TiHS Episode 27: Somerset West Community Health Centre – digital equity & virtual care

Technology in Human Services - digital equity and virtual care

Welcome to episode 27 of the Technology in Human Services podcast. In this episode, I’m chatting with a few folks from the Somerset West Community Health Centre in Ottawa about their experiences with digital equity and virtual care. On the line with me are Sue Merrill, Manager of Quality Improvement, Planning and Evaluation, Lisa Vadeboncoeur, Digital Equity and Virtual Progamming Project Assistant, Magda Osman, Community Health Promoter.

TiHS Episode 26: Omar Yaqub – building a better intake system

TiHS-Episode-26-Omar-Yaqub-IFSSA

Welcome to episode 26 of the Technology in Human Services podcast. In this episode, I'm chatting with Omar Yaqub of the Islamic Family & Social Services Association in Edmonton. Omar and his team are re-envisioning a modern intake system for the social services sector that leverages technology, including machine learning and predictive analysis. You know, the promise of tech - prompting you with questions or suggestions as you use technology. On the surface it looks like a tech project, but it is much more than that.

TiHS Episode 24: How do I know my transition to virtual service delivery is effective?

TiHS_Episode_24_measuring_virtual_service_delivery

Welcome to Episode 24 of the technology and Human Services podcast. This episode is recording of a panel I moderated recently focused on measuring virtual service delivery for the newcomer Strategy Group. Manjeet Dhiman from ACCES Employment was on the panel along with Jason Shim from Pathways to Education Canada, and Lawrence Murphy from Worldwide Therapy Online.

Hiring newcomers is up to employers. Not government. Not NGOs. Not newcomers. Employers.

Hiring newcomers is up to employers. Not government. Not NGOs. Not newcomers. Employers.

I keep seeing new reports and research coming out, as well as platitudes from business leaders about how we don't harness newcomer talent enough in our labour market, and that we really need to especially given lower immigration numbers during COVID and our existing and coming economic economic crisis and if this sounds like a run-on sentence it is because I'm, like you I'm sure, so sick of hearing the same old same old about labour market barriers to full participation for newcomers and it's just so blah, blah, blah without action.

TiHS Episode 22: Abby David – collaboration during a pandemic

TiHS Episode 22 - Abby David

Earlier this Summer I learned that the New Brunswick Multicultural Council (NBMC) had been doing some innovative coordinating work with member agencies after everyone pivoted to remote work. I was curious about their work with member agencies to develop policies and tools and share best practices. In this conversation Abby David shares how NBMC worked together as a provincial sector and what the fruits of that work have been.

Twitter Chat Summary for #ImmigrantsThrive

This afternoon I participated in a World Education Services (WES)-sponsored Twitter chat, with the hashtag #ImmigrantsThrive. I thought I'd share my answers to their questions, along with some resources others shared that I found interesting and useful.

TiHS Episode 21: Laura Mannix – innovation is in our sector’s DNA

TiHS-Episode-21-Laura-Mannix

Laura Mannix is the Director of Community Development at DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society. I spoke with Laura to talk about her work bringing social innovation culture into her organization, as well as how DIVERSECity has been able to pivot remotely. We talk about what all of that has meant for the kind of community work that they do and how it relates to newcomer and community engagement as well.