“Courage of the Community” Panel Event May 5 at 6:30PM

Finding the right support in times of need can be a challenge. CommunityConnectYYC.ca is a group of Calgary based agencies dedicated to supporting community members in accessing affordable counselling supports when they need it most and in the simplest way possible. 

“Community Connect YYC, a one-stop website for Calgarians seeking affordable counselling supports launched on August 28, 2020, has since resulted in more than 1,000 appointment bookings, twice as many participating agencies (from 5 at launch to 10 in January), and an offering of 18 affordable counselling supports, including first languages counselling. Community Connect YYC was envisioned before the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce barriers to accessing social support for Calgarians, and the need has only grown.” (Source link)

Join us for a variety of perspectives, speaking to the changes that took place to make CommunityConnect YYC a possibility, and then a reality. We are featuring 5 panelists for this event, including 3 of the original partners and 2 of the second phase. They have volunteered their evening for a courageous conversation that’s open to the public on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:30PM. Their efforts, along with others, have provided better access to mental health services to Calgarians at a time when we need it most. 

You can register for this panel event here: https://bit.ly/3tfotnx.  

Our program consists of short opening statements that acknowledge the many ways we contextualize success within a shared project. Then, they’ll answer questions about how they worked together to make space for immediate online availability amid ongoing critical in-person services and programs, with time for Q & A from attendees. Hosted by the Calgary Public Library, we are honoured to showcase leadership from Catholic Family Service, Carya, The Alex, Centre for Sexuality, and the YWCA.

Panelist Bios:

Vanessa McConnell is a Registered Psychologist and the Director of Family Mental Health and Social Inclusion at Catholic Family Service. She has worked in a variety of roles in the non-profit sector over the last 15 years and has a real passion for barrier free access to social services for vulnerable Calgarians.

“As the lead partner in the Community Connect YYC initiative Vanessa held the project lead role on behalf of Catholic Family Service and the Collaborative, and feels incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to work with all the partners to develop this innovative project that puts access of affordable counselling supports in the hands of the community, where it belongs.”

Susan Herman is a Registered Social Worker and is the Director of Strong Families in Community at Carya. With almost 25 years in the sector, as a change agent and social profit leader, she has enjoyed a richly diverse career. The consistent thread is her passion for leadership, collaboration and social change. 

“Carya enjoys a longstanding relationship with Catholic Family Service in building strong families and communities. As Carya’s executive sponsor for the Community Connect YYC initiative, Susan is pleased to see system navigation streamlined as one additional step towards barrier free service. As a partner in Community Connect YYC, she hopes the collaboration of voices can serve as a unified voice for continued change so all Calgarians can access the right support when they need it.”

Jennifer Eyford is a nurse and passionate about harm reduction and building health equity for marginalized populations. Jennifer has worked in varying health and leadership positions at The Alex and Alberta Health Services for over 11 years. She currently serves as the Associate Director for Mental Health and Addictions. Jennifer is a strong advocate for building effective teams, providing client-centred care, and bringing a trauma-informed lens to all clinical and operational decision-making.”

“Jennifer was excited to become a Community Connect YYC partner as she saw the opportunity to offer services in a low barrier manner while decreasing stigma and increasing access to care.”

A registered social worker and member of the clinical registry, Lana Bentley is YW Calgary’s Director of Program Strategy. Prior to joining YW, Lana worked with Alberta Health Services where she spent most of her time in eating disorders and dialectical behaviour therapy before going on to manage the psychiatric inpatient unit and psychiatric emergency room at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Lana has been a part-time faculty member at Mount Royal University for over ten years, and more recently began teaching at the University of Calgary. Lana is Vice-President of the SHARP Foundation and volunteers as a Public Member of the Alberta College and Association of Opticians.

“When people are wanting or needing support or needing help, that process should have as few barriers as possible. Community Connect YYC is an opportunity for folks who are looking for different resources, to have really fast and convenient access to those resources. I think what’s really neat, is just that it allows people to engage at a time when they’re ready, and in a really convenient way.”

Pam Krause is the President and CEO of the Centre for Sexuality (formerly the Calgary Sexual Health Centre). She has been with the Agency since 2001, taking on the leadership role in 2004. Under Pam’s leadership, the Centre for Sexuality has grown and today is recognized as a leader for implementing innovative programs that have meaningful results for the populations they serve.

“The Centre for Sexuality collaborates in all the work we do. We are thrilled to be part of Community Connect YYC. It is set up for easy access and has given Calgarians information about a wide variety of supports available in one place. This is client centered care in practice and it is great to see the evolution of our collective services happen in this way.”

About Community Connect YYC:

Partners put access to their services in the community’s hands through simple 24/7 direct online booking. Calgarians can book in with one of the agencies to access support as soon as possible. They can choose from a variety of available virtual appointments. 

Learn more: www.communityconnectyyc.ca/#AboutUs

These agencies displayed courage in their collaborative approach, effectively transitioning critical services during a pandemic, while still working to meet the needs of their communities. This panel conversation hopes to inspire attendees, as we acknowledge the people and organizations navigating our changing world. For more information on this and our other programs, see here: https://bit.ly/2Mu9rcS.