UNLEASH the POWER of the System Integration

Integration and Service System Planning: The Literacy Sector’s Path Literacy Service Planning in The Early Years Focused solely on the services provided by each literacy agency Now Planned within the broader context of the Employment Ontario system – integrating LBS within the EO, EDU, MCI and MTCU system

Expanded System Then Now Literacy Sector An integrated training and employment system that supports seamless client pathways Literacy Sector Education Sector Immigration Employment Sector Apprenticeship

 A group of interacting, interrelated or interdependent elements forming a complex whole  An “integrated whole”  A way of looking at reality that emphasizes the relationships among the system’s parts rather than the parts themselves What is a system?

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) has provided definitions...

Integration  Means focusing on client and community needs rather than on the mandate of a particular agency or organization  Means local programs and services are delivered according to a community plan that is based on information about the needs of local children and families

Integration  It may include the consolidation of resources, the co- location of different service functions and/or re- engineering of existing resources  Families are able to find the services they want and need

Seamless Service Experience  It means that programs and services are so well connected that people may actually perceive services as being delivered by one agency, though they might actually be delivered by multiple agencies  Seamlessness is about connecting services in such a way that transitions between different services disappear

All in a Word: Approaches to Inter- Organizational Endeavours cooperation coordination alliance integrationnetworks partnership

Common Elements  It is a process  There are mutual goals or results  Synergy occurs (synergy is the power to combine the perspectives, resources and skills of groups of people and organizations)  It is a relationship including two or more organizations  MTCU uses the term service coordination

Integration and Service System Planning  Many frameworks present a continuum of inter- organizational relationships that typically have between four and five stages, with “integration” or “collaboration” being the end stage  At this stage, inter-sectoral organizations have a shared vision and common outcomes, and planning is done together to respond to the needs of the community  It is key to define what level of relationship you desire as a group

Integration MCYS Integration Continuum There is no “right” or “wrong” place to be on the continuum. All agencies fit on the spectrum.

Service Planning Integration Continuum  Planning table members are aware of the programs represented at the table; however, they plan for and deliver their respective individual programs separately according to their own mandate and goals Integration

Service Planning Integration Continuum  Planning table members share their program plans with the table and modify their own service planning to avoid duplication, or to improve links among organizations Integration

Service Planning Integration Continuum  Some planning table members jointly plan programs and services, and modify their own services as a result of mutual consultations and advice Integration

Service Planning Integration Continuum  Planning table members plan their programs within a common vision with a clear understanding of their respective goals which fulfill the vision for the community  The group plans for the system of programs and services for the community Integration

System Integration Service Coordination Partnership Development & Service Delivery Facilitated Interaction Networking and Information Sharing

Learnings from Others

Community Integration Leaders Project  Shares the strategies and processes developed by different communities  Highlights lessons learned and opportunities to continue building on previous work  Toronto, London, Sudbury, Hastings/Prince Edward County  For more information about MCYS’s Community Integration Leaders Project, click herehere

Lessons Learned Factors important in supporting movement toward integration:  Strong support and buy-in for integration from partner agencies  A community vision  A strong community champion(s) for integration/ leadership  An incremental approach  Community development approach  Movement with purpose and pace  Identified need for better services for clients

Important Role of Local Leaders Effective leadership was identified as the most important mechanism to facilitate a community planning process. Leaders can come from any organization in the community. Building leadership capacity in communities, particularly in communities currently lacking effective leaders, was identified by partners as an important next step Successful Community Planning Processes Successful communities took deliberate steps to build relationships between partners, used information to understand the community’s assets, challenges and resources, and used a community development planning approach

“The personalities and commitment of the people at the table are critical to the success of the project.” - Sudbury

Discussion Questions 1.What does system integration (from a service planning perspective) look like for us (in its ideal state)? 2.What system strengths can we leverage/ build on? 3.What system challenges need to be addressed to make planning in this way successful?

Forcefield Analysis Activity

Discussion Questions 4.What steps can we take to move forward with system integration?

Reflection  What learnings and reflections do I have from this session?  What are some potential actions for my Regional Network?

Wrap Up and Questions

References  Ministry of Children and Youth Services. (July 2011). Defining Integration: A Best Start Working Paper. Province of Ontario.  Ontario Best Start website (  Ramsay, Anne, Lorri Sauve and Matthew Shulman. (October 2010). Enhancing Pathways: The Literacy and Language Continuum. Project READ Literacy Network. Retrieved from sFinalReportFeb2011.pdf. sFinalReportFeb2011.pdf