FALL 2015
EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
Grand opening at 20 Weber Street East
GRT bus driver saves geese
Sunnyside volunteer at the Pan Am games
Region finds success with GovDeals.ca
The 20 Weber Street Heritage Construction Project held a grand opening on September 15th. Staff and members of Council were on hand to celebrate the success of this 14.5 million dollar renovation project. While there are a few items left to complete, Regional staff have mostly moved into the building. “The Province’s decision to build a new courthouse presented Regional Council with an opportunity to preserve a unique building while meeting future accommodation needs”, said Regional Chair Ken Seiling at the event. Ellen McGaghey, Director of Facilities and Fleet Management thanked staff for working diligently and professionally on the project. Originally dedicated in 1965, the former County Waterloo Court House celebrated its’ 50th anniversary on September 22. Joanne Leeson, Senior Project Manager said of the project, “I’m proud that we were able to implement as many FM2.0 tools as we did because the project ended up being incredibly inclusive of all groups, and communication flowed very smoothly among the people involved.”
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GRT bus driver saves geese, battles raptor Dave Lachance is a bus driver with Grand River Transit and considers himself a ‘people person’ but some might say Dave is just an all around super guy. Back in early July, Dave was running his usual route 29 when he encountered an unusual sight at University and Seagram, a gaggle of geese blocking the road. A mother goose and her goslings were being chased by University students trying to herd the geese off the road to safety. The geese were upset because a large Hawk (or perhaps an eagle) had snatched one of the goslings and was still in the immediate area. Dave stopped to help. The goslings took shelter under the bus, and the mother goose took shelter in the bus shelter (why not?). Dave, with the help of local passers-by, worked to extricate the goslings out from under the bus and to safety in the grass. Then Dave frightened the eagle away. “I didn’t want to be the GRT bus driver that ran over the geese”, said Dave. “I love my job and love being around people.” Super Dave as he is affectionately called around the garage is well known in the community for his thoughtful actions. Dave was featured on the ‘Inside Blackberry’ website last year for his repeated efforts to return Eric Gillespie congratulates Dave people’s lost phones. You can read that story at http://blck.by/1DxbMJa. Lachance on a job well done.
Hands-on work experience really counts The 70-20-10 model provides a general guideline for individuals seeking to maximize the effectiveness of their learning and development through a variety of activities and input. In this view, optimal learning occurs when 70 per cent of knowledge is obtained via work related experiences (hands on learning), 20 per cent through feedback and relationships (social learning), and 10 per cent from formal training and education (structured learning).
70%s • • • • •
Work experience
Expanding within current role Stretch/challenging assignments Special projects Rotational assignments Volunteer/community involvement
Hands-on work experience (the 70 per cent) is identified as the most beneficial because it enables employees to use and develop their job-related skills, make decisions, identify barriers, address challenges, learn from mistakes, and receive feedback on their performance. Learning through feedback and relationships (the 20 per cent) happens via coaching, mentoring, collaborative learning, assessments and other types of social learning or dialogue and interaction with others.
20%
Only about 10 per cent of professional development comes from formal training, classroom based instruction and other educational events. Below are some examples of development that can be applied depending on individual roles and circumstances: For more information about how to apply the 70-20-10 model to your PDP’s (Performance Development Plans) please contact your Organizational Development Consultant.
10%
Feedback and relationships
• Two way performance development conversations • Networking • Mentorship • Coaching • Professional/trade associations
• • • • • •
Training and formal learning
Learning at work Self study/online coarses Classroom based learning Advanced degree or certification Conferences Books/journals/periodicals
Sources: Centre for Creative Leadership and www.trainingindustry.com
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President of Highscope, Cheryl Polk visits Region’s Children’s Centres Cheryl Polk, President of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation in Michigan made a special visit to Kinsmen Children’s Centre and Cambridge Children’s Centre on June 19, 2015. Cheryl Polk has a very strong research background and came to see the great work that is happening in the five directly-operated Children’s Centres which follow the HighScope curriculum approach to learning. HighScope’s mission is to lift lives through education. HighScope’s research-validated preschool education approach is used throughout the world in more than 90 countries. Their vision sees a world in which all educational
settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life and contribute to society. The Regional centres proudly support this curriculum
approach as it promotes healthy development for the future citizens in our community.
Cheryl Polk, Sheila Beckman and Moya Fewson visit the Kinsmen Children’s Centre on June 19.
Crime Prevention Council has moved to Governor’s House On September 1, the Crime Prevention Council moved from 99 Regina Street to Governor’s House, located at 73 Queen Street South, Kitchener. The Governor’s House is an historic building built in 1878 where the Warden of the Waterloo County Gaol (jail) resided before its closing in 1978. A restoration effort in 2001 brought the building back to life. Now the Crime Prevention Council will be occupying this space. To commemorate this symbolic move, an on-site exhibit has been
created that follows the history of crime prevention. Christiane Sadeler, Executive Director says the Crime Prevention Council is excited about the education opportunities this move brings. “While in the past the house was the home to the warden of the former gaol, and eventually became a heritage site, it will now be the home of crime prevention. The root causes of crime were apparent then but it was believed they could not be changed. In that sense we have Christiane Sadeler stands before the come a long way.” new home of the Crime Prevention Council.
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Working safely together!
Introducing
The Environmental Field Services your staff identified a safety risk where staff could have been hurt. This Employee and group in Water Services collects Family Assistance waste water samples to be analyzed at the Regional Lab. At the Regional Program (EFAP) Landfill, they found a safety risk Effective Oct. 1, 2015 where staff could fall into a water our new provider for reservoir below as the opening was Employee and Family very large. To complicate things Assistance will be further, this space was a potentially dangerous confined space. After assessing the risk and discussing possible control options, including wearing additional personal protective equipment (fall arrest) or putting guard rails around the opening, staff decided on an engineered solution that eliminated both the risk of falling and the possibility of entering a confined space. Waste management worked with the field staff and had a small opening cut into the hatch, allowing staff to safely retrieve their samples without the risk of falling into the reservoir and the need to wear additional personal protective equipment. Available services include: • Counselling Services are available Great job folks! by telephone or in person; Sunnyside volunteer at the Pan Am games • Plan Smart Services are available to help with for work-life balance Corrie Bradley, Supervisor for the were so fast, fit and strong. You by telephone. Cambridge Community Alzheimer don’t see the disability, you just see • Employees and their dependent Program is a member of Waterloo the athlete.” Corrie volunteered for family members can call the Cycling Club and was approached by both the Pan Am games in July, and number below anytime day or the Ontario Cycling Association to Parapan Am games in August. “It night, 365 days of the year. In an volunteer at the Pan Am games this was crazy chaotic but it was neat emergency consultation can be past summer. The role of volunteer the way everyone came together arranged within hours. Instant driver for race officials, and made it about the athletes.” support is always available over photographers and journalists for the phone. Please be assured the Games required four days of that the program is completely training but well worth the effort. “I confidential. was right at the front of the race, For more information all the services seeing exactly what was going on. It available to you, visit the EFAP page on the Portal. was an amazing experience and neat http://portal/hr/index.php?option=com_ to be part of such a big team, content&task=view&id=660&Itemid=109 meeting people from other www.homewoodhealth.com countries” Corrie said of his or contact Danielle Seiler, experience. “I enjoyed the Parapan Acting Manager, Organizational Am games the most. I was most Development at 519-575-4437. impressed with the athletes. They 4
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For further information about how Citizen Service can help your team please contact Deb Bergey at 519-575-4097 or dbergey@regionofwaterloo.ca.
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Rebecca Wager talks about digital content at ROW Libraries Do you have a Region of Waterloo Library card? Did you know that all Region of Waterloo employees are eligible for a card, regardless of your home address? Did you also know that you can order books online and that they will be delivered to you through interoffice mail, and that you can return books to the library in the same way? You can also order DVDs, eBooks, audio Rebecca Wager, Coordinator, Library books, and content for your Apple, Communications and E-Services. Andriod and BlackBerry 10 devices in popular fiction and non-fiction changing trends in information titles - with no fines for digital consumption, most public libraries content. are adjusting their collections to include more digital content. The “There has really been a revival in revival in libraries really goes beyond libraries in the last 10 -15 years,” just our collections – I could write an says Rebecca Wager, Coordinator, entire book about what is happening Library Communications and in public libraries right now!” E-Services, “To accommodate the
On the library’s ‘Freegal Music’ website you can order five MP3’s per week, which you can keep forever! You can also download digital versions of popular magazines from Zinio and keep issues as long as you’d like, including titles like Discover, Mental Floss, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, Better Homes and Gardens, Newsweek, Working Mother and dozens more. And that is just a taste of what’s available at the Region of Waterloo Library. Go to the library’s website at rwlibrary.ca to get started with your online membership. For more information about obtaining a Regional Library card, send a request to: Region of Waterloo Library Headquarters at libhq@regionofwaterloo.ca.
Child’s play is about learning My name is Cindy Gaal and I’m a Registered Early Childhood Educator and a Home Child Care Consultant at the Region of Waterloo. Many of you may think, ‘that’s child’s play’ – and in part, you’re right! Children are competent and capable learners; they learn best in an environment that has activities and experiences for hands-on exploration, with a responsive caregiver that ‘scaffolds’ their play.
Children learning at play 6
As a consultant I have the opportunity, along with my co-workers, to plan and facilitate summer play groups. Play groups are set in a variety of locations throughout the Region so that caregivers and children can
participate in hands-on experiences. Consultants lead by example and share ideas for learning opportunities. For children it’s an opportunity to explore, manipulate materials, create ”masterpieces“, expand their vocabulary, use their imaginations and build relationships. For caregivers, it’s a day to see the value of play and build on children’s ideas and interests. Caregivers have the opportunity to borrow any of the resources at the centre to enhance their own environments and many will see this as a fun day of child’s play. As a home child care consultant, I know this is how learning happens.
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Innovation in the kitchen at Sunnyside There will soon be a new cook in the kitchen at Sunnyside! The Combitherm oven is one of two innovative Regional investments made recently to provide the most nutritious food choices for residents of Sunnyside Home.
on food services. “Previously, our cooks were spending two hours grilling sandwiches for the residents. Now, the Combitherm oven can cook enough sandwiches for everyone in less than five minutes.” Kitchen staff can now spend less time cooking and more time preparing home-made meals instead of relying on pre-packaged products.
Barb Collins, Manager of Food and Environmental Services at Sunnyside says the state of the art equipment can cook large quantities of food at once, and will have a major impact
Sunnyside has also purchased ‘Synergy on Demand’, a new software program that allows staff to change menu items quickly and easily, catering to residents’ specific
dietary needs in a more effective manner; another win for Sunnyside Home residents and staff alike!
Mike Spadafore, Red Seal Cook preparing lunch
Region finds success with GovDeals.ca of that same year, and in the two years since has sold 62 items for a net profit of $220,000! The money from each sale is returned to the Departments that supplied the item, generating revenue from items that might have ended up selling for scrap or in the landfill. Lisa Buitenhuis, Manager of Procurement in Treasury Services. Lisa Buitenhuis is the Manager of Procurement in Treasury Services and is responsible for the Region’s innovative new approach to selling the Region’s surplus goods. In January 2013, GovDeals.ca, a web-based auction house specializing in the sale of surplus government material opened for business in Canada selling to the public. The Region signed up in June
When asked about the success of the program, Lisa said. “The first item we placed on the site we were prepared to sell for scrap, but to our very delightful surprise, the item sold at auction for $67,874.40, which was much more than we were expecting! We knew we were on to something. Now almost all municipalities are using the service; it’s a great and efficient way to recover costs from items that have outlived there usefulness. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure I guess!”
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Irwin Peters is retiring after more than 42 years in housing services. In 2003, he became Manager of Waterloo Region Housing, which he has managed through many significant changes, creating a strong housing team with a focus on excellent customer service.
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Since late 2014, the Region has been undertaking a Councilinitiated “Service Review” of our programs and services. The review has looked at whether there are ways to provide our current programs and services more efficiently and effectively and/or whether we should consider adjusting the level of service we provide in some areas to better reflect the changing circumstances in Waterloo Region, and to provide better value to the community. The Service Review was conducted by the consulting firm KPMG, and they recently submitted their final report to Regional Council. In their report, KPMG noted that the Region is a well-managed organization with good governance practices, and compares well to its municipal peers. KPMG identified a number of “opportunities for improvement” ranging from minor
process changes to more significant changes in program and service delivery. KPMG also conducted more detailed analysis in five program areas, and made a number of recommendations in these areas, which included: Employment Ontario; Information Technology Services; Road Maintenance; Waterloo Region International Airport; and Child Care Center operations. You can find the full reports on the Service Review page of the portal, as well as updated answers to frequently asked questions. Should you have additional questions about the Service Review, please contact me or one of our Commissioners. It is important to emphasize that these are simply KPMG’s recommendations at this time. Regional Council will consider the implications of each recommendation, and will seek public input on these issues before making any decisions. Council plans to hold a special public input meeting to hear from the public about the
recommendations. Following that public input session, Council is expected to make decisions on these issues, likely at the Regional Council meeting on October 21, 2015. I want to thank everyone who has been involved with, and has provided input to the Service Review process over the last year. It has been a challenging process, and I’m sure the upcoming discussion regarding the recommendations will be equally challenging. We should take pride in the fact that we are part of an organization that continues to provide valuable services to our community in a responsive, well-managed way. Like all organizations, we can always find ways to improve and change as circumstances around us change. The Service Review has provided an opportunity to look at how we can provide even greater value to the community, and we should continue to seek out those opportunities for improvement.
Do you have a question for Mike? Send it to connections@regionofwaterloo.ca
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