211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report
Š 2008 Community Connection. All rights reserved. This report is published on an annual basis and is part of the 211 Ontario Evaluation Plan. Information in this report may not be reproduced or redistributed in any manner whatsoever without prior permission from Community Connection. Community Connection 275 First Street, Box 683 Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 4E8 705.444.0040 211@CommunityConnection.net Community Connection tracks calls for statistical purposes only. It does not collect information on the identity of callers.
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Foreword 211 is a three digit telephone number to access free, confidential, multilingual information about community, social, health and government services available to residents. Online access is available through 211Ontario.ca. 211 is part of the N11 numbering system set by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. These codes are used to provide three-digit dialling access to special services. The current assignments of N11 codes in Canada are as follows:
211
Public Information and Referral Services
311
Non-emergency Municipal Government Services
411
Directory Assistance
511
Weather, Traffic and Travel Information
611
Telco Repair Service
711
Message Relay Service (MRS)
811
Non-urgent Health Care Telephone Triage Service
911
Emergency Services
The allocation of three-digit dialling codes is based upon the following guidelines:
• • • • •
there must be a compelling need for three-digit access that cannot be satisfied by other dialling arrangements; the assignment are to a service or services rather than a specific organization; is based on a need to serve the broad public interest; cannot confer a competitive advantage on the service provider(s) reached by this number; the services to be provided through N11 dialling are to be widely available geographically and on a fulltime or extended-time basis.
211 Update and Overview The inaugural 211 service in Toronto was launched on June 13th, 2002. In 2005 implementation in Niagara Region and South Georgian Bay created a successful pilot for the new consolidated system planned for Ontario. In 2007, new 211 services were established in Halton Region and Windsor-Essex, with the final three sites (Thunder Bay, Peel and Ottawa) operating in their testing phase. The eight 211 call centres will expand over the next three years to service all of Ontario. In 2007, the provincial portal 211Ontario.ca began its final development stage to provide a single access point through the Internet.
211 Ontario Evaluation Plan This report forms part of the evaluation plan established for 211 service providers in Ontario. The goal of the evaluation plan is to document the impact of 211 against the stated goal that users receive the services that meet their needs and are self-reliant in accessing the services they require. As the 211 Ontario Evaluation Plan and statistical collection grows and matures, it will create a foundation for monitoring the impact of 211 in Ontario, and to act as a reference point for individual communities to consider in the provincial and national roll out of the landmark 211 service.
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report
Table of Contents Service Standards.................................................................................................. Page 4 Annual Calls ...........................................................................................................Page 4 24/7 Service ..........................................................................................................Page 5 Websites ...............................................................................................................Page 5 Caller Profiles ......................................................................................................Page 5-6 Caller Location........................................................................................................Page 6 Awareness .............................................................................................................Page 7 Description of Calls .................................................................................................Page 8 Reasons for Calling .................................................................................................Page 8 Top Ten Referrals....................................................................................................Page 9 Type of Assistance Provided .....................................................................................Page 9 Language Services ................................................................................................ Page 10 Service Gaps and Needs ........................................................................................ Page 10 Certification of Staff .............................................................................................. Page 10 Service Quality Surveys - Individuals ....................................................................... Page 11 Service Impact Surveys - Organizations ............................................................. Pages 11-14 Outreach and Promotion ........................................................................................ Page 15 Call Examples.................................................................................................Pages 15-16 Caller Comments .................................................................................................. Page 16
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Annual Calls 2007 was the second year of 211 service to the South Georgian Bay communities of Collingwood, Clearview Township and Wasaga Beach. While exchange routing (enabling 3-digit dialling) is accessible from most of Simcoe County, marketing has been targeted to South Georgian Bay, a population of approximately 48,000 residents. In 2007, a total of a 14,902 calls were responded to, a 9.4% increase over 2006.
Annual Comparison - Calls by Month 2007
2006
2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Service Standards A variety of statistics on Community Connection’s telephone system are routinely available through an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system. The ACD receives telephone calls into a central system and distributes those calls to the information specialists, according to its programmed criteria. This technology can generate statistics and reports, which are used for ongoing monitoring of service quality. Provincial standards provide many benchmarks for service, including:
Achieving a minimum average answer rate of 85%: ¾ In 2007, Community Connection’s information specialists answered 92% of all calls. The calls not answered are described as phantom calls, which are calls received but no “real person” is making the call. Switching equipment misinterprets “2-1-1 pulses” which are experienced as rings only, clicks, silence, a busy signal, or static. Phantom calls are common to all 211 centres in North America.
Achieving a minimum average answer rate of 45 seconds: ¾ In 2007, Community Connection’s information specialists answered calls within an average of 19 seconds.
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report 24/7 Service In 2007, Community Connection’s information specialists provided service sixty hours a week, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. After-hours service was available through an agreement with 211 Toronto1 (Findhelp Information Services), which received 5,893 after-hours calls from South Georgian Bay, an 18% increase from 2006. In 2007, 40% of all calls were received evenings, over night and weekends, demonstrating the need for after-hours service.
Web Sites – Self Service In 2007, there were a total of 93,371 unique website visits, a 26% increase in overall web site usage. The regional website, 211SimcoeCounty.ca provides self-serve access to a countywide inventory of human service organizations and programs, and is part of the provincewide 211 bilingual portal under development through 211Ontario.ca. The 211 Simcoe County database is maintained by a coalition of five community information centres in Simcoe County, who follow provincial standards for continual updating, research and collection activities. The database contains almost 4,500 organizations and programs, all of which are contacted annually to ensure their information is current. In 2007, 191 new organizations or programs were added and 244 were deleted. Coalition members are:
Community Connection Information Barrie Information Orillia Community Link North Simcoe South Simcoe Community Information Centre.
Community Connection continues to maintain its corporate website at Community Connection.net where local online directories provide self serve access to current information on South Georgian Bay businesses, clubs and organizations, and human services.
Caller Profiles Income levels of callers may be collected through two methods. One is during an assessment of a caller’s situation as the information may be needed to provide appropriate referrals and two, during a follow up for a service quality survey. In 2007, there was a 10% increase in callers who reported having no income. Additionally, callers who reported full time employment dropped 36%, indicating that only 15% of callers had full time employment.
Caller Income
2007
2006
Pension
42%
17%
Ontario Disability Support Pension
18%
12%
Full time employment
16%
52%
No income
14%
4%
Ontario Works
5%
6%
Employment Insurance
2%
1%
Part-time/Temporary employment
3%
8%
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Findhelp Information Services launched Canada’s first 211 service in 2002, and in 2007 provided after hours service for all five operating 211 services in Ontario. 6
211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report
Another significant change for 2007 was that 42% of callers reported having a pension income, an increase of 25% over 2006. Callers receiving Ontario Disability, Ontario Works and Employment Insurance remained consistent with 2006. Community Connection does not collect information about the identity of callers. The gender of callers followed 2006 trends with 75% of callers being female. The age of callers also remained consistent for 2007, showing a slight increase in calls from both youth and seniors. The following charts are a comparison of the age of callers with the age of the individuals the services were requested for.
Age of Callers Adult
Senior
Age of Individual Service was Requested For
Youth
Youth
Adult
Senior
4%
14%
26% 41%
82%
33%
Caller Location Caller location trends in 2007 indicate that most calls came from Collingwood, services the callers requested were often for individuals in other communities, indicating that inquirers may be calling from their workplace for services in their home community. Calls from outside South Georgian Bay grew significantly in 2007, with 36% of calls from other communities -- up from 15% in 2006.
Caller Location Compared to Location of Service Need
80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Location of Caller
Location of Service Need
Collingwood, Town of
Wasaga Beach, Town of
Clearview, Township of
Outside Region
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Awareness The 211 telephone number continued to gain recognition in 2007 with 91% of all calls, compared to 9% using Community Connection’s original helpline telephone number. Use of the original helpline may be attributed to three digit dialling not available in the Town of The Blue Mountains, where the helpline has continued to serve residents since 1969. The limited marketing campaign in South Georgian Bay continued to draw new users with 42% of callers identifying themselves as first time callers.
Number Dialled by Caller
Repeat Callers
100%
70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 211
705.445.0641
No
Yes
First time callers are asked how they heard about 211, with word of mouth continuing to be the most popular source of information. The increase in callers outside the marketed region may correspond with how most callers found out about 211 -- 40% of callers reported their source as word of mouth and 37% found the number in the phone book. Referrals from organizations remained consistent with 2006. Newspaper and outreach activities continued to drive some awareness. Successful penetration of the 211 Brand may be indicated by the 3% of callers who couldn’t remember where they heard about the service.
Word of Mouth
Awareness of 211
Don't remember Phone Book
13%
3% 40%
4%
Outreach activities Referred by other organization Newspaper
37% 3%
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Description of Calls A Contact Tracking & Referral System2 (CTRS) allows Community Connection to track the nature of information and referral contacts and report aggregate information on user demographics and user need profiles. During the course of a contact the CTRS is used by information specialists to track specified information, while simultaneously using other information systems to identify appropriate information and referral sources that will address the user’s needs.
Reasons for Calling Subject/Topic Area Government (all levels) Health Consumer/Commercial Legal Assistance Financial Assistance Housing & Shelter Recreation & Leisure Transportation Community Services Other (general) Volunteer & Donations Crisis & Emergency Services Education Employment Services Environment Children’s Services Home Support Support Groups Addictions Violence/abuse Immigration & Citizenship
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Annual Average (%) 16.5 16.1 9.2 9.2 7.7 6.0 4.5 4.1 3.7 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.7 1.4 0.2 0.1
Callers often have multiple information and service needs, and in 2007 callers received an average of two referrals each. Often callers find out about services they didn’t know existed or that they could quality for assistance. Many times callers are overwhelmed with their problems and talking through their situation with an information and referral specialist helps them to create an action plan.
Community Connection does not collect information about the identity of callers. 9
211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Top Ten Referrals In 2007, the top ten organizations receiving referrals from 211 were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Ontario Health Cards Community Legal Advice Clinic Ontario Works Housing Resource Centre 411 Community Care Access Centre Legal Aid Ontario Telehealth Ontario After Hours Walk In Medical Clinic Family Doctors with Open Practices
In 2007, the top ten organizations referring callers to 211 were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Town of Collingwood Career Access Centre United Way Housing Resource Centre My Friends House Georgian College Kinark Child & Family Services Breaking Down Barriers Community Care Access Centre Red Cross Society
Type of Assistance Provided Most often callers need only information about a specific service or organization they wish to contact. Sometimes callers are overwhelmed with one issue that has evolved into a multitude of problems, causing them to be incapable of moving forward without assistance. Occasionally callers want someone to talk to, to share their personal problems while remaining anonymous. Community Connection’s information specialists are specifically trained to assist callers with a variety services:
Help callers prioritize their needs and advocate on their behalf when appropriate If a caller’s well-being is at risk, they can be directly connected with crisis and distress services For callers who’s ability to connect with needed food or shelter services is in question, follow up is provided to ensure they were able to receive the required services Callers requiring police, fire or ambulance emergency services are told to hang up and dial 911.
In 2007, 51% of callers were provided information with 49% also receiving referrals to service organizations or programs. During the year 96 individuals were assisted that were facing significantly complex issues, another 8 were identified as requiring follow up to ensure they received basic needs (food or shelter) and another 3 callers required information specialists to advocate on their behalf. Action Taken
Total
Information only
51%
Information and referral(s)
49%
Number of callers presenting significantly complex issues
96
Number of callers whose situation required follow up
8
Number of callers who required advocacy services
3
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Language Services Community Connection’s information specialists can provide service in all languages through a three-way call with an interpretation service. In 2007 two requests for service in the other languages were received; one for French and one for Spanish.
Service Gaps and Needs Community Connection’s information specialists document unmet needs at the time of the call through the Contact Tracking and Referral System. These needs tend to fall into a few defined categories – the service does not exist, the service exists but the caller is not eligible, the service in not available in a particular location, the service has a waiting list or no capacity at the moment and/or the service carries a fee beyond what the caller can/is prepared to pay. The following is a summary of the unmet needs noted during 2007:
Child psychiatric care
Free or low cost dental services (x 6)
Medical doctor taking new patients
Weekend child care
Ukrainian translator
Emergency family shelter
Car pooling between Collingwood &
Transportation to visit family in
Thornbury
Transportation to child’s tutor between Collingwood & Wasaga Beach
Penetanguishene rehab facility
Financial assistance for window cleaning
Certification of Staff Certification is a measurement of documented ability in the field of information and referral reflecting specific competencies and related performance criteria, which describe the knowledge, skills, attitudes and work-related behaviours needed by information and referral practitioners to successfully execute their duties. 211 service providers ensure that all staff engaged in front-line operations have achieved, or have a plan in place to achieve, professional certification through InformCanada3 and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS)4 as a Certified Information and Referral Specialist (telephone) or Certified Resource Specialist (database). Community Connection’s current certified staff:
3 4
1 Certified Resource Specialist 2 Certified Information and Referral Specialists
InformCanada is a Canadian association of information and referral providers AIRS is a professional membership organization for information and referral providers in North America 11
211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Service Quality Surveys for Individuals Community Connection’s information specialists conduct service quality surveys every three months. During the survey period, 211 calls are conducted in the normal way, and at the end of some calls, callers are asked to participate in a survey. If permission is granted, information specialists review a detailed set of questions with the caller, which may include their income source and other important demographic information. Information on the identity of callers is not collected and surveys are not conducted when it is inappropriate based on the emotional or physical condition of the caller.
Caller Satisfaction
Q1
Q2
Callers who will call 211 again
100%
100%
100% 100%
Callers who would recommend 211 to others
100%
100%
100% 100%
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Callers understood the options & referrals offered
100%
100%
100%
100%
Callers who followed up on the referrals provided
88%
94%
95%
93%
Callers who received help from the organizations they were referred to
76%
88%
89%
83%
Caller Outcomes
Q3
Q4
Surveyed callers indicated the following reasons for NOT receiving the services they needed:
Caller hasn’t had time to follow up
Caller unable to afford options available
Caller left message with referral, has not received return phone call.
Service Impact Surveys for Organizations In 2007, a multi level study was completed which surveyed 35 service providers in the South Georgian Bay community about the impact of 211 on their organization and the people they serve. Surveys were completed by organizations from the following sectors:
47.8% - Charity,
8.6% - Non profit,
13.1% - Municipal or regional government,
13.1% - Provincial government,
13.1% - Federal government, and
4.3% - Business.
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report There were four areas studied to determine the impact 211 has had. The areas were: 1) Ease of Use, 2) Barriers Overcome, 3) Reduced Confusion and Delay, and 4) Better Use of Community and Public Sector Resources. 1) Ease of use questions: Does the three digit telephone number 211 and the 211SimcoeCounty.ca website increase ease of use of community, social, health and government services?
Has 211 provided the “first stop” for people for information about community services? Do people who call 211 now know where to turn? Is accessing services easier than before 211? Do people find “211” easy to remember, even in stressful situations?
Organization responses:
70% of organizations agreed that 211 helps people find services quicker and with less frustration 78% of organizations agreed that 211 provides current and appropriate information with which callers can take action 83% of organizations reported that 211 information specialists provide user friendly, personal responses 83% of organizations agreed that 211 helps people know where to call the next time they need information
Conclusion: That 211 provides increased ease of use of community, social, health and government services. This is demonstrated by the following: ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾
Individuals know about services they did not previously know existed People find services more quickly and find the process less frustrating Individuals receive current, accurate and appropriate information with which they are able to take action 24/7 service enhances access to information Online directories offer an important alternate channel to access information People know where to call next time they have a service need Live answers to calls and the skills of information specialists provide callers with user friendly personal responses More people are using the 211 phone and web site services.
2) Barriers Overcome questions: Are potential barriers to accessing community, social, health and government services overcome by 211 and how does the delivery of the service assist with this?
Is 211 especially useful for people who face barriers to accessing services? Is the 211 service accessible to vulnerable callers? Do shelters and other emergency service providers promote 211 to vulnerable clients?
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Organization responses:
61% of organizations agreed that 211’s information specialists build people’s confidence and capacity to make more informed choices for themselves and their families 78% of organizations agreed that 211 can play an important role for people who require basic needs services, because 211 can make a connection to immediate help as well as provide information on longer term solutions 61% of organizations agreed that 211’s mediated and customized approach to service is important for people with access issues (such as low levels of literacy or visual impairment) 65% of organizations agreed that for people on wait lists for services, 211 can help by suggesting other options 74% of organizations agreed that 211 ensures people’s anonymity and its confidential nature can give people confidence to ask for assistance.
Conclusion: That 211 overcomes barriers to accessing services. This is demonstrated by the following: ¾ ¾
¾ ¾
People with low levels of literacy are assisted by a mediated and customized approach that respects individual differences When a person requires basic needs services such as food and shelter, they receive information about the organizations that can provide immediate help and also get information about longer term solutions People build the confidence and capacity to make more informed choices for themselves and their families, from the help received from information specialists People who are in crisis receive assistance from a live specialist skilled and experienced in social services and information and referral.
Reduced Confusion and Delay Questions Is there reduced confusion and delay in accessing community, social, health and government services?
What happens in a 211 call? Do callers have multiple questions answered in one call? Does 211 reduce confusion, frustration and unnecessary delay in reaching services? Does 211 help people prioritize their needs and actions? Has 211 reduced the public’s time and frustration in having to understand the complexity of community, government, health and social services?
Organization Responses:
78% of organizations reported that many people need help to navigate an increasingly complex maze of services 65% of organizations agreed that for people on waiting lists for services, 211 can help by suggesting other options
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211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report Conclusion: 211 reduces confusion and delay in accessing services. This is demonstrated by the following: ¾
People access an information specialist to assist them to navigate an increasingly complex maze of services
¾
People are better able to take constructive steps forward because they are helped to prioritize their actions
¾
Where services are overloaded (wait lists), a caller receives an explanation and options if they are available and is helped in exploring their own resources.
Better Use of Community and Public Sector Resources questions: Are the resources of community organizations used more effectively and efficiently as a result of 211?
How many and what kinds of agencies are being referred to? Have many referrals are being given? Does 211 result in more effective and efficient service by those who deliver services? Does 211 save the time of agency staff? In there an impact on the number of calls agencies receive? Does 211 increase efficiency and effective use of community resources by directing people to appropriate services sooner?
Organizations responses:
83% of organizations reported referring callers to 211 83% of organizations reported receiving referrals from 211 Organizations rated the referrals as excellent for relevancy, appropriateness and quantity 35% of organizations reported 211 allows them more time to focus on their mandate 57% of organizations use 211 as a research tool 70% of organizations agreed that 211 helps them serve their clients better 30% of organizations use 211 as a resource for new staff/volunteers, saving them training time as they become familiar with local services 22% of organizations reported they use 211 to let people know about their services 23% of organizations use or refer to 211 online resources between 5 – 10 times/week
Conclusion: 211 results in better use of community and public sector resources. This is demonstrated by the following: ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾
211 does some of the work for organizations enabling staff to have more time to provide their mandated service to clients Staff in municipal, provincial and federal government offices have confidence that a person referred to 211 will receive appropriate information Staff are able to provide assistance to callers beyond their department’s mandate Staff have a research tool and data source that provides detail on services Agencies and departments have a marketing tool to let the public know about their services Many kinds of front line workers have a new tool to help them serve clients better with multiple channels – phone and web site New social service staff have a resource to assist them to become familiar with services. 15
211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report 211 Outreach and Promotion During 2007, twenty-five separate visits by Community Connection to various community, social and government services were completed. Outreach spreads the word about 211 and provides staff an opportunity to gain new knowledge about specific communities or services. Community Connection staff and volunteers completed twenty-two separate presentations to various groups, committees and staff of community and government organizations.
2007 (Selected) Call Examples Illustrative case studies primarily describe what is happening and why and show what a situation is like. This can help in the interpretation of other data, and can lead to a fuller understanding of the information from surveys or other methods. 211 information specialists select examples that are representative of important variations. Reports are self-contained narratives of callers’ situations. Situation/Assessment: Caller wanted the number for St. Vincent de Paul in Collingwood. She had tried calling 411 to get the number and was told they didn’t have a number for them. She couldn’t find it in the phone book either. The telephone number and hours of service were provided to the caller. Situation/Assessment: Caller initially called asking for the phone number of the Ontario Works office in Collingwood. It was explained to him that while they had a satellite office in town, that he would need to call their Barrie office for assistance and gave him that number. He went on to explain that he had a non-visible disability and wanted to see if the Collingwood office had any job postings that would help him get back to work. A referral to the Career Access Centre was made which included a description of their services. He indicated that he had been there a few times but did most of his job searching at home because of some difficulties he had related to his disability. He then explained that he suffered with a mental health issue and was finally feeling well enough to work, but he had a number of limitations related to the illness that needed to be taken into consideration when searching for employment. He was asked if he had ever used the services of an employment support service. He indicated that he hadn’t heard of them. An explanation of the various services available was provided, in particular the employment counselling and he felt that they might be a very good resource for him at this point. He expressed his gratitude and his appreciation for our service and the referrals and expressed his hope that we’d always be here to assist people like himself. Situation/Assessment: Caller’s original request was for the number for welfare. An explanation was provided about Ontario Works. As our discussion continued, it became clear that due to a recent separation, not only was she having difficulty financially, but she really needed some legal advice about how to proceed with the separation. An explanation about Legal Aid and the Family Advice Lawyer were provided as well the contact information. 16
211 South Georgian Bay 2007 Service Report In addition, she indicated that she has been trying to find work and not having much success. Information about local employment services was provided. Through further discussion, it became evident that food was an issue given her financial situation and referral to the Good Food Box program, and where she could place her order in Wasaga Beach was given. Situation/Assessment: Caller is a Principal of a local school calling on behalf of a student. The student is worried about her parent. In our conversation details revealed that the parent is suffering from depression and is in need of counseling. Details and referrals to local services was provided. Situation/Assessment: Caller was extremely upset, her husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and she finds herself not able to cope. She wants to be supportive to her husband, but at this time finds herself needing help. An explanation and referral to local support groups were provided.
Additional (Selected) Comments from 211 Callers Unsolicited feedback is captured by information specialists during calls or service quality surveys. “You’re the best”…Jill C. “I was very impressed with the information I was given regarding immigration and citizenship. I received more information from the 211 staff than I have received from anyone in over 2 years. I was very grateful for the help I received and really appreciated the staff person I was speaking with.”…Pat “We’re fairly new to the community – sourcing services in the areas is so much easier with 211.” “Because we are seniors and not working in the community, we’re not familiar with services offered or how to access them.”…Shiela C. “Awesome service, so helpful.” “The 211 service in our community is priceless! Both in my profession and in my personal life the service has saved me time and therefore money. The information provided has always enabled me to be more efficient and accurate in all of my activities. It is because of 211 that I have been able to offer better service to my clientele at the women’s crisis centre and maintain my household more efficiently. The staff are always eager to provide quick, helpful and absolutely correct information. My many thanks for your continued assistance!”…..Irene M.
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