastly, it is central to the success of families within this community that parents be supported in terms of training, education, and employability in order to offer them long term solutions to the problems of being unavailable or unable to provide for their children. It is our goal to temporarily bridge the gap caused by poverty for families while equipping them so they can eventually fill that gap permanently.





Background:

Toronto City Mission has been servicing families living in poverty in the city of Toronto since 1879. Originally, this organization focused on meeting the physical needs of families by providing food, shelter and clothing. For the last decade Toronto City Mission has provided for the social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of families living in poverty. This is achieved through programs that offer tutoring, ESL, after-school activities, recreation, counseling, and leadership training. The mission is headquartered in downtown Toronto, with five teams of community workers servicing the St. Jamestown, Malvern, Bridletown, Willowtree, and Jane-Finch communities. Supporting the healthy development of children and their families has become the priority of these community workers, and as such they develop positive partnerships with schools, organizations, and churches who share that goal.

Toronto City Mission’s engagement with the Jane-Finch community began in May of 2006 with the commitment of a new team of two community workers who moved to that area. Through the research process described within this report, the goal of supporting families, specifically single parent families in crisis, has become a priority and has shaped the programming proposed for this area. The need for mentorship programs for both boys and girls is clear as this area by all accounts boasts a very large population of children and youth. That demographic anomaly, coupled with the high incidence of single-parent families has created the need for programs that will help youth to productively use their after-school time while developing a relationship with adults committed to helping them make good life choices. Through the development of such programming, as well as by creating opportunities of training and education for parents, Toronto City mission hopes to support families struggling with the time and financial constraints resulting from poverty.

Methodology:

A three-tier research methodology was employed to access the multiple levels of depth required for a proper understanding of the Jane-Finch Community. Initially this researcher felt a period of acclimatization to the community was necessary, so an effort was made to learn the physical geography and identify the major commercial centres. This was achieved through many walking tours taken within the various neighbourhoods. The researcher would walk from her house at least twice a week through different parts of the community. The locations of grocery stores, restaurants, services, community centres, transit stops, shopping malls, daycare centres and high-density housing were all noted during these trips. The researcher also began shopping within the community and accessing local services. This was done so that street names and everyday conveniences would become familiar and neighbourhood boundaries could be seen first-hand.

The first formal phase of the research project took the form of a cumulative analysis of research documents, needs assessments and meeting reports generated by community and government agencies. It became evident that community research of this nature had already been recently conducted creating an informative foundation from which to build. The following is a list of the reports accessed for this project:

Poverty by Postal Code: The Geography of Neighbourhood Poverty: 1981-2001 – United Way of Greater Toronto & Canadian Council on Social Development
Canada’s Global Cities: Socio-economic Conditions in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver – Statistics Canada July 2006
Jane-Finch Neighbourhood Action Plan Report – Griffin Centre – November 2005
Jane-Finch Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition Inventory Project: Executive Summary – December 2002
San Romanoway Community Revitalization Project: Interim Report – March 2004
Young Leaders of Jane-Finch Final Report: National Crime Prevention Centre Community Mobilization – June 2004
Black Creek Community Capacity Building Project: Youth Focus Groups Report – 2004
Black Creek Community Capacity Building Project: Phase III: Towards Resource and Capacity Development: Action Plan – Joyette Consulting Services - 2005
Toronto Community Housing Community Management Plan: 2006/2007/2008
United We Stand – Report by Gary Green – June 1st, 2006 community meeting held at Grand Ravine Community Centre
Statistics Canada 2001 Census Report – www.statscan.ca
http://en.wikipedia.org – Jane-Finch

The above were reviewed and analyzed with a specific focus on repeating issues that affect youth and their families.

The second phase of the research project focused on consulting with community stakeholders. Twenty interviews were conducted with representatives from fifteen different community organizations. Some of the interviewees were frontline workers while others were program managers or executive directors. Below is a list of the community organizations and agencies consulted:

PEACH
Conflict Mediation Services of Downsview
Y-Connect - Griffin Centre
Toronto Parks and Recreation
Youth Inc – JVS
Black Creek West Community Capacity Building Project
Jane-Finch Faith Community
Jane-Finch Community Family Centre
Delta Family Resource Centre
Firgrove Community Housing Ministries
Hoop to Hope
Youth Unlimited
San Romanoway Revitalization Association
Toronto District School Board
Computers @ home

The first half of each interview focused on the actual organization, its history, current programs, the population it serves and future plans. The next half of the interview queried these stakeholders on issues of community need. Interviewees were asked to first identify barriers or challenges with respect to their organization’s programs, and then to broaden their comments to the general needs or service gaps within the whole community. They were asked to speak to issues holistically and encouraged to make connections between issues, problems and needs that affected the family either directly or indirectly. Their insights were then compiled and analyzed based on common themes. These themes were finally weighted in terms of priority depending on their incidence of occurrence throughout the twenty interviews.

The third tier of our investigation engaged actual community members. Two interview schedules were prepared, one for youth and the other for parents, and one-on-one interviews were then conducted with both groups. The majority of the children age five to twelve that were interviewed attended a day camp offered within the community, and took part in the research project during the third week of August. The youth, age thirteen to twenty, were interviewed during the first week of September by the same staff member. The parents interviewed were either approached at the day camp or at the local mall food courts. Trained camp counselors administered the youth interviews and scribed all answers. Two community workers administered the parent interviews. In a few cases the parents read and answered the questions themselves while talking about answers with the community workers. In most cases the community workers posed questions orally and scribed answers for the interviewees. 44 youth interviews and 29 parent interviews were completed in total.

There were several limitations of the methodology employed. Firstly, there will always be more people to interview or consult on this issue. Although we feel very satisfied with the number of key informants and participants questioned, more participation is always beneficial. Secondly, there was a degree of bias in terms of the youth and parents interviewed because of the method in which these participants were identified. As was noted above, the majority of the youth interviewed attended a summer day-camp that was held within the community. As such, these children were already accessing a community service. This researcher feels that valuable insights could be gleaned from youth that do not presently access community programs or services. Similarly, the majority of parents interviewed were identified at the local shopping malls during working hours. This researcher believes that new perspectives could be gained from single parents who were at work during this time.

Community Analysis:

Background of the community and the current situation:
It was during the 1960s that the Jane Finch community was conceived in the minds of Toronto’s urban planners. Subscribing to the movement of the modern “tower in the park” aesthetic that had taken hold in the United States, city planners believed they had an answer for the rapid urban growth Toronto had been experiencing. Architects such as Le Corbusier had popularized this system of high-density housing, and had touted it as the residential expansion method of choice for American cities. Such cities, New York, Chicago, and Detroit for example, quickly felt the repercussions of this development style. Toronto decided to employ the “tower in the park” concept to offer housing to its “higher-need” citizens. To accomplish this, low-income and publicly-subsidized complexes were erected and the city’s poor, comprised mainly of recent immigrants began moving in. Unfortunately, Jane-Finch’s new residents faced a community constructed with minimal infrastructure. Almost immediately the community was portrayed as a centre for crime, violence, drugs, gang activity, unemployment, teen pregnancies and other social problems.

This stigma has remained throughout the last fifty years, and the Jane-Finch community is still synonymous with the negative social ills of crime and violence. In general, the community struggles with a variety of socio-economic issues. To remedy these issues, a number of non-profit organizations have established themselves within Jane-Finch, and offer numerous services. Poverty remains the issue all such organizations would agree lies at the root of most problems, and unemployment or under-employment is blamed as the main cause for this chronic poverty.

More specifically, the Jane-Finch community currently struggles with the following issues, as identified by the Black Creek West Community Capacity Building Project:

High proportion of high-density housing with significant public housing
Low income levels
High incidence of unemployment or under-employment
Low educations levels with a high proportion of youth dropping out of high school
High ethnic and linguistic diversity
Larger families and high proportion of 6 or more people sharing a residence
30% of families are headed by single parents with a high proportion being teen mothers
Large part of the population is under 15 years of age
High incidence of crime and domestic violence

The manifestation of poverty within the community:
There is evidence of chronic poverty throughout the Jane-Finch community, and these indicators cut across social, and ethnic lines. According to the San Romanoway Community Revitalization Project Interim Report, in 2004 the median income of a family living in this neighbourhood was $30,000.00. The national average for a family income of the same year was $63,700.00, more than double that of the Jane-Finch family. Unemployment and under-employment are most often cited as the reasons for this fiscal disparity, and that is supported by the current employment statistics of the community. In 2004 the unemployment rate for the Jane-Finch community was 12% almost double the national average of 7% for that year. Though unemployment is a definite cause of poverty, having a job does not necessarily solve a family’s problems. Many of the individuals living in Jane-Finch who are employed struggle with precarious and unstable employment situations, or very low paying job opportunities. Often parents must work in two or three very low paying or unstable positions in order to meet monthly financial responsibilities. The 2001 census revealed that housing is greatly affected by this high incidence of inadequate employment opportunities or stability. 68% of people living in the community rent their residence, and 60% of residences take the form of high-rise apartments (www.statscan.ca). This high proportion of high-density housing is compounded by the fact that residences in Jane-Finch are twice as likely to house over six people when compared to the rest of the city (www.statscan.ca).

Many feel that the stress of large families sharing close quarters coupled with the financial strain of unemployment contributes to the high incidence of domestic violence. Over 20% of women living in the San Romanoway apartment complex reported being physically victimized in 2004. Violence in Jane-Finch spills out of the home and onto the streets, with 45% of residents feeling unsafe walking alone after dark (San Romanoway Community Revitalization Project – Interim Report p.7) 27% of youth in the community feel unsafe at all times (Jane-Finch Neighbourhood Action Plan Report, p. 5). These feelings of insecurity in terms of personal safety are well founded. Within this community the incidence of assault is 18% higher than the national average, robberies are 36% more common than the national average and the incidence of sexual assault is 53% higher than the national average (San Romanoway Community Revitalization Project – Interim Report p.7).

The manifestations of poverty can also be heard through listening to the youth of this community. The Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition Inventory Project reports that 61% of youth actually living within the community believe that the abuse of drugs, alcohol, and smoking are major issues they face each day while 56% report that violence within the community is of major concern. Only 40% of Jane-Finch youth that graduate from high school pursue a post secondary education and the drop-out rate for this community is significantly higher than that of the city average. Poverty often affects many connected factors within the lives of youth in the community as is illustrated by the following cycle that shows the possible relationship between education, employment, and adolescent decisions: 30% of families within the Jane-Finch community are headed by single parents, and the majority of these parents are teen mothers. If a girl becomes pregnant before graduating high school, she is less likely to complete her education. After dropping out, these girls have greatly limited their employment opportunities, and are often forced to take very low-paying or unstable jobs. Indeed, some are unable to work because of the responsibilities linked to raising a child, and must receive social assistance. These financial constraints cause a great deal of stress on the family and can keep the mother away from home for extended periods of time as in the scenario when she may be working multiple jobs. Unsupervised children must frequently raise themselves and often receive little or no support from their parent in terms of their education, or navigating major adolescent decisions specifically concerning sex, drugs, and gang activity. This lack of parent involvement can in turn contribute to the incidence of youth dropping out of high school, getting pregnant, or becoming involved with gang activity.

Indeed a common complaint of parents and community members was that youth were always hanging-out idle after-school hours, and that children did not have structured activities to attend. Parents often cited limited financial resources and transportation constraints as reasons for this lack of participation in after-school programs. Community stakeholders, parents, and youth all identified the stresses associated with poverty as issues of great concern to their daily realities. They felt that cycles of poverty similar to the scenario described above were all too common within the community. These cycles of chronic poverty represent systemic issues that need to be approached from multiple angles.

Complicating the problems of poverty within Jane-Finch is the reality of gang influence within the community. Another viscous cycle occurs surrounding the issues of gang involvement as is illustrated through the following scenario: Stress within the home caused by financial limitations, coupled with the often cramped living quarters can force youth to the parks, streets, and malls during the after-school hours. The lure of belonging, status, and the potential money from selling drugs or theft can then cause many such youth to choose membership within a gang. Gangs operate within very clear boundaries and can divide neighbourhoods, schools, and commercial centres along their turf borders. Indeed, such gang territories exist within the Jane-Finch community. “The Bloods”, represented by red and black attire and symbolized by the red B on the Boston Red Sox baseball cap dominate the south side of Finch Avenue generally speaking. They claim the Firgrove, and Lane housing complexes as well as the Grandravine and Oakdale areas. “The Crips”, wearing blue and black operate on the North side of Finch, and claim the Shoreham and Gossford areas. Some communities, such as Tobermory and San Romanoway are home to both gangs with boundaries fluctuating. Youth from all of these neighbourhoods are often limited as to the places they can go because of these gang turfs. During the interview process, many stories were relayed about youth being assaulted because they were “caught” in an area “belonging” to a rival gang. In most instances community workers cited the location of their organization as a barrier to many youth because of fear for personal safety due to gang activity. In this way poverty may cause youth and adults to become entrenched within their specific neighbourhoods, which in turn limits their ability to access programs and services available in other parts of the community.

“Brokenness” within Jane-Finch:
In his book “Walking with the Poor”, Bryant Myers identifies four key elements to brokenness, they are spiritual brokenness, physical brokenness, social brokenness, and mental brokenness. All four of the elements Myers mentions are evident within the community and in the following section they will be defined and then discussed in terms of the specific ways in which they are manifested in Jane-Finch.

Spiritual Brokenness refers to feelings of fear or bondage held by members within the community. All of the parents interviewed expressed fears linked directly to the fact that they lived within the Jane-Finch community. 82% of parents stated that their greatest fear was that they were exposing their children to negative influences because they lived within Jane-Finch. Parents were afraid that these negative influences, specifically dropping out of school, gangs, drugs, violence, and becoming pregnant, would affect their children by causing them to follow in the same behaviour. They felt trapped within a community that threatened to “corrupt” their children on a daily basis through the relationships these youth made with other community members. The majority of the parents interviewed felt helpless in terms of combating this “corruption” as they felt their children’s friends possessed the greatest level of influence within their lives. They described the community as being unsafe for youth as it offered too many destructive possibilities, and a culture that seemed to popularize such behaviours. Some of the parents interviewed wished to move out of the Jane-Finch area, but stated they felt trapped as they would not be able to afford rental rates in the better communities within the city. These feelings of bondage seemed very discouraging to parents and revealed that they truly struggled with a broken spirit in terms of their ability to provide a safe and enriching environment for their children.

Physical Brokenness is evident when community members experience a scarceness of resources or limited choices. This constraint in terms of resources is characteristic of the Jane-Finch community. When questioned, all parents stated that there was a need for more after-school recreation and tutoring programs within the community. They also asked that these programs be free and located directly within their neighbourhoods. The financial constraints experienced by these parents undoubtedly affect their ability to access programs due to an inability to pay registration fees and afford transit fares. There was also a noted limitation of available jobs within the community for both youth and adults. Many of the community members who were working traveled to areas north of Steeles Avenue, which requires an extra transit fare. This additional $2.50 is often cited as a deterrent for taking jobs in the Concord area as they feel the low hourly rates offered with these positions do not compensate for the transit expense.

Social Brokenness occurs when limitations within the community restrict a member’s ability to engage in positive social activities. This manifestation of brokenness is evident within the Jane-Finch community in several ways. The most detrimental manifestation of social brokenness occurs when community members will not access certain programs, services, community centres, or businesses because they are located outside of their specific neighbourhood. This behaviour is a result of the gang activity within the community and of a sense of fear of the unfamiliar. Architectural design also contributes to social limitations for the population of Jane-Finch. 60% of residents live in high-rise apartments. These units do not have front porches, only balconies that are separated by privacy dividing walls. Neighbours will often never have met as there is no front yard or common area in which to socialize. Common spaces such as lobbies, staircases, and outside areas are often feared because they are not monitored and usually the places where illegal activities occur. Parents stated that this limitation of safe spaces greatly restricts their social interaction and their children’s ability to play as they were unable to “trust” many common areas.

Myer’s final element, Mental Brokenness, is manifested when community members have a limited perspective or poor self-image. An interesting paradox occurs within the Jane-Finch community in relation to this element of brokenness. Those community members who rarely left their neighbourhoods also lacked many opportunities and experiences. Their world view was limited to a degree by their lack of mobility and exposure to other communities or socio-economic areas. This stifled world view was compounded by the reality that of the members who did graduate from high school, only 40% would go on to post-secondary education. One affect of this limited perspective was that community members often felt that their way of life was totally ‘normal’, and they did not aspire to achieve a better living situation, education, employment, or socio-economic status. This attitude of unquestioning acceptance of life within the community is juxtaposed by a completely different perspective that is also quite prevalent. Many of the parents interviewed stated that they were not happy with the community, and that they wished they could move to a better area. They felt helpless by the fact that they could not afford to move and frustrated with the futility of their situation. These two very different groups of residents did seem to share one aspect of mental brokenness in terms of their thoughts regarding their community. They are both angered and frustrated by the negative reputation casting a shadow on the community they call home. Many feel that the media’s representation of Jane-Finch is extremely biased and inaccurate. The constant negative messages bombarding residents through TV, radio, and newspapers add to the mental brokenness they experience.

Stakeholder/Asset Analysis and Results of Key Informant Interviews:

Stakeholder identification – Power and influence:
There are many stakeholders within the community, each possessing unique power and influence over certain aspects of daily life. Two corners of the main Jane-Finch intersection are home to two popular shopping malls. These malls seem to be frequented by all members, and as such are two of the few common places that community residents will visit outside of their own neighbourhoods. Therefore, these malls are a safe and non-threatening place to house programs if the goal was to make those programs accessible to all. They are also the commercial centre of Jane-Finch and the store owners have a vested interest in the health and development of the community.

As the majority of community members reside in high-rise towers, the spaces within and around these towers can be either very helpful or hurtful to community initiatives. These spaces are controlled by the property management corporations of the buildings, and in this way these corporations are afforded a great deal of influence over what goes on in and around these apartment towers. Property managers also have a great interest in the community as their success depends on the people living within their building, in this way they have a vested interest in the improvement of their tenants’ situation and the security of their buildings. They are definite stakeholders within the community and can greatly help or hinder the development of programs that may be centered within their complexes.

The Toronto Metro Housing Corporation is another huge stakeholder within the community. There are many of these complexes and towers within Jane-Finch and often these are accompanied by common spaces or community services such as daycares and recreation centres. They are very interested in offering the safest and most positive units for their residents and have developed an action plan for the next three years focused on doing just that. Metro Housing holds a level of influence in terms of their control of access to common spaces as well as credibility with its tenants.

Parks and Recreation is a stakeholder within the Jane-Finch community and they also have a great deal of influence and power over what goes on in the daily lives of community members. There are four main Parks and recreation community centres within Jane-Finch located in the Driftwood, Oakdale, Grandravine, and Yorkwoods neighbourhoods. The recreationists at these centres have built strong relationships with community members and other community organizations and have daily contact with people of varying age, nationality, and interest. The facilities available at these centres are excellent, and often attract children and youth after-school hours as well as during the summers and on weekends. Community centres are also booked for neighbourhood events and are viewed as the centre of recreation activities. Many of the programs that youth do access are run through parks and recreation, making them a valuable and powerful asset to the community.

There are seven main public schools that service the community, Yorkwoods, Driftwood, Shoreham, Blacksmith, Lamberton, Topcliff, and Firgrove, all having vested interest in the families and community of their student population. Firgrove Public School in particular holds a unique stake as well as influence and power within the Jane-Finch community because of their selection for a special government funded project. Firgrove has been selected as a model school, one of three within the city of Toronto, and has been given $1,300,000.00 to invest in programming and developing partnerships within the community. They will also be supporting six other schools within the community family of schools mentioned above through resource sharing and professional development. Part of the model school project mandate is to open Firgrove to the community in new and creative ways, and to build long-term relationships with community organizations. They will undoubtedly be an asset within the community and a strategic ally in terms of partnerships and program development.

Another committed stakeholder within the community is the body of varying organizations and agencies operating to assist residents in many different areas. Mental health, employment, education, childcare, social justice and legal support are issues that these organizations address. They offer support for adults and children, and are in communication with each other through coalitions to maximize this support. The Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition is an example of such a body. They meet monthly to discuss community needs and network with each other so the referral process can be best informed and most effective. Each agency holds their own degree of influence with the community members it services, however, as a unified coalition, these organizations increase their ability to affect change within Jane-Finch.

Faith-based organizations also hold a major stake in community life and development. There are many churches within Jane-Finch of varying religions and denominations. These churches are committed to supporting the lives of their members, as well as the community at large through different programs and services. Cooperation amongst faith-based organizations and churches would definitely increase their ability to affect positive change within Jane-Finch and would send a powerful message to community members.

Lastly, the children, youth, and adults living in the Jane-Finch community possess the greatest influence and hold the greatest stake in terms of community development. It is the residents themselves that will be affected by initiatives and will determine the success of improvement programs. It is only with their individual support and interest that change will be affected on a larger scale.

All of the stakeholders noted above were consulted as key informants during the research process. The message that each relayed was that poverty was the overwhelming issue that needed to be addressed. Agency workers and community members both identified the depressed socio-economic situation within the community as the root cause of all other problems that have manifested over time in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood. A few key contributing factors to this state of poverty arose through the many discussions with key informants. Unemployment and under-employment were always identified as the main cause for low family incomes. These conditions of unemployment or under-employment were almost always connected to a lack of education or training. This lack of education and training was linked to alienation within the school system, teen pregnancies and the financial pressure to join the workforce early. It seems only logical that any attempt at affecting change within the Jane-Finch community must address this issue of education and training as it relates to offering more employment opportunities to parents, and in turn more financial freedom.

The stakeholders interviewed not only addressed the causes of the poverty that so greatly impacted their community, but they also identified the specific ways in which this poverty led to other problems within Jane-Finch. Following the key informant interviews an inventory was created of the problems identified. The report of these problems repeated throughout the interviews and formed a very reliable list of issues that concerned community members and stakeholders. That list is recorded below:

Community Problems linked to poverty:
· Many parents must work multiple jobs leaving them little time with their children
· There is a disproportionately high level of crime, gang activity, theft, and violence within the community
· There are many family members living within small accommodations
· There is major stress and conflict within the home
· There is a high rate of youth dropping-out of school

Indeed, it can be argued that the issues identified above could be alleviated if poverty and its roots of poor education and employment were addressed. The stakeholders interviewed also identified numerous community problems that had a compounding affect on these issues of poverty. They are listed below:

Compounding Community Problems:
· There are many lone-parents struggling to meet financial obligations and raise children
· There are few male role models or fathers
· There are few apprenticeship programs or part-time jobs for youth
· There are many residents struggling with issues of immigration status and lacking Canadian work experience
· There is limited affordable childcare
· There is virtually no 24-hour childcare, causing mothers working night shifts to leave their children in unsafe situations
· There are few safe common places in which youth or adults can connect
· Transportation is an issue for many families who do not have the financial means to own a car or afford bus fare
· Many community members stay only within their specific neighbourhoods
· There are not enough mentorship programs for boys and girls
· There are not enough tutoring programs for children, youth, and adults
· Many adults struggle with literacy or English skills
· There are not enough free after-school programs for children and youth
· There is an overshadowing negative reputation of the community that is fueled by constant negative media attention

This negative media attention has had its positive affects also. Possibly because of the community’s high media profile, various aid agencies have been drawn to Jane-Finch to help remedy some of the problems listed above. This community is home to many proactive community organizations and agencies deeply committed to supporting residents in all aspects of life. There are agencies dedicated to supporting children, youth, adults, and seniors, in the areas of education, mental health, recreation, employment, mentorship, childcare, and food and clothing relief. There are many committed churches and the local school staff and administration are also very supportive. In short, any work that is undertaken within the community would be supporting and building on a strong foundation of social services. This situation is ideal as there is great potential for successful partnerships in many different areas.

The key informants consulted made many helpful recommendations regarding possible solutions to the identified problems. Some of these were successful programs that had run in the past or were currently running, and two were initiatives that they felt were necessary and would be very helpful for the future. Both will be discussed below.

Successful Programs Requiring Further Duplication:
After-school programs geared to the arts and recreation are currently running in many venues and have been very successful in offering safe and productive activities for children whose parents may be working and unable to supervise children during these hours. All organizations suggested that more of these would be beneficial.

After-school programs focused on homework support and tutoring in specific subject areas are also available, but limited. These programs are greatly needed for many children who do not get homework support at home as their parents are absent in the evenings or do not speak English as a first language. School support is vital in order to help youth complete high school, allowing them more employment opportunities for the future. New tutoring programs need to be initiated.

There are some mentorship programs within the community, but they are few. Stakeholders called for more mentorship programs, specifically for male children and youth who may not have male role models in their lives otherwise. This is crucial as many young boys are being raised by single mothers and are currently being sent the message that walking away from parental responsibility is completely acceptable. A new message needs to be sent by positive male role models or this pattern of absent fathers will repeat itself in even greater numbers.

There are some after-school groups for girls operating within Jane-Finch. More programs focusing specifically on girls were also repeatedly suggested, as much of the recreation programs available are geared to boys. Mentorship also needs to be a key component of these programs as well as education regarding sex, bullying, and self-esteem. Stakeholders noted that this female-focus was currently lacking in most after-school programs.

There are some positive common spaces within the community where youth are able to meet in safety, however, the agencies consulted viewed this as a growing need within Jane-Finch. More of such spaces staffed with caring adults would be supportive to youth faced with difficult decisions.

Necessary Initiatives:
As discussed previously, the root of many problems within the Jane-Finch community is poverty caused by limited employment, which in turn is caused by inadequate education. If any message is to be learned from this research it is that programs need to be developed that will equip parents so that they can then support their children properly. There is great need for a General Education Degree program (GED) that would prepare parents for the high school equivalency examination. Currently, many parents struggle with employment issues because they have not completed high school. Indeed, many are ineligible for available positions or apprenticeship programs because they lack a high school diploma. Initiating a program that offers GED training with childcare would be directly addressing the root causes of poverty in a way that is accessible even to single parents.

A second need within the community that is not currently being met by existing programs is 24-hour childcare. Many single mothers work evening or night shifts as they are the only employment opportunities for which they are eligible. Sometimes these positions serve as second and possibly third jobs. There are daycare services within Jane-Finch, however, they only operate between the hours of 7:00am and 6:30pm. Mothers working late shifts must make informal childcare arrangements, or leave their children at home unattended. Both situations can be dangerous and create a great amount of stress and worry for mothers. A childcare service that operates between the hours of 7:00pm and 7:00am is needed to ensure safe and caring supervision for children living within the community.

Community Assets and potential partnerships:
Many positive relationships were fostered during the research process and several organizations show great interest in partnering with Toronto City Mission or other faith-based organizations on key programs.

Parks and Recreation is very interested in Partnering to develop tutoring programs as well as a girls mentorship club. They seem willing to offer space and support for both initiatives as long as the programs were inclusive to all youth in the community.

Firgrove Public School has approved a partnership regarding the development of an after-school tutoring program. They would provide space within the school itself and support all activities that benefit their students.

Youth Inc. located in Jane-Finch mall is interested in exploring a GED tutoring program. They would like to meet to discuss this initiative further and are open to offering space, computers and staff support to this venture.

The San Romanoway Revitalization Association is also interested in partnering with Toronto City Mission to develop a GED program. They have offered space, a fully operational computer lab, and childcare capabilities. They believe this program would be very helpful to residents within that neigbourhood and are fully supportive of the idea. There may also be opportunity to develop a late night day care program for single mothers within San Romanoway.

Y-Connect, located at 10 San Romanoway, is open to partnering on projects in the future. They are new to the community also, having established themselves within Jane-Finch in June. No specific initiatives were discussed as they are in the preliminary stages of developing their own programming, however they are interested in maintaining communication and keeping the door open to future endeavors.

There are many churches within Jane-Finch that are very committed to meeting the needs of community members in a practical way. A formal coalition has been formed between Friendship Community Church, Lisle Memorial Baptist Church, Agape Christian Church, and Shiloh Church. Individual churches within this coalition are strategically positioned to develop mentorship programs, specifically with Afro-Canadian male youth, and to partner with Toronto City Mission in this endeavor. This unified coalition of evangelical churches will undoubtedly maximize their individual effectiveness and influence, making them valuable assets to the community and partners for the future.

Participatory Community Consultation:

Interview revelations:
The most important stakeholders within Jane-Finch are the community members themselves. Many valuable insights were learned through the final stage of this investigation in which interviews were conducted with both parents and youth. A first hand understanding was gained regarding their perspective of the community, their greatest struggles, and the programs they felt would be most helpful. It should be noted that the interview questions were open ended so that participants could generate their own ideas, they were not required to select from a list of given answers. This created depth to responses. Real significance was also indicated when answers repeated.

To understand how community members actually feel about Jane-Finch they were asked to identify both what they liked most and disliked most about the community. The most repeated answer given by parents was that they liked the beautiful racial mix of Jane-Finch. The second most common answer was that it was very convenient as work, school, and shopping were all very close to home. Other repeated answers include how the community works to improve itself and that people look out for each other. The youth interviewed stated that they most liked the many parks and basketball courts within the neighbourhood, as well as the ease with which they are able to make friends. Youth also reported that they liked the community centres and fun activities that were available. These answers are very different from what one would expect if one believed the media’s portrayal of Jane-Finch. It is obvious from these responses that the participants appreciate the positive aspects of their community.

Participants were also asked to share which aspects of their community they did not like. Both parents and youth reported overwhelmingly that crime and violence were the aspects of their community that they liked the least. In fact, for youth, this answer clearly overshadowed all other responses. Parents also stated that they felt there were too many youth dropping-out of school, which caused much loitering at malls, parks, and housing complexes. For parents, these unengaged groups of teenagers are intimidating, and most believe this issue is linked to high rates of crime and violence.

When asked which issues were of greatest concern to parents in terms of their children, two answers were identified as most salient. The first was academic performance. The majority of parents were very concerned that their child would struggle in school. They also shared that they did not feel they were able to support their child academically for many varying reasons. A second issue that greatly concerned parents was their child’s inevitable exposure to what they called “negative influences”. Primarily, parents identified the biggest risk to their child as friendships with other youth that were involved in destructive behaviour. Parents cited negative friendships with youth involved in gangs, drugs, and skipping school as their greatest concern. They realized that as their child entered high school the influence of peers far outweighed that of parents. In this way the parents interviewed seemed to fear the other children within the community, indeed the very product of the community itself.

The youth and children interviewed cited help with homework as their greatest need. Both those in elementary as well as high school stated that they need support in varying subject areas. The majority of children surveyed stated they also needed fun things to do after-school so that they were not bored. The youth interviewed, those attending high school, also shared that they need help finding part-time jobs.

Upon reviewing the interviews conducted with community participants a clear message of hope comes through. Hope because these concerned residents see the reality of Jane-Finch, both the beauty and the ills, and more importantly, hope because they see the potential for improvement that exists within this diverse community.

Voices of Jane-Finch:
In the following section two stories, the lived realities of residents of a metro housing complex, will be relayed.

Chantal – A single mother raising her five year old daughter Tanisha, just barely meets her financial commitments each month. She dropped out of high school when she became pregnant, and has since felt very limited in her employment options. Presently she can only get a cleaning job on the night shift at a factory in Concord. She leaves her apartment each night at 10:00pm and drops Tanisha off at a neighbour’s apartment because there are no 24-hour daycare centres in the area. Chantal works until 6:00am the next morning and is home to pick-up Tanisha by 7:00am, just in time to drop her off at the government sponsored breakfast program within her building. Tanisha will be fed breakfast and will then be walked to school by a caring member of the program’s staff. Chantal is exhausted, but this schedule allows her to provide financially for her family, something she takes pride in. The problem lies in the concerns of the breakfast program’s director. They have noticed many abnormal behavious in Tanisha, the classic markers of sexual abuse. There is no concrete evidence of any type of assault, but the breakfast program’s staff have a “gut” feeling that Tanisha is being abused while she is being babysat. They have questioned Chantal about the safety of the arrangement in broad terms, not specifically mentioning abuse. This caused Chantal to break down into tears. She stated she knew that the babysitting situation was not ideal, but she does not know what else to do. She feels completely helpless, trapped by the reality of her poverty.

Tanisha falls victim to poverty caused in part by her mother’s limited education. She does benefit from a breakfast program that helps to support her mother in terms scheduling and providing a daily nutritious meal, however, Chantal wants nothing more that to provide those things herself. A 24-hour daycare program would ensure that Tanisha is cared for by screened and qualified individuals, however, this alone is not the answer. Chantal must to be able to acquire the training she needs in order to obtain a job that better meets her financial and parental responsibilities.

Malachi – a local outreach youth worker with one of the community agencies spends much of his time trying to build trust with local youth. He grew up in Jane-Finch, and knows the community and the people very well. He relays how, had he pursued his gang lifestyle, he would now be considered an O.G., and “Old Gangster”. Malachi explains that at this stage in his life he would have been able to order the drug deals, theft, and ambushes on the rival gang. He would have had a position of authority within the “Bloods” gang culture. It is easy to see why, Malachi is charismatic and intelligent. However, this is not the reality in which Malachi lives, instead of ordering hits on opposing gang members, he tries to prevent them. When asked what caused Malachi to leave gang culture, he credits a basketball program at a community Church. The Pastor of the church and another male congregational member dedicated two nights a week to a basketball program that also focused on life skills. He tells how every Friday night he was off the streets, playing ball in safety. He tells how he could not fulfill the expectations of the gang and play ball at the same time, and so he chose basketball. Malachi states that he wanted to be successful at basketball more than anything else when he was in high school, and that acquiring court skills were his motivation for attending the program. However, as he reflects on this time in his life, he credits the mentorship that occurred during the program as the one thing during his youth that contributed to his success. Malachi considers it ultimate success that he is able to give back to his community as an outreach worker, however, he definitely laments the realities of many of his high school friends. Many are still involved in gang activity, and some are in prison.

Malachi’s story offers hope as one sees the positive and long term effects of an intervention mentoring program. Basketball was the hook, but the leadership of the community church was very intentional in including a life-skills component to the program.

These stories illustrate both the tragedy and hope that exist simultaneously within the Jane-Finch community. Indeed, more programs that offer choice to community members are necessary in order to break down poverty’s imprisoning walls.

Listening to community members:
The second portion of the participant interviews was dedicated to understanding the programs community members felt would support them in addressing the issues of crime, violence, loitering, inadequate education, and lacking homework support identified above.

Both the parents and youth interviewed identified tutoring or homework club programs as vital to the community. There seems to be unanimous support from residents for this type of service, and very positive commitments in terms of attendance were they to be initiated. This suggestion reinforces the findings collected both through secondary research and key informant interviews. Stakeholders across the board see the importance and benefit of developing tutoring programs in order to support long-term success in school, and hopefully life.

A second community member suggestion was the development of more after-school programs. Children and youth want these programs to focus on a wide variety of activities, from sports, to the arts, to simply opportunities where they can talk and connect with other youth in a safe place. A constant in each suggestion however, was that concerned adults lead these programs. Parents were more explicit in their request that a mentorship component be present in after-school programs. They suggest that leaders structure programs so that they are opportunities to mentor youth through important decisions. This focus on building mentorship into after-school programs is directly in line with feedback given by key informants and secondary data. As so many parents within the community are raising children on their own, a definite need for additional adult support must be met.

A final suggestion from the community was identified through the last questions of the parent interview schedule. Parents were asked what they were most afraid of in terms of their children. Their responses were directly linked to the limiting effects of poverty within their family. Many parents stated that they were afraid that their child would be exposed to negative influences, and this was linked to their absence due to employment obligations. They were also afraid that they would not be able to meet their basic needs in terms of providing adequate food, clothing, and shelter. When asked to identify their greatest dream for their children almost all parents stated they wanted them to have the opportunity to attend an institution of higher education. As they shared this dream, there was an underlying concern regarding the financial obligation necessary to facilitate that possibility. The underlying cry for help revealed through both parent’s fears and dreams is one of financial improvement and stability. These answers show the pervasive way in which poverty affects all areas of one’s life. Though parents did not make a formal request, their discussions definitely revealed their desire to better their current situation so that they could provide the types of support and stimulation that their children require.

Conclusion – Analysis of proposed programming ideas in light of community assessment findings:

The understanding gained through the research process described above leads to four main program directives. Cooperatively these initiatives will address both the present needs resulting from poverty as well as one of the actual root causes of poverty itself. It is the greatest hope of this researcher to be explicit in the presentation of such programs so that the underlying motivation behind them is understood. That underlying motivation is this, that programs should be developed in order to support parents in supporting their children. Jane-Finch will take great steps towards becoming a healthier community when parents are freed both in terms of finances and availability so that they can meet their children’s needs. Affecting systemic change is the greatest goal of this report, however, acknowledgement of the necessity of providing programs that will support parents in the interim is obvious. To achieve this balance between supporting the current realities of families and working to rewrite those realities, the following programs are offered for consideration. Suggestions one through three offer support to parents in meeting their needs within the present community situation. The last programming suggestion is meant to take a step forward in addressing the systemic roots of poverty with the hope of enabling parents to meet their families needs more independently:

1. Tutoring programs: All sources consulted agree that after-school homework clubs and tutoring programs are necessary to support children and youth in achieving success within school. These programs can be seen as a preventative approach to addressing the issue of high drop-out rates within the community. A program design that has been discussed with stakeholders includes having adult leaders (possibly York University students) mentor and equip high school students to tutor children struggling in elementary school. In this way high school age youth would receive academic support along with leadership training. They would serve as positive role models to elementary students and have the opportunity to give back to their community in the process, building self-esteem and a sense of ownership over the program. This is but one program model, and undoubtedly many other models would prove very affective in improving academic performance. Research and stakeholder consultation reveals that tutoring programs need to be held in convenient locations, close to either home or school. Offering a snack is helpful for focusing attention after the school day, and incorporating fun activities helps to retain children of all ages. Partnering with local schools is vital to individual student success, and maintaining communication with parents is ideal.

2. Mentorship programs: Again, sources agree that children and youth require mentorship programs in order to support them in making important life choices. Boys specifically need adult male role models with whom they feel connected, and who can have a positive influence on their daily lives. Programs centering around sports, computers, and music that incorporate life skills or mentorship components would address both the needs of engaging youth in order to minimize time spent idle on the streets and developing solid relationships with caring community members. Girls also require mentorship programs. Often, bullying and conflicts are as extreme with female youth. These programs should also have a focus of interest to girls that allows the development of positive relationships with adult female role models. Hair braiding, beading, and esthetics were activities suggested by the girls themselves. Providing food at each meeting is a successful way to build community and address potential nutrition issues. Mentorship programs in general have been most effective when involving youth in the planning process. It is also ideal to staff programs with volunteers that reside within the community, deepening the relationships made in the program through daily informal connections within the community at large.

3. Childcare programs: Secondary and primary research both point to the need for additional childcare support within the community. Programs that are affordable and flexible are vital to allowing parents, specifically single mothers, to provide for their children. Childcare programs that offer 24-hour care are necessary in bridging the scheduling gap for parents working night shifts, and would offer safe environments for children requiring this type of care. Programs developed to address this need will require further research and logistical consideration. Investigation into both formal and informal programs addressing this need is a next step.

4. Adult Education Programs: Community research, key informant interviews, and participant consultations all point to the need for programs that equip parents with the education and skills necessary for securing stable and well-paying employment. A key component is the GED, General Education Development, program that prepares adults for the high school equivalency examination. Offering a GED program locally, with a childcare component would eradicate two barriers for parents, that of transportation and the limitations of having children at home. Acquiring high school equivalency would open many more employment, apprenticeship, education, and training opportunities for parents that presently remain closed because of inadequate education. A GED program would support parents in achieving a level of employment that met both their financial and scheduling needs, allowing them to best support their families. GED programs can follow a more class-based model, where direct teaching is occurs, or an independent learning model, where one-on-one tutoring supports individual progress. Qualified instructors and childcare providers are necessary as well as an easily accessible location with computer access. Offering an optional meal would be effective in building community among classmates and meeting nutritional needs.

The four program directives outlined above would serve families of the Jane-Finch community in two major ways, by offering support to parents in terms of meeting the academic and social needs of their children, as well as equipping parents to eventually meet those needs independently. This researcher, Toronto City Mission and the coalition of local churches is deeply committed to achieving such a goal by taking the steps necessary for implementing these four program directives.

Next Steps:

This research project is far from completed. As an understanding of many issues has been gained, an overwhelming humility grounded in the revelation that there is so much more to learn was also acquired. However, understanding a community with the level of complexity and diversity of Jane-Finch can only be achieved through years of service and immersion into the culture and lives of its members. Indeed, one must become a member. Toronto City Mission’s investment in the Jane-Finch community is long-term, creating the potential for that kind of understanding.

In order to build on the data collected and interpreted in this report, the report must be shared with key informants and stakeholders alike. Program suggestions must be discussed and commitment to these programs from community members must be gained. Feedback from both sources will then be incorporated into the program development process and initiatives will be tailored and revised in order to meet the necessary needs and requirements identified.

For program success to be ensured, partnerships must be formed with the appropriate stakeholders. Issues of space, equipment, and community trust can be best mediated through positively aligning with other committed and compatible organizations already operating within the Jane-Finch. Indeed, our programs are meant to support the positive and successful work already being done within the community.

More research into the logistics of specific programs needs to take place. For example: a comprehensive understanding of the government regulations regarding formal and informal childcare needs to be gained before proceeding with that directive. Issues regarding volunteers and resources for all directives will also need to be examined and resolved as the planning process develops.

Lastly, funds need to be in place to facilitate moving forward with the program directives identified. Toronto City Mission is extremely positive about the potential funding partnership with World Vision, and hopes to fulfill the mandate of both organizations by successfully meeting the needs of families living in the Jane-Finch community.

Annex 1 – Works Cited

A – Direct Sources:
Poverty by Postal Code: The Geography of Neighbourhood Poverty: 1981-2001 – United Way of Greater Toronto & Canadian Council on Social Development
Jane-Finch Neighbourhood Action Plan Report – Griffin Centre – November 2005
Jane-Finch Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition Inventory Project: Executive Summary – December 2002
San Romanoway Community Revitalization Project: Interim Report – March 2004
Black Creek Community Capacity Building Project: Youth Focus Groups Report – 2004
Black Creek Community Capacity Building Project: Phase III: Towards Resource and Capacity Development: Action Plan – Joyette Consulting Services – 2005
Myers, Bryant (1999) Walking with the Poor, New York, NY : Orbis Books, Maryknoll Statistics Canada 2001 Census Report – www.statscan.ca

B – Indirect Sources:
· Canada’s Global Cities: Socio-economic Conditions in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver – Statistics Canada July 2006
· Young Leaders of Jane-Finch Final Report: National Crime Prevention Centre Community Mobilization – June 2004
· Toronto Community Housing Community Management Plan: 2006/2007/2008
· United We Stand – Report by Gary Green – June 1st, 2006 community meeting held at Grand Ravine Community Centre
· http://en.wikipedia.org – Jane-Finch

Annex 2 – Examples of Participatory Research Tools Used

Stakeholder Interview Questions:
· What is the mandate of your organization?
· Describe the history of your organization:
· How long have you been established within the Jane-Finch community?
· What is the demographic make-up of the population you service?
· Describe the programs you offer to fulfill your mandate:
· Describe barriers or challenges you have encountered:
· What are your future plans in terms of programming?
· What types of programs would support the work you do?
· Describe areas of need that you have identified within the population you service, but that fall outside of your mandate:
· Describe areas of need within the community in general that affect your organization or the population you service:
· What types of programs do you feel would address these issues?
· Are you interested in partnering with respect to the necessary programs you identified?

Please note: Not all questions were asked explicitly to all stakeholders interviewed. Interviews often took the form of conversations or discussions at times, however, each item listed above was addressed whenever appropriate.




Participants Interviewed:

Participant Description
Number of Participants
Female Children 5-12 years old
10
Male Children 5-12 years old
8
Female Youth 13-20 years old
6
Male Youth 13-20 years old
20
Female Adults (mothers)
18
Male Adults (fathers)
11
Community Organization Workers
20
Total Number of Participants
93
Joint Venture Needs Assessment – Toronto City Mission/World Vision
Jane-Finch Community
August-September 2006

Parent Interview Form

Age: _______ Gender: M F Postal Code: ________________

Number of children in household: ______ Number of Adults in household: ______

What do you like about your neighbourhood?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What don’t you like about your neighbourhood?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are three issues your child(ren) needs help with? Explain. (school, friends) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kinds of activities or programs would help you with these issues?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kind of activity or program would most help your child(ren) with school?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your greatest fear in terms of your child(ren) and family?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your life goal or dream for your child(ren) and family? What do you want to accomplish as a parent?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Joint Venture Needs Assessment – Toronto City Mission/World Vision
Jane-Finch Community
August-September 2006

Youth Interview Form

Age: _______ Gender: M F Postal Code: ________________


What do you like about your neighbourhood?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What don’t you like about your neighbourhood?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kinds of activities or programs would you like to do after-school?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are three things you need help with? Explain. (School, friends, home etc…)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kind of activities or programs would help you with these things?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kind of activity or program would most help you with school?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are you most afraid of in life?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your life goal (dream)? What do you want to accomplish in life?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Annex 3 – Map of geographic Community:



http://ca.maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?name=&addr=Jane+St+At+Finch+Ave+W&state=ON&csz=N+York%2C+ON&ds=n&uzip=&mag=3&desc=&country=CA&dma=&cat=trav&resize=l&trf=0&lat=43.7573&lon=-79.5177&mlt=43.7573&mln=
79.5177&rezoom=0&.intl=ca&addrtype=12&compass=&i_ov=0&appid=&pan_x=0&pan_y=0&panable=1

Benjamin Osei

Introduction
“Obi nkyere abofra onyame” a popular Akan proverb which means no one shows the child the sky. The sky symbolizing God. Thus, in my cultural background the concept of God, the almighty creator of the entire universe is well known and accepted by all. His attributes as all powerful, all seeing, etc are accepted by my people. This God is worshipped by all. He is the giver of rain, sunshine, life, and the sustainer of the universe. He is honored and worshipped through our ancestors, the gods “abosom”, habitat spirits and witchcraft. It is believed that “ Onyankopon” God is so powerful that mortal men cannot approach him directly but he cares for the affairs of men. Our ancestors are the ones who continue to intercede on behalf of the living. Prayers are offered through the pouring of Libation and the sacrifice of sheep goats and chickens. Every community had its own fetish priest “witch doctor” who is the guardian and custodian of public order and morality. This in a nutshell is the cultural and religious background in which I grew.
Personal walk with God
At the age of six, my parents took me to Formanso to live with my grandparents,
who were devoted worshippers of Tigari the river god of the area. Shortly after my arrival, my grandmother converted to Christianity through the mission work of James McKeone, a Scottish missionary. She was baptized and became a member of the Church of Pentecost. Not long after that, my grandfather also gave up all his fetish charms and amulets and got baptized. My grandparents took me to church every morning and evening from Monday to Friday and also on Sundays. Since both of them could not read, I was instructed daily to read portions of the Bible for them. The more I read the Bible for them, the more knowledge and insight I obtained myself.
When I left my grandparents to go to boarding school, I took with me both the knowledge of the traditional religion as well as Christianity. I became a member of the Campus Bible study and Scripture Union club. We met regularly every afternoon after classes, prayed together sang and shared testimonies. All this time I continued to hold on to my traditional religious beliefs, Why not? Because the majority of the church members of the village I came from resorted to the traditional priests for answers whenever they faced crisis in their lives. There is a strong belief that every occurrence had a spiritual component so a native doctor will be consulted before a sick person is taken to the hospital. This is to verify the source of the sickness and deal with it in the spirit.
My faith in Christ started to grow through my participation in the Scripture Union and so were my frustrations. We were called names by other students who saw Christianity as an imported religion. Two of the subjects in Secondary School that helped to shape my faith but also deepened my frustrations were Bible knowledge and African History. My Bible knowledge teacher was not a Christian but he had a degree in Religions. He helped the class understand the apparent contradictions and discrepancies in the Bible narratives. One question I still remember to this date is, if Moses turned all the waters in Israel to blood, where did the Egyptian magicians get the water to perform the same feat? How come two accounts are given for the appointment of Saul as King of Israel?
My history class was no different. I became very sad when my teacher told the class that the first ship that brought the Bible to the Gold Coast, now Ghana, also brought the gun and rum and took slaves back to Europe. Thus, my exposure to the history of Christianity in Africa made me very angry. How contradictory it was to realize that the key players who promoted Christianity in Africa, were also engaged in trans-Atlantic slave trade and the colonization of the African continent. Even though I had these internal struggles, I did not quit the Bible study and Scripture Union. As a group, we were continually ridiculed by our classmates. They used to call us “holy holy”, “Chris Fe”, “weak brains” among other names. A lot of my friends tried to impress upon me that “the Christian message was used by the Europeans to tame the Africans.” They told us to close our eyes and recite the Lord’s Prayer. By the time we opened our eyes, they had taken over all the Lands. A friend said “It is a sign of religious immaturity to say that it is only through Christ that one will be saved.” I tried to seek help from a teacher and he said to me “By accepting the Christian message we are agreeing by default that our own cultural norms and religious traditions are inferior to the white man’s”. I knew in my heart that the Christian message is not from the European culture. So I stopped asking people questions and kept reading the Bible. I prayed in my heart and forgave all those who have used the Bible as a ploy to exploit others. In spite of my prayers, I could not make a firm decision to follow Christ because my parents and all the adults I knew were torn between the cultural religion and the church. As said earlier, people resorted to traditional religion to find answers in crisis situations. It was on one occasion when I fell critically ill that my parents took me to the Gadawu Shrine in the Ashanti Region for healing. What happened there changed my life completely and put to rest all the internal struggles I was having.
As their custom demands, a new client to the shrine is initiated through the slaughter of a chicken. The chicken’s throat was slashed and allowed to struggle to die. If it dies showing the breast or legs up, then, it implies that the gods are willing to attend to the client. In my case, they were not accepted. The maximum number of chickens to be slaughtered at a time is seven. Because of this, they stopped at six and started to search my body. They found a silver necklace with the crucifix of Jesus on it and instructed me to put it in the garbage with which I complied. Immediately after that, the seventh chicken was slaughtered and was accepted by the gods. This little occurrence marked the turning point of my faith in Jesus Christ. I did not need a professor of theology or a priest to tell me that Jesus is greater than these African gods. There was no need to wear a cross around my neck which could be taken and dumped in the garbage. I allowed Him to dwell in my heart and become Lord and Master over my life. I became stable mentally and focused on my Bible Studies. I did not allow any comments about the Bible or Christianity to worry me anymore. I got baptized that very year and obtained a membership into the Methodist Church of Ghana.
Upon the completion of my GCE (General Certificate of Education) Advanced level exam, I went to Sierra Leone. It was there that my faith in Christ was tested and shaped. Fellow Christians in Freetown who were supposed to host me turned their back on me. I was however accepted by Ahmadiyya Moslems who showed me great hospitality and offered me employment as an assistant teacher in one of their schools. I studied the Koran and every Islamic pamphlet I laid my hands on. For a whole year I had no choice but to worship and pray with Moslems. When I finally decided to go to the University of Sierra Leone, they offered me a full scholarship. In my second year, they decided that I had to become Moslem before the scholarship could be renewed. With prayer and consideration, I decided to remain firm in Christ. The Moslems did not believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. They did not believe in his deity or his resurrection. Due to this, I could not make a decision to become a Moslem and lost their scholarship. The Lord did not allow me to drop out or be disgraced as in that same year the Rev. Robert Smith and his wife Valerie came from Scotland as SIM missionaries to teach Old Testament theology at the college. They offered me free accommodation and I found a part-time job to pay my fees. The Lord met all my needs for the rest of my stay at the college. When we lean on Him He will not put us to shame. The events that followed after my graduation from the University of Sierra Leone, led me to absolutely trust and depend on God in every area of my life. I was trapped in a civil war situation for three years. Everyone close to me got killed and I was held captive by the rebels for ten months. I appreciated every passing minute and hour of God’s grace and protection. People were captured and killed regularly by the rebels. I prayed to God constantly to spare my life and use me for any purpose. When God finally paved the way for me to leave Sierra Leone alive and return to Ghana, it became clear to me that I serve a real and living God who is so close to me and listens to my cry.
Upon my arrival in Ghana, I was posted as a national service volunteer to teach in a remote secondary school in the Brong Ahafo region. It was there that the enemy came again to test my faith in God after I had completed a week of prayer and fasting. Prophet John from the nearby Centre for God Consciousness came and told me that my light was shining and offered to connect me with angels in the heavenly realms .I was very curious and excited at the same time. I visited his centre a day later and he took me to a secluded area about two hundred meters into the bush where he had placed two chairs and offered me one to sit on. After almost three hours of listening to his teachings, I was exposed to the realm of occultism. Even though he constantly used the name of God, all his teachings were contrary to the Bible. According to him, there is no difference between the Holy Spirit and evil spirit. All spiritual powers come from one source and it becomes evil or holy depending upon how we use them. When I tried to speak, he told me to forget about that faith in Jesus. This did not square very well with me so I gathered some strength and rebuked him in the name of Jesus. He kept mute and refused to speak for about five minutes so I got up and left without saying goodbye. Upon arrival at the main road, I came back to my senses and realized how trickery the devil operates. This encounter helped me to understand the reality of the demonic world and how it functions. When I returned from Sierra Leone, I found to my surprise that my father had become a founder and a Prophet of a healing Church. My encounter and the teachings from the occult helped to confirm my suspicion that the powers my father is consulting for his healing ministry is satanic. I had a strong burden to share the true message of salvation in Jesus with him. I revealed this desire to the occultist after he had told me about habitat spirits and how we can consult them for healing. He strictly warned me not to go and advised me to first take stock of myself before I ventured. How foolish and naïve I was at the time! After all, he’s my dad; why can’t I share Christ with him? I went with a simple message in the form of a story which he gladly accepted and promised to do some changes immediately. A day after that I fell very ill with a fever. As my dad is well versed in traditional African herbs, he prepared some herbs in a bucket of water and told me to drink three handfuls and bathe with the rest. After drinking the mixture, he told me that I would never live to see his secrets again. My stomach started to swell and for two days I could not go to the toilet or urinate. My father told me my type of sickness was spiritual and that I should go and seek permission from the school where I was teaching. His intention was that I should return to his healing camp for him to heal me. On my way, I met a lady at the bus terminal named Rebecca, who told me not to return to my father’s healing camp. She offered instead to take me to her sister’s husband in Kumasi Aburaso who had a prayer ministry. I remember vividly that it was a Tuesday evening around
6 p.m. local time when we entered the school where the service was being held. It was a women’s fellowship night and the Pastor named Anthony was the only man among them. He told me to kneel down and all the woman surrounded me and started to sing spontaneously, praising the lord. The Pastor suddenly clapped and shouted out prayer! They all prayed simultaneously. I felt a sudden push in my stomach as they prayed for me and I started to vomit all sorts of greenish and yellowish stuff. The scent was so repulsive that they had to run outside to bring some dust to cover it up. I was poisoned by my own father! God works in miraculous ways. He used simple uneducated village women to restore my health. This, in fact, was the beginning of my spiritual battles. Word had quickly spread throughout the town where I was teaching -- that my father had cast a spell on me for daring to challenge him. I was shunned by everyone and branded as a madman. I drew closer and closer to God by prayers and fasting. I was disowned by my parents; and, Monica, whom I had married upon my return from Sierra Leone, was gone to her parents to give birth to my son Andrew. One day I heard that the Christ Apostolic church at Tepa-Ashanti, which is about seven kilometers from where I was teaching, was having a three-day prayer tarry camp. I joined them for the entire three days at the end of which the pastor advised me to stay with him. This was at the end of my national service and I had no means of income. Again, the Lord allowed his face to shine upon me by providing for me not only a place to sleep and food to eat but a caring and supporting Christian community. One day I shared with the church what I went through in Sierra Leone and how I was offered a scholarship to Canada for further studies but couldn’t go due to the war. The pastor, named Bernard Sarbah, gave me the equivalent of forty cents Canadian to write to the college and find out the status of the scholarship. I got a positive response from the college and they praised the Lord that I was still alive after they had lost communication with me for five years! I was instructed to proceed to Canada immediately. This took me by surprise as I was not prepared at the time; besides, I was very ill and asked for deferment to the following year-- that was 1996. When I shared with people that I would be traveling to Canada in a year’s time, that confession helped to confirm my insanity. Here I was with no place of my own to sleep, no money to buy food, absolutely dependent on the generosity of others, telling people that I was traveling abroad. When I started to process my student visa the following year, I had no clue where the plane ticket would come from. As I discussed this with Pastor Sarbah, he told me to ask God to provide the ticket since I would be studying how to do his work. The Lord did not disappoint me as the ticket to fly to Canada was provided by some anonymous people in Nova Scotia. The Lord clearly answers prayers and I have seen his hands working closely with me.
I arrived in Canada on full scholarship with no bank account of my own or money in my pocket. I was embraced by a caring Christian community at Acadia Divinity College who loved me and provided all the basic necessities for a start up of life in Canada. Barely two months after my arrival, my appendix ruptured and nearly burst in my stomach. I was rushed to the hospital where I underwent a successful surgery. My bill was $14,500 dollars Canadian. My Blue Cross insurance paid a maximum of $10,000 dollars and the university paid the balance. I saw this as a divine intervention because I would have died if this had occurred in Africa where I had no money to go to the hospital. I went back to Ghana upon successful completion of my program at Acadia. However, I came back to Canada shortly after that to save my life from danger. I was again homeless with no money in my pocket as a refuge claimant in Toronto. My vision of starting a skills training ministry had been crushed. I had escaped to Canada with no sense of purpose or vision other than a safe place to go. I got very depressed but took consolation in the word of God that says “I will not leave you neither will I forsake you”. “If you pass through the fire I’m with you.” Clearly, the Lord provided his people to care for me as I was transferred from the downtown shelter to Matthew House where I felt very much at home and went through some grief counseling. My application for status in Canada as a refuge was rejected and I filed an appeal which was also denied. I therefore applied to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds. Throughout this period I supported myself by working in a factory as a general laborer. One afternoon while I was busy fixing the doors of the television stand that I used to assembly, the supervisor came and told me to stop and start folding the cardboards nearby for the shipping of the units that I had completed. Barely a minute after I left, a pile of board on the rack close to where I was sitting tumbled and crushed the chair and the unit which I was fixing. I realized at that moment that the protective hand of God was still upon me in spite of all the immigration difficulties I was encountering. My application for humanitarian and compassionate grounds was rejected and I was scheduled to be deported from Canada. It was through this deportation process that the Lord appointed his people to champion my cause. I did not do anything on my own other than comply with the government to leave. The whole Country advocated for me to remain in Canada. The God I serve had a bigger plan than that. He allowed me to be deported and used His people in Canada to get me back with my family in ten months. Our immigration fee and air fares were all paid for us. What an awesome God we serve. All things work for the good of those who love him. God has indeed fought my battles for me and I have seen his goodness in the land of the living
Call to Ministry
My sense of call to Christian ministry was revealed to me in 1988. I applied for admission to Acadia University’s Master of Theology program upon completion of my course at Fourah Bay College, the University of Sierra Leone. Dr. Andrew MacRae, the head of faculty at the time, replied that, he sensed God was calling me into full time ministry and offered to give me admission into the Master of Divinity program .This was confirmed by the Reverend Robert Smith who encouraged me to apply for the Master of Divinity program, which would give me adequate preparation for ministry. I was awarded a full scholarship and admission into the Master of Divinity program at Acadia Divinity College. Rather unfortunately, my preparation to proceed to Canada the following year was cut short when I got trapped in the civil war and was eventually captured by the rebels. It was in captivity when I knew I could be killed any minute that I kept praying for God to spare my life and use me for whatever purpose he pleases. I witnessed first hand the atrocities the youth inflicted on the people they captured. They had little or no education and no skilled trade to make a living. The majority of them were happy to join the rebel movement because the gun gave them new status and power. It was in this situation that my calling to reach out to the youth was formed. I was quite certain that God was calling me to minister to the youth in Africa. When that plan was aborted and I found myself in Toronto as a refugee claimant, I still nurtured the desire to go back. In the interim, I started to reach out to the youth in the Jane and Finch area where I resided. As I made friends with the youth on the streets and the Community centres, they led me to their homes where I discovered the open acceptance of their parents. The demand for my time by the youth and their parents became so great that it became impossible for me to joggle the factory work and the community outreach at the same time. I continued as a volunteer for two years under the direction and supervision of Rev. Mel Finlay of Fallingbrook Hieghts Baptist Church before he approached Youth Unlimited on my behalf for the possibility of full-time employment. At the appointed time, when Friendship Community Church went to Youth Unlimited looking for a Youth worker for the Jane and Finch area, they were referred to me and I eventually got hired By Youth Unlimited under a partnership with Friendship Church. This partnership has now expanded to include Lisle Memorial Baptist Church, Agape Ministries and Yorkwoods, the Salvation Army Church.
I came to Youth for Christ so that I could be part of a team of an existing Youth-serving organization. Apart from the fact that I did not want to work in isolation, I wanted to benefit from the training and direct supervision which Youth for Christ offered.
It has been such a blessing to be part of this outreach Ministry because it naturally fits into my way of life. Many a time, both the youth and their families have wondered about the type of job I do for a living. This is because I am often seen by most families as a friend who is interested in helping them or an uncle to the youth. It is not my nature to impose myself on people and this ministry has helped me to reach out to people in their natural environment with the message of Christ’s love for them.
Experience of Ministry
I did not know the extent at which God has been using me to bless the lives of the people I have been ministering to, until I was ordered to be deported in 2003. The show of support by the youth and their families and the entire community bore ample testimony of how God has blessed their lives through this ministry. On my part, I could see clearly that God is at work in this ministry and I am just following his leading to reach out to people that he wants me to serve. I cannot boast of any incredible gift or ability to do this work – yet, people take the time to listen to me and confide in me. Young people who are termed as “at risk” do not turn me away. It is very humbling to know that God can use someone like me who came to Canada as a homeless refugee claimant, a deportee-returnee, and even stricken with cancer. I have learnt through all this that it is not by my might or power that this ministry is functioning but by the spirit of God. He has assigned people to pray for me and support me financially so that through Him I can bring the message of hope to the helpless. The greatest challenge has been the enormity of the work that needs to be done in this area. Dealing with people’s problems continually can be emotionally draining. But I take consolation and joy in the fact that, at least I am here as a point of reference and support for people who have no where else to turn to. I have seen how the youth in the programs have grown physically, socially, academically and spiritually over the past six years that I have been in contact with them. Families that were on the brink of collapse have stayed strong and intact. Young people and their mothers who have no one else to talk to can confide in me. People in detention and those with cases in the law courts resort to me for help even though I am not a lawyer. The schools in the community have come to recognize the invaluable service provided through this ministry and continue to seek my help when needed. The entire Jane and Finch community, the city of Toronto, the Province of Ontario and the Federal government have all come to recognize this ministry. These types of recognition is not something that I seek or covet as I am not in this ministry for personal aggrandizement. God has also been faithful by bringing alongside me, dedicated volunteers, prayer partners and financial supporters who have helped to meet the needs of the ministry. This ministry has completely altered my life. Whether I like it or not, the Lord has brought my name into the limelight. This comes with a greater sense of responsibility. And that is to continually lead a life that is full of virtues and worthy of emulation. My greatest joy comes from my innate realization that I am one of the Lord’s laborers working in His vineyard. This has changed my focus in life from striving to acquire all the material things in this world to kingdom building. Through all these, I have learnt to depend on Him to supply all my needs.
Philosophy of Ministry
My philosophy of ministry is based upon my passion and conviction that God desires to know and be known to His children, and that I am an extension of His heart and love to those I serve. I believe that the primary purpose of the church is to equip the members to reach out to those who are outside of its confines and reconcile them with God. “How will they believe if they have not heard” As Christians, if we believe in justice, mercy, salvation, faith, stewardship, reconciliation, and redemption then we must go beyond belief to valuing. My method is to bring Christ to people where they are through word and deed. This involves reordering my lifestyle to identify with and invest in the down trodden and neglected. Love is at the epicenter of it all and it is experienced deeply in relationships with other people.
When it comes to impacting and transforming lives, my abilities and skills can only get me so far. To be a relational instrument in people’s lives require me to actively see others through the eyes of God. I seek to do the following:
take the time to enter into relationship with them and listen to them;
take the effort to love them as though I am the only person who ever will; and,
take the opportunities to lead and walk alongside them towards a deeper relationship with God as they learn about His love for them.
To accomplish the above, I must pursue the goal to model and create a ministry climate where people are valued, feel safe, desire to be, and where Christ is the lens where ideas come into focus.
I believe that being real, relevant and relational is the hallmark of successfully imparting truth, challenging personal growth and character transformation, and equipping them to pursue the God-given purpose for their lives.
I believe that the church must be an extension of the real world classroom where people are allowed to explore life issues in an open, forgiving, and healing environment. Through relationships, individuals learn how to integrate, live and reflect Christ according to spiritual insights that apply to their situations.
In order to meet the spiritual needs of this generation, I contend that these values must be integrated into my philosophy of ministry:
Authenticity - Being real and being okay with that
Relational connectedness - Transformation happens in community and we belong to something bigger than ourselves
Elasticity - Change is expected and encouraged
Practicality - The truth applies to real, daily life stuff
Interactivity - There are no spectators on our journey together to "become"
Experiential learning -The integration of faith applied to the individual’s personal life, encourages transformation in character, knowledge and belief
Simplicity - The truth is easily understood, translated and applied
Holiness - God is real, powerful and He cares about us
De-institutionalizing the church – It’s not about our organization’s numbers, it’s about the Kingdom...and the Kingdom is where we live, work and worship ...and those "numbers" are His children who need to know Him.
Realizing that the first step in any philosophy of ministry must be establishing priorities, I have established the following personal and pastoral priorities.
Personal
· Seek God first as the central priority in life (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 6:33)
· Model a character of Christ ( 1Tim. 4:12,15-16; 1 pet. 5:3)
· Continually build a strong marriage relationship (Eph. 5:25; 1Tim 3:4)
· Model the great commission by doing the work of an evangelist (1 Tim 3:7; 2Tim 4:5)
Pastoral
· Lead others by establishing loving relationships (1John:3:8)
· Bible study, prayer, and spiritual preparation for teaching (Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim 2:15)
· Disciple and mentor the youth in my programs
· Visit, counsel, encourage, and love the youth and their families as well as the body of Christ.
What I have come to see most of all is that ministry is not a position to be acquired in the church. It is not an occupation held by people who have gone through the proper channels of interviewing and questionnaire answering. Ministry is a vocation, one that all people can participate in You can serve right where you are, with or without any official sanction
.
Ministry Development
1. Lead weekly sports program
2. Bring in new young teens from the community to join the sports program and the boys
and girls (WAVE) club.
3. During the programs, have a discussion time about personal and spiritual issues

4. Develop 1- to- 1 mentor relationships between leaders and youth that extend beyond
regular program in order to engage in whole-person ministry: addressing social,
physical, material, emotional, mental and spiritual needs.
5. Befriend parents and families of participants, providing help and counseling as needed
6 Direct youth and families to other sources of help in community, as needed
Special Summer Program
1 Seek federal grants for summer student workers (through Youth Unlimited and coalition of local churches)
2 Recruit summer student workers
3 Research, plan and promote an extended summer youth programs
4 Prepare and fund raise for summer programs
5 Implement and evaluate summer programs
Ministry team Development
1 Enlist suitable senior teen grads from last year’s program as assistants
2 Recruit a team of adult volunteers from the coalition of local churches and other partner churches to help with the existing programs
3 Screen Candidates
4 Orient and train team members to their responsibilities
5 mentor the teen leaders individually, coaching life skills and faith development
6 Provide pastoral leadership and encouragement to the team
Church Partner Relations
1 participate in local church coalition
2 Speak in partner churches, presenting ministry and involvement opportunities
3 In consultation with church leaders, recruit volunteers in partnering churches
4 Guide and encourage the process of involving community youth in churches
5 Provide quarterly written report /letters to partner and supporting churches
6 Visit supporting churches, at least annually
Future Development strategy
1 Continually update research of community needs and services
2 Build relationships with relevant social agencies and key community players
3 Assess needs of local youth
4 Evaluate effectiveness of current program, including feedback from youth, parents and volunteers
5 Research other programs to similar populations

Personal Stewardship
1 Pursue a vital spiritual life and growing relationship with God
2 Develop and maintain life balance ensuring social, mental, emotional, physical well
being
3 Develop a personal support team for the purpose of encouragement
4 Participate in regular accountability and development with Youth Unlimited supervisor
5 Participate in regular accountability with church partners
6 Pursue other learning needed for responsibilities. For example, youth culture,
Community development, mediation, etc