Good morning. Thank you for your invitation. Unlike my sisters, I will be talking primarily about my organization. My comments will be of a far more practical nature.
Our organization Au Jardin de la Famille was founded 20 years ago. Our mission is to provide fragile, disadvantaged people with a living environment that teaches people autonomy, discipline, self-esteem and respect. Our client base is made up of low-income people, people living with an intellectual or physical disability, people who are illiterate or have low educational attainment, people with learning difficulties, or people with mental health problems. There are 45 people in our organization.
I would like to tackle the question regarding the strategies and solutions our organization has developed to reduce poverty and what parts of our program are currently yielding the best results. Our strategy and our solutions involve providing them with actual work. We are a support service. We opened a second-hand clothing store, where they can learn to work in a store environment, in sales or as window dressers or cashiers. They learn how to do the things that are required. We also have work in a warehouse, where they receive the merchandise. It is important to state that we receive a great many donations. So, they learn to sort the clothing and prepare it for sale. We also have other services which are provided through our organization. In 1996, the Quebec Ministry of Education recognized us as a grassroots literacy group. We also help children with their homework. We have computer workshops, sewing and community cooking workshops. We also teach them janitor work and budgeting. Our goal is to develop all aspects of the individual.
All learning occurs in a structured environment, meaning that they have to punch in just as they would in the workplace. They have to punch in when they arrive and when they leave. They have one hour for lunch, as well as breaks. The clothing store represents an actual commercial business that gives them work and provides service to the community. And, it allows the organization to be self-financed.
Our latest project, which began last year, is the development of a community garden. All the work we are doing in that area focusses on teaching our clients to work as a group and to socialize, and on breaking their isolation and fostering their social integration through everyday tasks. That means that people who come to see us learn to get along on their own, with a view to being able to live alone in a home subsequently. We focus a great deal on helping them become autonomous. As you can see, our client base is made up of the most disadvantaged people. They cannot even work at a developmental centre, because they are not quick enough.
We do what we call “pre-pre-employability”. In other words, it is a long-term process. The aspect of the program that works best is the range of activities that are offered, because they learn to live in a group, they socialize, they develop more self-confidence and have better self-esteem. Also, we see them change and develop and become better integrated into society. In fact, what we are doing is what I call popular education. When they are at the Jardin, it is like being in a real family.
I also wanted to answer the question regarding the role the federal government should be playing in reducing poverty in Canada and how it can pool its efforts with those of the provinces and community organizations. In terms of the funding we apply for, we would like to see that funding be a lot more stable and recurring. In fact, as regards the IFPCA programs, when we apply for a grant, the amount we are given is $25,000. If we are given $18,000, we have to apply again to explain how our work is changing. So, it is very tough. We are constantly having to justify what we do.
We would like there to be more stable funding. As regards project funding, when the year is up, the project is over, and that has an impact on the organization because things are constantly changing. It is exhausting for us. We hire people and then have to let them go because, when the year is up, we no longer have the necessary funds to continue the project. Very often, it would be worthwhile to continue those projects, but it just is simply not possible.
We are aware that needs are great in this area. Unfortunately, as needs continue to grow, we do not have the necessary resources to respond. I also note that, as regards the job integration contract program, which gives a job to seven people, year over year, the amount being provided is going down.
At the same time, the person's illness is not receding; his problem remains the same. By reducing funding, though, there is a risk that the work will not continue. Furthermore, we need more workers and more psychoeducators, which we do not have.
So, overall, we are asking for more stable and recurring funding.