Toast to King, Canada, and Rotary: President Avrum
Number in Attendance: 10
Guests: Ralph Jones, former member of Rotary Club of North Scarborough and a celebrant of his 90th birthday; Dorothy Evans, former president of Rotary Club Markham Sunrise
Speaker: Anna Wong, Executive Director, Canadian Families Services Ontario.
Grassroots and middle income organizations are struggling to provide ongoing and predictable services in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Anna spoke about some of the post Covid-19 challenges faced by social service agencies across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. She referenced the high number of professional service providers who have left their professions in the aftermath of the pandemic and how their departures have created a vacuum in terms of systems’ abilities to deliver necessary frontline services.
Moreover, she made the point that remaining service providers, for example, Personal Support Workers, are being drawn away from their former areas of service and toward hospitals and other entities that may provide superior compensation and better benefits thereby leaving organizations that are closer to the grassroots devoid of their expertise. Anna also made mention of moral injury as a contributor to professionals leaving their professions for other areas or opting for retirement.
In an effort to meet the growing shortfall of service providers, some organizations are looking abroad to secure the support that is necessary. That said, sourcing support from foreign lands does not, in a timely manner, alleviate the immediate challenges that are born from the deep and seemingly lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To hear Anna's presentation, please click on the links below.
Sergeant at Arms: Arthur Retnakaran
.gif)
.jpg){kind=small}
.png)
