Our Dedication to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The composition of our board, staff, and volunteers reflect our stance on inclusivity, diversity, and equity. We appreciate and leverage our differences and we involve and reflect the communities we serve. Our policies, practices, and resources are aligned so that ALL people have equitable opportunities to thrive. We create a safe environment to ensure all feel welcome, valued, and respected.
Sections of About SDRJ
Agency History
Find out about the history of SDRJ/JRDS, including key moments in the agency growth and programming changes.
Staff
Learn about SDRJ/JRDS staff
Volunteering
Learn about our volunteer programs and get involved!
Policies
Learn about our data collection policies for our website.
Records Policies
Learn about our data collection and storage policies for client files.
Community Involvement
How are we involved in the community?
We collaborate with more than 32 community partners, including the Rapid Mobilization Table, School Boards, Violent Threat Risk Assessment Committee, Enhanced Extrajudicial Measures Program, and the Human Trafficking Coalition, among others. These coalitions and tables serve as forums for effective communication, enabling us to collectively strategize, create community calls to action, and provide optimal support for individuals. With us being so active in these committees, we are able to leverage our knowledge to create actionable changes in our community’s wellbeing and provide optimal solutions.
At SDRJ, we are active participants in many collaboratives, coalitions and community committees. As a result, we have established working partnerships and terms of references with many other social service agencies. For example, we participate as responding partners in the VTRA (Violent Threat Risk Assessment) protocol with 31 other organizations, we are responding partners in the Community Rapid Mobilization Table, we have a working collaborative with the John Howard, Canadian Mental Health Association and the Greater Sudbury Police Service to serve youth who are referred for pre-charge diversion activities. We also participate on the Greater Sudbury Coalition to End Human Trafficking, the Coalition to End Violence Against Women, the Human Services Justice Coordinating Committee, Community Safety and Wellbeing committee for the Greater City of Sudbury, Drug Toxicity Leadership Summit, and the Non-Clinical Wrap-Around Services Committee. On top of all of these partnerships and committees we belong to, we also have referral partnerships with the 4 local school boards as well as the Courts and Northern Youth Services Open Custody. Collaboration allows us to leverage each other’s strengths and resources, reducing duplication of efforts and maximizing the impact of our collective work. In 2021, our Executive Director researched and authored a Social Services Gap Analysis report for the City of Greater Sudbury Tragic Events Systems project. This report has informed us on where service gaps exist and helped us establish niche programming that does not replicate the efforts of others. Indeed, it has helped us form key partnerships with social service agencies to help our youth clients navigate complex systems. Our organization is committed to a proactive and collaborative approach to ensure that our efforts are complementary to any existing initiatives and that we build on the successes of others in the field while remaining innovative and ever evolving. This strategy allows us to maximize our impact and avoid duplication of resources and efforts.
Helpful Resources
Clinical Wrap-Around Presentation
Gap Analysis Report
The purpose of conducting a gap analysis for youth services in Sudbury is to identify discrepancies between the existing resources and the actual needs of young people in the community. By systematically assessing the available programs, services, and support structures against the requirements and preferences of the youth population, this analysis aims to pinpoint areas where there are shortfalls or inefficiencies. Through this process, stakeholders can gain valuable insights into where to allocate resources more effectively, enhance existing services, or develop new initiatives to address unmet needs. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that Sudbury’s youth receive comprehensive, relevant, and accessible support to thrive and reach their full potential. In 2021, Jackie Balleny conducted a gap analysis to determine where needs were not being met for youth in Sudbury. Below is the report that was created once the analysis was complete.