windsor-essex compassion care community … · uofw’s strategic plan (2010-2015) prioritizes...

TheWindsor-EssexCompassionateCommunityCoalition P a g e 1|9

WINDSOR-ESSEXCOMPASSIONCARECOMMUNITY

MEMORANDUMOFUNDERSTANDING

ThisMemorandumofUnderstanding(“MOU”)datedxxxBETWEEN:

TheWindsor-EssexCompassionCareCommunity

(hereinafterthe“WECCC”)

-and-

UniversityofWindsor(hereinafter“UofW”)

WHEREAS:1. UofWisanOntarioUniversitylocatedinWindsorprovidingpostsecondary

education.Itoffersmorethan190undergraduateprograms,65graduateprogramsand6professionalprograms.

2. UofWsharesthevisionofWECCCtopositivelyimpacthumandevelopment(qualityoflife,equity,wellbeing)intheplacespeoplelive.Weacknowledgethatservicetoothersandthecommunitymakeseachofushappier,healthierandstronger.Webelievethatbyworkingcollectivelyasacommunity,webroadenourabilitytocontinuouslylearnandinnovate,andcanaccelerateourprogressinaddressingsomeofthefundamentalsocialchallengesourcommunityfaces.

3. InvolvementinWECCCisbothconsistentwithandprovidesanimportant

opportunitytodevelopthefollowingcoreattributesexpectedofallUniversityofWindsorgraduates:

a. Theacquisition,applicationandintegrationofknowledgeb. Researchskills,includingtheabilitytodefineproblemsandaccess,

retrieveandevaluateinformation(informationliteracy)c. Criticalthinkingandproblemsolvingskillsd. Literacyandnumeracyskillse. Responsiblebehaviourtoself,othersandsocietyf. Interpersonalandcommunicationsskills


g. Teamwork,andpersonalandgroupleadershipskillsh. Creativityandaestheticappreciationi. Theabilityanddesireforcontinuouslearning

4. Mobilizedyouthwhocareareanimportantassetinthiscommunity.Bybeing

engagedinthecompassionatecommunitymovement,studentscanbenefitfromabroaderrangeofnaturallearningexperiences.Theycanlearntobecomemoreresilientwhendealingwithagingandotherchallengeswithintheirownfamilies,andmoreempatheticandkindwhendealingwitheachother,andthosewhoarelessfortunate.Throughcommunityservice,theycanhelpcitizenswhoareagingorvulnerablegettheextrahelptheyneed,especiallythosewhoaresociallyisolated,livinginpoverty,ormarginalized.Theirvaluesandtheirlivedexperiencesaslearnerswillshapethekindofadults,workersandleaderstheycanbecomeoncetheygraduate.

5. ThedevelopmentofhumanandsocialcapitalisanimportantpartoftheWECCC

movement.UofW’sstrategicplan(2010-2015)prioritizesengagementwiththecommunityinpartnershipsthatwillstrengthentheeconomy,qualityoflifeandwell-beingoftheWindsor-Essexregion.Post-secondaryschoolsbenefitfromhavingengaged,caring,andactivelearners.Studentachievement,well-beingandlife-longlearningisstrengthenedthroughpubliceducationthatmotivateslearners,fostersinclusion,inspiresinnovationandbuildscommunity.WesupporttheWECCCmovementasthemeansforhowoureffortscancontributetothoseofothersystemsandpartnerstomovetheneedleoncommunityqualityoflifeatapopulationlevel,especiallyforthosewhoaremostvulnerable.

Itisacknowledgedbyallpartiesthatthisisavoluntarypartnershipagreement,notalegalcontractualagreement.Term.ThisAgreementbecomeseffectiveonxxxandwillremainineffectuntilUofWterminatestheirinvolvement.Sponsorship:UofWagreestobeidentifiedasaSponsoroftheWECCCCompassionCareCommunity.ThenameofourinstitutioncanbeidentifiedasasponsorontheWECCCwebsite,socialmediasites,andinwrittenmaterial,alongwithourlogo.Wewillworkcollectivelywithotherpost-secondaryinstitutions,aswellasotherschoolandeducationpartners,inclusiveofsecondaryandelementarytoensureappropriaterepresentationfromtheeducationsectorattheWECCCSponsorsTable,whichisbeingorganizedtoprovidesharedleadershipoftheWECCCpilotimplementation.Transparency.WeagreethattheactioncommitmentswehavepledgedinsupportofWECCCwillbefullytransparenttoothercommunitypartners.Itisunderstoodthattheactioncommitmentsofallcommunitypartnerswilleventuallybeconsolidatedwithinan


umbrellacommunity-widepartnershipagreementandpostedonthecommunity’swebsiteintheformofapledgetracker.Revisions.Thispartnershipagreementisintendedtobeanevergreendocumentuntilitisformallyterminated.UofWcanmakewhateveradditions,revisions,ordeletionstotheiractioncommitmentsatanytime,forwhateverreason.UofWwillincludethedatetheagreementwasrevised,andwillforwardacopyoftherevisedagreementtothePMO.Termination.UofWmaywithdrawfromthisAgreementatanytime,foranyreason.ActionCommitments:WepledgetheseactioncommitmentsinsupportofWECCC:LearningCompassion:UofWwillsupportacampaigntomakecompassionpartoftheexperienceofeverylearnerinWindsor-Essexcounty.Wewillworkwithourdepartmentsandprogramsto:

• ReinforcetheUniversitybrandandimagethroughcontinuingtoencouragevolunteerismbystudents,facultyandstaff.

• OfferstudentplacementsorinternshipswithWECCCpartneragencieswithinappropriateprogramstreams–includingnursing,socialwork,disabilitystudies,andsociology-ascompassionatecarecoachtrainees.

• Promoteclassroomprojectstosupportcompassionatecommunityactivitiesacrossallfacetsoflearningincludingcomputerscience,mediaandpublicrelations,technology,business,arts,music

• Encourageourstudentstousetheircreativityandnaturaltalentstoconnect

withvulnerablepeopleandtoenrichourcommunitiesthroughmusic,art,video,stories,foodandculture,nature,technologyandintergenerationallearning,aswellasthroughservice.Wewillencourageourstudentstoregularlyinitiatetheirownactsofkindnessandactsofservicetobenefitourcommunityandensurethatcompassionisanormalpartofourday-to-dayexperiences.

• ExplorepossibleuseofPSE-based“neighbourhoodexchange”(usinga

community-widetechnologytoolTimebanks)tomakethetalents,skills,requestsforhelpandinformaloffersofpractical,emotional,andsocialhelpamongstourstudentsmorevisibletoeachother.Forexample,withinasecureandprivatesocialnetwork,studentswouldbeabletoboth“offer”and“request”thehelptheyneed(forexample,helpwithhomework,volunteeringinthecommunity),andkeeptrackofthecontributiontheymake.Wewillseekstudentleaderstohelpwiththeneighbourhoodtalentsearchprocessanduseofthecommunity-widesupportingtechnology.Wewillseektoconnectneighbourhood


volunteerismwiththeexistingCo-CurricularTranscript(CCT),anofficialdocumentthatdetailsstudents’activities,aswellascorrespondingskillsthathavebeengainedfromeachactivity.Thiswillallowthemtoshowcasetheirskilldevelopmentandleadershipexperiencestopotentialemployersandgraduateschools.

• WewillconsideradoptingtheWECCCtool-kittosupportourstaffretireesand

olderalumni.WewillengageUniversityofWindsorRetiree’sAssociation(WURA)toexploretheirinterestinsharingtheirexperiencesaspartofthequalityoflifetracker,beinginvolvedintheirownneighbourhoodexchange,and/orvolunteeringasacompassionatecarecoach.

• Wewillworkwithhospicetoreviewourpoliciesandguidancedocumentsto

ensureaging,dying,death,andlossisaddressedsostudentsunderstandthisasanormalaspectofcommunitylife.

• Wearewillingtonegotiateappropriatecommunityuseofourfacilitiesto

supportcompassionatecommunityactivities.

• Ourstaffwillparticipateaspartoftheresearchteamtodevelopnewtoolsandmeasureimpactoncommunityqualityoflife.

Leadership:Asacommunitysponsor,wewillparticipateinbrainstormingnewactionsandprojectstoimprovesharedoutcomesineachpilotcommunitybyatleast5to10%yearoveryear.BuildingAwareness:WewillparticipateinavideoandkeyinformantinterviewregardingourparticipationinWECCC.WewilldisplayinformationaboutourpartnershipwithWECCConourwebsiteandwillincludeWECCCinformationinournewslettersandsocialmediamessages.Wewillhelptocollectourstoriesandbuildacompellingcaseregardingcommunityimpact.Wewillcoordinateanymediareleases,aswellassocialmediaandwebcontentaboutourpartnershipwithWECCCwithPMOCommunications.WeendorsetheprocessesoutlinedinScheduleBtothisAgreementascoreresponsibilitiesofbusinesses,programsandservicesinthiscommunity,andwillencourageothersweknowtoparticipate.SupportingCompassion:WewillrallyourresidentstosupporttheCompassionCareCommunityGIVE65eventinsummer/fall2017,recognizingthatHomeInsteadFoundationwillmatchthefundsweraise.Fundsraisedthroughthiseventwillsupportmobilizationinneighbourhoodsandcompassionateintentionalcommunities,whichwillbenefitpeoplewhoareisolatedandbuildstrongerneighbourhoods.


INWITNESSwhereofthepartieshaveexecutedthisMOUasofthedatefirstsetforthabove.ENDORSEDBY: UniversityofWindsor

Per: ____________________________________

Name: AlanWildeman,BSc,MSc,PhD

Title: President

WITNESSEDBY: WINDSOR-ESSEXCOMPASSIONATECOMMUNITYCOLATION Per: _______________________________________

Name: _______________________________________

Title: ________________________________________


Schedule“A”:UofWSummaryKeyFacts

• UniversityofWindsorhastwocampussites,themaincampuswhichtakesupjustafewblocksonthewestsideofWindsor,andadowntowncorecampusinheritagebuildingshostingtheSchoolsofVisualArts,Music,SocialWork,thefilmproductionprogramandtheCentreforExecutiveandProfessionalEducation.UofWboasts190undergraduateprograms,90graduateprogramsacrossninefacultiesandsixprofessionalprogramsor16,000full–andpart-timestudents.Itoffersninecooperativeeducationprogramsfor1,100students.Thereare524facultywitha26:1student/facultyratio.

Schoolcatchmentarea:WindsorandEssexCounty

Schedule“B”:EmbeddingEnablingProcessesWithinCoreBusiness

AllWECCCpartnerswillconsideradoptionofthefollowingenablingprocesses:

1. ACTWITHCOMPASSIONANDPERSONALIZECAREThismeansweagreeto:ü Helppeoplefindtheirpurposeandmeaning.Recognizingthatlivingrequiresmore

thansafety,wewillworktofindawayforeveryyouthandolderpersonweworkwith(includingthosewhoneedcare)tobementors,teachers,connectorsandalifeforceforotherssotheyexperiencepurposebeyondthemselves,bringmusic,connectionwithnature,andrelationshipsacrossgenerationsintopeople’slives,andstrengthenthesocialfabricofourcommunity.Wewilltakethetimetoaskpeopleabouttheirstrengthsandpassionsandwhethertheywouldliketoshareorteachbacktheirskillstoothers,andhelpthemfigureoutawaytodothis.

ü Helpourmembersunderstandhowtoachievetheirhighestqualityoflifepossible.Wewillhaveauthenticconversationswithourmembersandtheircarepartners(whereitmakessensewithinthenormalcourseofourbusiness)andhelpthemtotakechargeoftheirownqualityoflife.Thisincludesbuildinganunderstandingabout:Whatisyourunderstandingofyourcircumstances?Whatareyourfearsandwhatareyourhopes?Whatarethetrade-offsyouarewillingtomakeandnotwillingtomake?Andwhatisthecourseofactionthatbestservesthisunderstanding?Wewillusetheinformationwegleanfrommembersandcarepartnerstohelporganizetheservicesweprovidesotheyaremostmeaningfultothem.


ü Encourageourmemberstoaskformeaningfulhelp.80%ofthetime,helpcomes

fromaspecificrequest.Themostimportantstepeachofuscantaketopromptacultureofcaringandgivinginthiscommunityisbyaskingforthehelpwereallyneed.Wewillencourageourmemberstoaskforspecificandpracticalthingstheyreallyneedhelpwith,includingsharingpositivestoriesof'howtoaskforhelp,andhowitcanhelpyou'.Wewillencourageeveryonewhoasksforhelptoalsothinkaboutwhathelptheycanoffer.

ü Connectourmembersandcarepartnerswithappropriateeducationandself-help.

Thisincludeshelpingthemfindanappropriatepeersupportnetwork,andarrangingforaccesstousefuleducationandtrainingprogramsinthiscommunity,suchas:thenewCaregiverCollegeprogramwhenitisavailable,caregivertrainingcurrentlyavailablethroughthehospicevolunteerprogram,NeighboursHelpingNeighbours,technologytrainingetc

ü Supportpersonalizedcare.Throughmultiplechannels(self-managed,volunteer,

andprovider-based),wewillsupportourmembersandcarepartnerstoorganizetheircarearoundthethingsthataremostimportanttothem,andbringtogetherself-help,naturalcare,formalprovidersandtechnology–carethatistrulyencompassing.

2. IDENTIFYANDREACHOUTTOPEOPLEINDISTRESS

Thismeansweagreeto:

ü Reachouttovulnerablepeoplewhomayneedextrahelp,whereverandwhenever

youseethem.Inourneighbourhoodsaswellasourdaytodayandworklives,weencounterpeoplewhoseemvulnerableandappeartorequireextrahelp.Seniorsorthosewithdisabilitiesmayhavetroublegettingoutoftheapartmentandmaynothavemuchcontactwiththeoutsideworld.Someonewhodoesn’tspeakEnglishwellmayhavetroubleconnectingwithothersorunderstandingemergencyinstructions.Peoplemayalsobeisolatedbecausetheyarenewtotheareaorhavetroubleconnecting.Ineachofthesesituations,beingconnectedtonaturalsupportintheirneighbourhoodsmaysignificantlyimprovetheirqualityoflifeandsafety,especiallyforpeoplewhoareisolated,livingalonewithphysical(mobility)orcognitivelimitations,andwhoarefrail.

ü Ensureappropriatefollow-up.Innon-emergencysituations,whereweencountersomeonewhoappearstobeindistress,atrisktothemselvesorothers,andrequiresmorehelpthenweareabletoprovide,wewillcalltheDistressCentretoalertcallcentrevolunteerstothesituation,whowillthentakestepstoensureanappropriatecommunityoutreachresponseisorganized.Intrueemergencyorcrisissituations,thenormalresponsewouldapply.


3. CONNECTMEMBERSWITHTHEIRNEIGHBOURS

Thismeansweagreeto:

ü Helpandencouragepeopleandcarepartnerstogetconnectedsocially.Social

isolationisaproblemforpeopleastheyage,especiallyiftheylivealone.Peoplearelikelytobehappierandhealthiertotheextenttheyareinvolvedwithandinteractregularlywithneighbours,friends,andpeopletheyareconnectedtothroughcommoninterests.

ü Identifyanyprograms,groupsofcarepartners,orgroupsofmemberswhomightnaturallyformtheirown“neighboursnetwork.”Weregularlyinteractwithindividualswhoshareacommoninterestthroughtheirconnectiontous.Thisprovidesanaturalopportunityforyoutobeacatalystforenablingthemtocometogetherasasupportive“neighbourhood-based”network.

ü Encouragecommunityvolunteerism.Identifyanystudents,familiesormembers

whomightappreciatetheopportunitytobeofgreaterservicetotheircommunitythroughvolunteerismandhelpthemfindanopportunitythatissuitabletotheirinterestsandskills.Encouragesharedcommunityvolunteerismratherthanexclusiveagencyattachment.

ü Ensurethevolunteersyouidentifyandyourstaffhasaccesstoappropriate

neighbourhoodtrainingandeducation.“NeighboursHelpingNeighbours”trainingwillbemadeavailabletoneighboursandinformalvolunteers.Carepartnersandvolunteerswhowishmorein-depthtrainingcanbereferredtohospicefortheirvolunteertrainingcourseortotheNEWStClairCollege“CaregiverCollege”program.Totheextentpossible,carepartnersandvolunteersshouldbeofferedtrainingandeducationthroughamethodoftheirchoosing(on-line,in-class,andhands-onparticipatorylearning).

4. SEEKOUTOPPORTUNITIESTOPARTNER,INNOVATEANDIMPROVEThismeansweagreeto:Workwithinournetworksandwithpeerstoregularlyreflectonthefollowingquestions:

Whatcanwedotogetherto:o improvetheagingandendoflifeexperienceofourcitizens;o reducecaregiverdistress;o reducetheaccessgapbetweenpopulationlevelneedandthoseincare;o reducetheoutcomegapbetweencitizenswhoaremarginalizedand

isolatedandotherswithsimilarlevelsofneeds;


o improvecommunitywell-being;and/oro reducesub-optimalresourceuseofouragingcitizensthatisdetrimental

totheirqualityoflifeandtakeactiononouragreedtostrategies.

ü Engagethepublic.Displayinformationaboutthecommunityinitiativewithinyour

agencyorlocationsyouserve(pamphlets,newsletters,andinformationsheetswillbeprovided).

ü Turnknowledgetoaction.Takeadvantageofopportunitiestoshareyour

involvement,knowledgeandoutcomessootherscanlearnandreplicateyourefforts.

ü Participateinevaluation.Wearebreakingnewgroundwiththisinitiative.Assuch,itisveryimportantthateveryonecooperatefullywiththeevaluationteam.Thisincludesmakingtimetomeetwithqualitativeresearchersandparticipateininterviews,focusgroupsandsurveys.Withinyourexistingrulesandprocesses,providedatatoinformourquantitativeevaluation.Helpustodocumentyourexperiences,andoutcomestodemonstratetheimpactofcommunityactionandhelpothercommunitieslearn.

windsor-essex compassion care community … · uofw’s strategic plan (2010-2015) prioritizes...

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