Uniting human services groups

Human resource groups in the city came together Monday in hopes of moving forward with a more unified voice on social issues in Yorkton.

Andrew Sedley, executive director of SIGN explained Monday's meeting was what he termed a 'Conversation Cafe', which attempted to bring "all the human service agencies together," looking to create a common vision of social needs in the city.

"Many groups are working on different issues in the community," he said, but added there is a feeling there is a need for "one group to speak for all human services groups."

Sedley said he hoped the workshop Monday would lay the groundwork to create an umbrella group through which human services organization would "have a unified voice."

Certainly the human services community is a diverse one.

"There are 35 different organizations represented here," Sedley said Monday.

The sheer number means even with the human services community it's hard to track exactly what each does.

"The organizations we work closely with we know inside and out," said Sedley. Other groups are less known, and he


said that too is part of the reason for launching Monday's event.

"How do we increase that knowledge of what is out there?" he asked. "How do we become more collaborative."

Sedley said if groups open a dialogue, and begin to address key issues as a unified voice they can get ahead of the curve on some things.

"This is looking at developing more of a proactive approach," he said.

Sedley said the city is certainly in an economic boom with 129 more business licenses issued in 2011 in Yorkton than a year earlier, and regional potash developments potentially creating some 6500 permanent and temporary jobs moving forward.

However, with economic boom can come social issues, including housing which we already see in the city.

"When you experience economic growth you also experience social issues How do we deal with those issues?" asked Sedley.

In some cases the issues are being looked at already. The city has established a Housing Committee, and Parkland College is looking at a new trades and technology centre to help with education, said Sedley.

But, a human services voice could still benefit on other important social issues, he said.

"We want to be able to work on them before issues get worse," said Sedley.

Sedley said it was hoped Monday would lead to the creation of a common vision for the groups on attendance, and set some goals to pursue.

From there Sedley said he could see an umbrella group similar to the Chamber of Commerce which would focus of "some of the bigger picture issues" in terms of human services sector.

"We really see working together as how to make a real difference in the community."

Joe Milburn, Staff Sergeant with the Yorkton City detachment of the RCMP said having the groups come together is a definite positive because it provides an opportunity "to become familiar with each other."

Jackie Washenfelter, director of the Mental Health Drop-In Centre in the city said connections are important.

"For me it's putting a face to a name that has been really beneficial," she said, adding they have clients with varying needs and knowing what each human services group offers can help them connect clients with what suits them best.

"We'll be better able to serve the needs of our clients," she said.

Washenfelter added having a unified voice to focus on common issues in the community has to be beneficial as well.

Milburn said knowledge of services makes everyone better able to help clients.

"A lot of the calls for service we get are really not police matters," he said, adding if they know what social services are out there they can point people to the right group "to get the help they really need."

Milburn also likes the idea of human services groups being proactive in terms of dealing with issues.

"We (the RCMP) deal after with the symptoms," he said, adding other groups are more focused on root causes, and if they have a voice to effect change there may be less need for the police down the road.