Success Stories
Supportive Housing | Community Work | Contract Work | Corporate
Supportive Housing Success Stories
To meet the needs of program participants for safe, clean and affordable housing, True Experience initiated its Supportive Housing Program in 1984. For the next four years, the Supportive Housing Program operated out of various rental accommodations.
In November, 1988, True Experience submitted a proposal to the then Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing under a Federal/Provincial initiative, and were successful in receiving $351,000.00 for our project, a seven bed congregate living home. In May, 1989, the Ministry gave final approval for the project, and thereafter the property was purchased, and renovations and reconstruction took place. The project was successfully completed and was underspent by approximately $48,000.00. “Opportunity House” was officially opened in November, 1989. Our Open House was attended by Federal and Provincial government representatives, local politicians and community members.
Since 1989, quite a few program participants have transitioned from “Opportunity House” into the community, either in independent living arrangements or in some cases, sharing accommodations with a co-habitor.
Successful integration or re-integration into the community by program participants was, and continues to be, achieved by providing ongoing supports from Program staff. In the 2006/07 year, the Supportive Housing Program served 27 participants. Program participant’s successes are determined by outcomes of participants personal as well as program Goals and Objectives. The following are successes achieved by Supportive Housing participants:
- 100% of Program participants maintained residential status and stability in the community for at least two years.
- Zero Program participant re-hospitalizations in the 2006/07 fiscal year.
- 100% of Program participants engaged in regularly scheduled activities in the form of work/employment, continuing education or other meaningful activity.
- Several Program participants hold part time jobs in the community.
- All Program participants/clients are medication compliant, resulting in personal stability and enhanced well-being.
- Program participants have formed an informal peer support network.
- All Program participants have full participation in the “Life of the Community”.
- Two participants serve on the True Experience Board of Directors.
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Community Work Program Success Stories
True Experience Community Work Program was conceptualized and put into operation in the fall of 1981, in response to concerns from the Dunnville community that persons with mental health issues did not have the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities, specifically, paid gainful employment, skills development and vocational training.
Using the basement of a local Dunnville church as a base of operations starting point, the True Experience Community Work Program has, over the past 26 years, evolved into a viable and dynamic community based mental health program which provides supports, vocational training, skills development and paid employment to program participants. Eventually, the program moved its operations to rental premises, and remained there until 2001, when the True Experience Community Work Program moved to a brand new 6,136 square foot building.
The establishment of a permanent base from which True Experience now provides its services, has most certainly increased awareness of the organizations profile in the local Mental Health community (Haldimand and Norfolk), as well as outside areas such as Niagara, Hamilton and Burlington.
The key to our achievements is the dedication to the principles on which this agency was founded, that is, to provide the supports and services necessary for the well-being and full integration of individuals affected by mental illness into the community.
True Experience Community Work Program successes are based on outcomes of Goals and Objectives, as are those of program participants. The following are successes achieved by the participants in the True Experience Community Work Program, and the Program itself:
True Experience Community Work Program
- A total of 78 lawn maintenance customers (64 regular and 24 one-time, or as needed)
- 37 True Experience Work Program snow removal customers
- 100% customer satisfaction based on responses from 52 out of 59 surveys received. The overall response rate was 88%
- 5 industrial type contracts added to core business of program (lawn maintenance and snow removal)
- Addition of a janitorial contract
- 36 program True Experience Work Program participants in the 2006/07 year.
True Experience Work Program Participants
- Of the 36 True Experience Community Work Program participants in the 2006/07 year, 35 were active in the Community Work Program, other meaningful activities or educational pursuits
- 33 participants were active in direct employment activities resulting in 3,589 paid person hours
- 100% of participants completed W.H.M.I.S. training
- 97.3% of participants achieved at least 75% attendance at scheduled work assignments
- 88% of participants achieved 100% of their objectives
- There was a 97% reduction in re-hospitalizations in the 2006/07 year, only one participant was hospitalized for 5 days
- True Experience Work Program participants attended 8 client meetings in 2006/07. Client attendance at each meeting averaged 70-75%
- 4 participants held part-time community based employment, in addition to program participation
- 2 True Experience Work Program participants attended school part-time
- 2 participants are active on the True Experience Community Work Program Joint Health and Safety Committee.
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Contract Work Success Stories
By far, the greatest successes of our Work Program are the achievements of our program participants. Our approach has been, and continues to be “hands on” realistic vocational training, skills development and “real” employment opportunities. Our Community Work Program is based on a competitive market model and we do not pay our program participants “training” wages. The following are an example of the successes we have enjoyed and continue to build upon.
Participants in our Community Work Program have demonstrated their abilities by assembling regulators for a large public utility company and to date, we have assembled almost 14,000 regulators.
Another contract was the milling, buffing and assembly of over 22,000 quick-coupler components for a Cayuga, Ontario company.
The packaging of components for an automotive after market products company, based in Welland, Ontario resulted in packaging of over 16,000 instruction/hardware kits and 24,000 tail gate locks for pickup trucks. We reclaimed and re-cycled 19,000 distributor caps (which were then re-used in the manufacturing of new products).
In addition, to date, we have manufactured over 8,000 dunnage boards for three transport companies, two based in Hagersville, Ontario and the other in Hamilton, Ontario.
The Community Work Program was involved in the manufacturing of lawn/garden furniture (“English style” garden benches and chairs, arbors, Muskoka chairs, picnic tables and custom orders). This component of the Work Program proved to be very successful, and of note is our involvement with the Dunnville Lions Club and the Hagersville Lions Club. The Dunnville Lions Club ordered picnic tables for Camp Dorset, a camp for Ontarians’ who require dialysis, and the Hagersville Lions Club ordered dining room tables and benches for Camp Trillium, a camp for children and young adults diagnosed with cancer.
Over the last 19 years, the Work Program applied each year to Service Canada (formerly known as Human Resources and Development Canada) for summer students, and we were successful each year with our application to hire a student under the Summer Career Placements project.
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Corporate Success Stories
In March of 1990, our agency submitted a Grant Application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation * for the purpose of replacing old vehicles used in transporting our program participants to and from work sites, as well as to social and recreational venues.
As a result of this application, in June, 1991, we received a grant in the amount of $43,200.00 for the purchase of two vehicles, and fund raising training for the Board of Directors.
Subsequently, over the next eight years (1991 to 1999) we engaged in a variety of fund raising activities, the most successful being our Annual Comedy Night Dinner and Auction, which we held for seven years. Our fund raising activities were enthusiastically supported by the greater community (individuals, businesses and Service Clubs), and generated substantial funds towards our goal of moving from rented premises to a building we could “call our own”.
As we are a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization, funded wholly by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, our then Program Consultants from the Ministry suggested we present a proposal for a one-time Capital Projects grant. At this same time, the Board of Directors, staff and program participants engaged in the development of a Strategic Plan for the organization, which indicated the need, among other priorities, for a logistically correct building from which we could operate our programs and services more efficiently. This all took place in 1998.
Over the next two years, considerable time and effort went into the development of the proposed project, as well as on-going communications with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
In January, 1999, True Experience Supportive Housing and Community Work Program (the Corporation) purchased a piece of property a little over an acre in size, and this property is now known as 201 Forest Street East, Dunnville, Ontario.
A proposal and Capital Project Request was submitted to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care in March, 1999. In April of 2000, True Experience received a letter from the Honourable Elizabeth Witmer, then Minister of Health, advising us that approval had been given for a $400,000.00 Capital grant. After reviewing all of the relevant documentation, the Ministry of Health sent a subsequent letter in October 2000, informing us that our total grant amount was $435,009.00.
After tenders were called, received and reviewed, a contractor was chosen and construction of our new, 6,136 sq. ft. building commenced in November, 2000.
The capital project was completed on budget in May of 2001 and an Open House was held. The event was attended by Ministry of Health representatives, M.P.P. Tim Hudak, Town Council members, Lion’s Club members and members of the general public, as well as Board Members, staff and clients of True Experience.
In October of 2004, True Experience once again submitted a grant application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation* for the purpose of replacing ageing vehicles used in transporting program participants to and from work sites, and social/recreational outings. As a result of this application, in April, 2005, we received a grant in the amount of $44,000.00 for the replacement vehicles.
The successes True Experience has enjoyed are the result of hard work, dedication to our Mission Statement, the support of a caring and supportive community, and the many individuals “behind the scenes” who believed in us and helped make our “dreams” a reality!
The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, receives annually $100 million of government funding generated through Ontario’s charity casino initiative.
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