Ontario Black Youth Action Plan - Ministry of Children and ... Web viewThis application package is issued by Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister

Together We Can Youth Mentorship ProgramCall for Applications

This is an invitation to prospective applicants to submit applications for funding for the provision of the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan Together We Can Youth Mentorship Program (“Together We Can”). This application package is issued by Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Children and Youth Services (the “Ministry”).Content

sYouth Mentorship Program Call for Applications..............................................................1

1. Program Guidelines......................................................................................................3

1.1 Background............................................................................................................3

1.2 Program Overview..................................................................................................3

1.4 Program Activities...................................................................................................4

1.5 Costing...................................................................................................................5

1.6 Beneficiary Population............................................................................................5

1.7 Collective Impact....................................................................................................5

1.8 Eligibility..................................................................................................................6

2. Application Process......................................................................................................7

2.1 Submitting an Application.......................................................................................7

2.2 Application Questions.............................................................................................7

2.3 Selection of Initiatives.............................................................................................7

2.4 Important Notes for Applicants...............................................................................9

Appendix A: Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach: Ontario Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) Guiding Principles..........................................................................10

Appendix B: Application Template.................................................................................11

Ministry of Children and Youth ServicesVersion 1 (July 19, 2017) 1

Ontario Black Youth Action Plan

1. Program Guidelines1.1 BackgroundResearch and the community engagement sessions undertaken as a part of the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) highlight that there is an opportunity to build up mentorship supports to improve outcomes for Black children and youth.

Research indicates racialized youth are less likely to have natural mentors, and are in greater need of formal mentoring programs (Jarjoura, 2013).

Research notes a correlation between culturally focused mentoring and positive racial identity, and better academic, psychosocial and health outcomes for Black adolescents (Rivas-Drake, 2014).

To help reduce disparities for Black children, youth and families in March 2017 Ontario released the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP). The BYAP is a four-year, $47 million commitment that, when fully implemented, will support 10,800 Black children, youth and their families annually.

The BYAP will increase access to supports and opportunities for Black children, youth and their families in Ontario across life stages, from early childhood to the transition to school and / or work.

1.2 Program OverviewThe Together We Can Youth Mentorship Program (“Together We Can”) seeks to address the need for increased access to mentorship opportunities specifically targeted for Black children and youth.

Together We Can will provide funding for up to 21 new evidence-based, regionally-specific, culturally-relevant and locally-developed mentorship initiatives for Black children and youth in target communities.

1.3 Program OutcomesTogether We Can’s objective is to help improve the emotional well-being of Black children and youth. By increasing access to consistent, caring adults, Together We Can will help youth participants make healthy and safe choices, increase their resiliency and make progress toward their goals.

Each mentorship initiative that is selected to receive funding will focus on one or more of the following outcome streams:

1. Employment / entrepreneurship; 2. Educational achievement;3. Civic engagement / leadership; and / or4. Building a strong cultural identity.


http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/youthopportunities/eoyap/obyap.aspx

All mentorship initiatives that are selected to receive funding will also be culturally-focused and delivered through an anti-Black racism lens.

1.4 Program Activities Each local mentorship initiative that is selected to receive funding will provide the following services to youth participants and adult mentors.

1. Recruitment and selection of mentors and mentees Funded mentorship initiatives will include consistent processes for the

recruitment and selection of both potential mentors and mentees. Recruitment processes for mentors will include security screening and the

completion of a vulnerable sector police background check. Recruitment of mentees and mentors will include consideration of the importance

of ethno-cultural identity and social background of both mentees and mentors (e.g. language, cultural competency).

Mentors and mentees will be asked to make a minimum time commitment, including a minimum number of hours per week / month and a minimum number of months / years in total.

2. Training of mentors and mentees All mentors and mentees must participate in an evidence-based training process

to familiarize themselves with culturally-focused mentorship and learn skills that will contribute to a successful match.

Training materials should be based on available, culturally-relevant evidence. Training should include supporting mentors to have a strong understanding of the

developmental needs of all youth, including Black youth and an understanding of anti-Black racism.

3. Mentorship matching Matching processes may vary but should be based on available evidence on best

practices (e.g. consideration of age, interests, cultural and other identities, etc.). Care should be taken to ensure that both mentors and mentees feel comfortable

with their match and have opportunities to get to know each other in safe and comfortable environments.

4. Ongoing mentorship supports Ongoing supports to facilitate successful mentorship matches may include:

o Funds for mentorship related activities that support the service plan developed between the mentee and mentor to achieve identified goal(s).

o Ongoing problem-solving support and resources for both mentee and mentor.


5. Referrals to other programs and services When necessary, timely and relevant referrals should be made to outside

services to support improved outcomes for youth participants (e.g. mental health, housing, employment, youth outreach workers, educational partners, etc.)

1.5 Costing All applicants must provide a proposed budget using the budget template (Appendix B). The budget will include:

Start-up costs (i.e. one-time costs) associated with establishing the Program; and Regularly occurring costs associated with program maintenance (i.e. allowable

ongoing expenses).

For more information on allowable expenses, see the Tab 2 of the budget template (Appendix B).

While actual costs will be negotiated with each selected applicant, the maximum amount of funding available for each initiative is up to $160,000 per full fiscal year. Successful applicants will enter in to three year agreements, pending the results of ongoing program management and annual program reviews.

1.6 Beneficiary PopulationEligible applications will provide mentorship opportunities to Black1 youth between the ages of 6-25 in one of the three BYAP target communities:

Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Windsor Ottawa

Special consideration should be given to Black high-risk youth. High-risk young people have multiple risk factors and challenges and / or have experienced specific incidents that increase their risk, such as a sibling in conflict with the law.

Depending on the unique circumstances of each target community, high-risk youth may include populations such as youth in and leaving care, youth living in poverty, youth in conflict with the law, youth with disabilities or special needs, LGBTTQ youth, Francophone youth, and youth living in rural and remote communities.

1 The Ontario Black Youth Action Plan uses the definition of Black in its most inclusive sense to reflect the diverse ancestry, origins and ethnic identities of individuals of African and Caribbean descent. The term is based on self-identification, is not mutually exclusive and is used by Statistics Canada.


1.7Collective ImpactAll initiatives selected to receive funding under the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan will be delivered using the Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach. Applicants must be willing to learn about and participate in this Approach in order to be considered for funding. To learn more about the CI2 Approach please see Appendix A.

1.8 EligibilityApplications can be completed by a single organization, a coalition or a partnership.

The lead organization is the signing organization on the government contract to deliver the campaign.

Partners are the organizations responsible for supporting one or more of the mentorship activities (Section 1.4). Mentorship partners can play a co-leadership, supporting or collaborative role.

To be eligible for consideration, all applications must meet the following criteria: 1. The lead organization applying for funding must be a legal entity;2. Submission of a completed application form (including reference letters) and

Excel budget template for the Program by the application deadline; and3. All elements of the application (Appendix B) have been addressed / completed in

the application.


2. Application Process2.1 Submitting an ApplicationAll applications will include the following:

One completed application template (Appendix B); One completed Budget Template (embedded in Appendix B); and Two reference letters.

All materials associated with your application must be received by the Youth Strategies Branch, Ministry of Children and Youth Services (the “Ministry”) no later than Friday, September 29, at end of day.

Applications can be submitted to and will be accepted by: Email: [email protected] Mail: ATTN: Nakema Wilson, 3rd Floor, 101 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5S 3L7

2.2 Application QuestionsIf you have any questions about the application template, criteria, process etc. please email them to Nakema Wilson at [email protected] by Friday, September 8, at end of day.

All questions and responses will be summarized in writing and re-distributed via email and on the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan website the week of September 11, 2017.

2.3 Selection of InitiativesAn inter-ministerial committee will review and assess the applications against the eligibility requirements (Section 1.8) and the criteria below to make recommendations for project funding.

Criteria WeightsSection 1: Organizational Overview

Application indicates that the lead organization or partners are currently working with Black children, youth and families in one of the three BYAP communities (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Ottawa and Windsor).

5%

Section 2: Organizational Experience Organization and / or partners have clearly demonstrated

experience delivering mentorship programs or other youth-serving programs.

Organization and / or partners have clearly demonstrated

25%


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Criteria Weightsexperience collecting data (i.e. conducting surveys, collecting race-based data, empowering front line staff to collect data etc.)

Lead organization and partners are willing to participate in a Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach.

Lead organization and partners are willing to participate in a Youth Mentorship Program Community of Practice.

Section 3: Initiative Proposal Description of Mentorship Initiative:

o Clearly identifies the outcome stream;o Demonstrates alignment with the Guiding Principles of the

CI2 Approach throughout program activities (i.e. training, mentor recruitment etc.);

o Uses evidence (i.e. quantitative data, qualitative information) to demonstrate community need;

o Identifies a target population (including specific age range) that is aligned with the beneficiary population (Section 1.6); and

o Identifies a mentor population that is aligned with the outcome stream.

Description of Implementation Plan:o Clearly addresses all program activities (Section 1.4);o Identifies any risks and strategies to mitigate them (i.e.

risks related to recruitment of mentors, mentees or matching); and

o Identifies realistic targets for number of youth served. Application provides a realistic budget that reflects all elements of

program activities outlined in the proposal and does not exceed allocated spending.

Application budget demonstrates value for money by demonstrating a capacity to minimize overhead costs and maximize services to youth.

50%

Section 4: Additional Information Reference letters clearly demonstrate the organization’s

connection to the community and / or outlines the organization’s capacity to benefit Black children, youth and families through this initiative.

20%

Section 5: Authorization Proposal contains a signed authorization.

N/A


Successful applicants will be notified using the primary contact indicated in the application (Appendix B).

2.4 Important Notes for ApplicantsPlease read the Program Guidelines (Section 1) and the Evaluation Criteria (Section 2.3) before submitting your application as they contain important information.

Please use the Application Template (Appendix B) to complete your application. Please abide by the word limits indicated in the template.

In addition, in person design sessions will be taking place in all target communities. More information is available on the website at: Ontario.ca/BlackYouthActionPlan.


http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/youthopportunities/eoyap/obyap.aspx

Appendix A: Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach: Ontario Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) Guiding Principles

All selected Ontario Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) initiatives will adopt a common set of guiding principles. This set of guiding principles / conditions make up an approach which, for the purposes of BYAP implementation, has been named Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach. The core CI2 principles are:

Common Agenda: Organizations delivering BYAP initiatives work collaboratively on a shared agenda that is focused on improving the outcomes for Black children, youth and their families.

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Organizations delivering BYAP initiatives partner with multiple sectors to advance and achieve the common agenda, including:

o Public and broader public sector;o Multiple levels of government (i.e. municipal, provincial, federal);o Cultural agencies;o Community and not-for-profit sector agencies;o Private sector;o Funders;o Youth-led entities and youth themselves.

Cultural Identity Plan: BYAP initiatives embed conscious and inclusive practices and adaptations that reflect “promotive” and “protective” factors related to the concept of identity or feeling of belonging to a group. These “promotive” and “protective” factors should reflect a person’s self-conception and self-perception, related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture.

Data Literacy: Initiatives develop, collect, share and analyze data to measure progress and drive collective decision-making toward advancing and achieving the common agenda.

Black Children and Youth Empowerment: Initiatives prioritize listening to Black children and youth when making decisions and empower children and youth with tools and support they need to take action on their own behalf.

Community of Practice: Initiatives actively and regularly share best practices and learnings with initiative-specific and cross-initiative collaboratives.

Research and Evaluation: Initiatives actively track progress and apply learnings on the:

o Impact of initiatives on the outcomes for Black children, youth and their families; and

o Effectiveness of the Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach.



Appendix B: Application TemplateContent in italics is explanatory and may be deleted in the final application.

Ontario Black Youth Action Plan

Together We Can Youth Mentorship ProgramApplication

Section 1: Organizational Overview (5%)

1a) Lead Organization Contact Information:This is the contact the Ministry will use should your application be successful, so if possible, please provide a direct line to the key contact (i.e. extension number or cellular number).

Applicant Organization Name:Applicant Last Name:Applicant First Name:Position:Telephone Number:Email Address:Postal Code:Organization Website (if applicable):

1b) Lead Organization and / or Partner Organization Information (maximum 100 words):Please provide mandate / vision, any relevant historical background, relationships with community members and / or community presence. List and describe partners the lead organization will work with to deliver the program.

1c) Beneficiary Communities (maximum 100 words):Please indicate which BYAP catchment area the lead organization and partners currently operate in, then list the specific communities within that catchment area that the lead organization and partners benefit.

BYAP catchment area: Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Windsor Ottawa


Specific communities:

Section 2: Organizational Experience (25%)

2a) List and briefly describe any experience the lead organization has in delivering mentorship programs or other youth-serving programs (100 words): Consider discussing the governance structure of the organization and its ability to administer mentorship programming, assess risks, monitor and report on results.

2b) List and briefly describe any experience the lead organization has in collecting program data and conducting program evaluations (i.e., how the organization measures, reports and shares program success and lessons learned) (100 words):

2c) Are the lead organization and partners willing to commit to and participate in the Collective Impact and Cultural Identity (CI2) Approach (i.e. collaborating with other successful initiatives, sharing data etc.)?

☐Yes ☐No

2d) Are the lead organization and partners willing to commit to and participate in a Youth Mentorship Community of Practice?

☐Yes ☐No

Section 3: Initiative Proposal (50%)

3a) Please describe your mentorship program including (500 words): o Initiative Summary: A summary of the proposed initiative including which

outcome stream (Section 1.2) this initiative will focus on. Describe how your initiative is aligned with the Guiding Principles of the CI2 Approach (i.e. Does your initiative rely on cross-sector collaboration? Does it empower youth voices? Does it have a cultural identity plan?).

o Beneficiary Community: Please provide a description of the unique needs in the target community and how the proposed initiative, as delivered by the applicant, will respond to these local needs. Provide evidence used to support the selection of the proposed community.

o Beneficiary Population: Please provide a description of the youth within the target communities who will be targeted by the proposed mentorship program (i.e. specific age range, gender, risk status etc.).


o Mentors: Please describe who your mentors are (i.e. Black community leaders/elders, adults in the business community etc.).

3b) Please describe your implementation plan including (1,500 words): o Recruitment: A description of the process that will be used to recruit and

select appropriate mentors and mentees. This should include a risk management plan and process for screening of mentors and mentees that is evidence-based and appropriate for the identified target population(s).

o Training: A description of the training, capacity building and oversight that will be provided to mentors and mentees. Evidence should be used to support how the described elements will be effective for the target population(s).

o Matching: A description of the approach to determining successful mentorship matches, including a rationale based on best practice guidelines.

o Supports: A description of the ongoing supports that are expected to be provided to mentors and mentees throughout the mentoring relationships to promote success of mentorship matches and positive outcomes for mentees, including approach to providing appropriate referrals for mentees to other programs and services. The description should include evidence relied upon to select the supports that will be provided.

o Targets: A target number of youth who will be served by this initiative each year.

o Evaluation: Describe the Performance Measurement Plan, identifying what data will be collected to measure the outcomes, including defined performance goals / objectives / targets and performance indicators, data sources, and how and when this data will be collected. For example, identify the number of new youth expected to be served, the number of hours of direct service to be provided, and the number of mentors who will participate in training and be matched with a youth mentee.

o Timeline: Using your own template or the one provided, please describe the service delivery milestones and expected timelines for the initiative to be up-and-running by May 2019.

Milestone Start Date End Date Description of Activities


3c) Please provide your proposed budget (300 words): Provide a detailed budget, including justifications for each of the budget items, that includes costs associated with the initiative. Please be sure to read the allowable expenses on Tab 2 of the attached Excel Budget Template. The maximum annual budget is $160,000.

For example, identify the number of FTEs to be hired, if any, hourly rate, estimated number of hours per week or month, benefits, and cost of any programming supplies and / or expenses (if applicable); for one-time purchases, include a list of the items to be purchased and their individual costs.

The applicant should also identify any existing assets that would be leveraged to support the implementation of the initiative. These assets may include:

Office space (i.e. rent) or other physical resources (e.g. computer equipment)

Staff and in-house expertise Existing partnerships and collaborations that would add value to the

initiative (e.g. in-kind donations).

Section 4: Additional Information (20%)

4a) Please include two (2) reference letters which identify one or more of the following elements:

Demonstrates your organization’s connection to the community; Outlines your organization’s capacity to benefit Black children, youth and

families; Demonstrates the anticipated impacts on youth and the community where

the initiative will be delivered; and/or Demonstrates the anticipated impacts on the local service system (e.g.

other youth service agencies, schools).


Section 5: Authorization

I acknowledge, understand and agree that:

a. The information given in support of this application is true, correct and complete in every respect;

b. The information contained herein can be used for the assessment of funding eligibility;

c. The information contained in this application, or submitted to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services at any time, is subject to disclosure under the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act;

d. As a condition of and prior to receiving any funding pursuant to this application, the applicant will be required to execute a Transfer Payment Agreement outlining the terms and conditions relating to any funding and the Program to be delivered; and

e. Notwithstanding that the applicant has submitted a complete application and may have met all the eligibility and selection criteria, I acknowledge and agree that the applicant may not be selected to receive funding or may not receive the amount of funding identified in the proposed budget.

______________________________________________________

Name, Position / Title of Authorized Signing Officer for the Applicant

__________________________________________ __________________

Signature Date


Documents

Ontario Black Youth Action Plan - Ministry of Children and ... Web viewThis application package is issued by Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister