COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT

1 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT . REPORT . IMMIGRANT WOMEN CENTRE FOR. INTEGRATION COMMUNITY . PROGRAM LEARNING. 2011-2012 AND DEVELOPMENT. BY: RAJARUBENI AHILAN. MARCH, 2012. 1. EGLINGTON EAST - KENNEDY PARK. NEIGHBOURHOOD. NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT . COMMUNITY WELL BEING. 2011. CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY LEARNING AND. DEVELOPMENT. IMMIGRANT WOMEN INTEGRATION PROGRAM. RAJARUBENI AHILAN. 2. Acknowledgement I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Centre for COMMUNITY Learning and Development (CCL&D) for taking me through this amazing learning process. I'm heartily thankful to Alfred Jean - Baptiste, Executive Director of CCL&D, whose encouragement, guidance and support from the start to the end of the project enabled me to develop an understanding of, designing and conducting the survey. I would like to thank Maria Navarro, Deputy Executive Director of CCL&D and Caroline Outten, Manager-Training Resources and Program Development, for their valuable guidance, knowledge, skills and encouragement.

2 I would like to thank Rihab, Olga, the COMMUNITY engagement worker and the other staff members of the Centre for COMMUNITY Learning and Development who gave me vital encouragement and support during the survey. I would like to thank Behiwot Degefu who did the editing and for the feedback. I acknowledge the support that I have received from the residents of 709,711,720, Kennedy Road, South Asian COMMUNITY and other residents and small businesses located on Eglinton East and Kennedy Park. I also would like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt appreciation to the COMMUNITY , Settlement Agencies and Service Providers. The following staff members who have supported the completion of this NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT : my sincerest thanks to Mrs. Pranoti Menon (Settlement worker ,Catholic Cross-cultural Services), (Councillor, Policultural Services), Ms. Mona Yousefi ( COMMUNITY Engagement Worker, ANC) Arulsubramaniam (Job Facilitator, TESOC Multi Cultural Settlement Services), Jeganathan (Settlement Coordinator/Counsellor, Canadian Centre For Victims Of Torture), Ms.

3 Mona Yousefi ( COMMUNITY Engagement Worker, ANC) Ms. Jesmin Habib ( Supervisor, Ontario Early Years Centre, Scarborough Southwest) for connecting me with the Multi-Cultural COMMUNITY for their assistance in leading ways to meeting with people from different background. 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS. ACQKNOWLEDGEMENTS. CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION---------------------------- ----------------------------------7. COMMUNITY profile History CHAPTER: 02: EXCUTIVE SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- ----------- 12. CHAPTER: 03: COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND SURVEY -------------14. Objectives: Methodology Personal Observation CHAPTER: 04: SURVEY FINDINGS-------------------------------- ------------------------- 18. ) Demographic information group Highest level of Schooling How are you engaged day-to-day? ) Marital Status Marital status People in your house hold Children living at home Civic/immigration status Length of time in Canada ) Self-identity Self-identity (Race/Ethnicity/Country/Region/Origin).

4 4. Self-identity (Gender-Male/Female). ) Living Standards House hold income Financial Situation Most Important financial problem ) Basic NEEDS Housing Satisfaction with Accommodation Amount your spend on Housing Enough money to buy food 7) SUPPORT SERVICES. Use of Support Services Day-To-day involvement Schooling required 8) LOOKING FOR WORK /NUMBER OF JOBS. Number of jobs Program needed Job Development tutoring Program 9) HEALTH STATUS. condition 10) DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT. 5. CHAPTER 05 ---------------------------------------- ---------------- 32. Key informant interviews Theory of change Recommendation Conclusion REFERENCE ---------------------------------------- -----------------------40. APPENDIX I ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- 41. APPENDIX II-------------------------------------- ------------------------ 47. 6. CHAPTER 1. 1. COMMUNITY PROFILE. History Eglinton East Kennedy Park Neighbourhood Eglinton East-Kennedy Park is an area in eastern Toronto, more specifically Scarborough, which comprises two neighbourhoods (Eglinton East and Kennedy Park).

5 Traditionally, Eglinton East and Kennedy Park are considered two separate neighbourhoods; however for planning purposes the City of Toronto joined these two neighbourhoods together as Priority Area 7. Eglinton East is bordered by Stansbury Crescent, Citadel Drive and West Highland Creek to the north, Midland Avenue to the west, the CNR rail line, Brimley Road and Eglinton Avenue to the south, and Bellamy Road North to the east. Kennedy Park, on the other hand, is bordered by Birchmount Road, Brimley Road, Eglinton Avenue and St. Clair Avenue. According to the 2006 federal census, Eglinton East has a total population of 22,385. The male population is 10,430 ( ) and the female population is 11,955 ( ). The working age population, which encompasses those who are 25 64 years old, is 11,700 ( ); and the population of seniors ages 65+ is 2,865 (12. 8%); the population of children ages 0 14 is 4,780 ( ); and the population of youth in the age group of 15 24 is 3,045 ( ).

6 Kennedy Park has a total population of 17,035. The male population is 8,145( ) and the female population is 8,890 ( ). The working age population, those between 25 64 years old, is 9,650. ( ) and the population of senior's ages 65+ is 2,230 ( ). The population of children ages 0 . 14 is 3,210 ( ) and the population of youth ages 15 24 is 2,105 ( ). Since the above numbers are 2006 figures, there is a strong probability that the statistics have changed. However, they are used here as a rough outline of the Eglinton East-Kennedy Park demographic. Eglinton East-Kennedy Park is a working class COMMUNITY with a high percentage of immigration to the area. South Asians are the largest visible minority group in the area, followed closely by blacks and Filipinos, who make up a significant segment of the area's population. The most spoken non-English language in the area is Tamil, followed by Tagalog (Filipino), Chinese- Cantonese, Bengali, Persian (Farsi), Urdu and Greek among many others.

7 Eglinton East-Kennedy Park is a low-income COMMUNITY . The residents of this area primarily live in high-rise buildings, and only 22% of people own their place of residence. Here are some of the challenges that newcomers to this area encounter as they try to integrate in the COMMUNITY . Because of the high percentage of immigration to the area, Difficulties in conducting outreach and engaging the COMMUNITY 7. Lack of meaningful collaboration and coordination of services Inadequate infrastructure Changes in the economy Language barriers Lack of adequate service/program funding Managing clients' expectations. According to Census (2006), & City of Toronto, Eglinton East-Kennedy Park Priority Area Profile includes: Eglinton East-Kennedy Park has a myriad of newcomer service providers who provide a range of services ( , employment bridging programs, language programs, housing and family counselling services). Appendix 1 provides a list of some of the service providers who operate in the Eglinton East- Kennedy Park area.

8 COMMUNITY Profile & Demographics Eglinton East has a total population of 22,385. Kennedy Park has a total population of 17,035. From 2006 census data. 39,420. Population % Change Since 2001 Area Km2. Population Density 5,795 persons / Km2. Pop. of Children (0-4 yrs) Pop. of Children (5-14 yrs) Pop. of Youth (15-19) Pop. of Youth (20-24) Pop. of Seniors (65+ yrs) Parks & Open Space Km2. Distance to nearest subway Km station Number of TTC surface routes 26. Total Employment 4,252. Part-Time Employment 1,609. Visible Minority 67%. Not Visible Minority City of Toronto Neighbourhood profile: 2006 Census indicates, that Eglinton East & Kennedy Park are two neighbourhoods of Scarborough. In 2006, Scarborough's population was 602,575, with a density of 3,161 persons per square kilometres (1,220 sq mi). A study based on census data between 1996 and 2001 shows that Scarborough's growth rate was more than 6%, the highest growth in Toronto. Its population is second to North York, but if this trend continues it should be the most populated district in Toronto by 2010.

9 During 1996 2001 the rate of population growth was 6%. In 2011 Scarborough's population is expected to be 806,381. In 2006, Eglinton East had a population of 22,385 and Kennedy Park had 8. 17,035, a total of 39420. On the same ratio, the population of Eglinton East and Kennedy Park is expected to have grown to 52,754. Like Scarborough, a significant portion of my surveyed neighbourhood's population is composed of: Eglinton East Kennedy Park Neighbourhood Geographical Boundary Map: 1 Eglinton East Kennedy Park Neighbourhood Geographical Boundary 9. Eglington East Neighbourhood Kennedy Park Neighbourhood Geographical Geographical boundary Geographical boundary Map: 2 Eglington Neighbourhood Map: 3 Kennedy Park Neighbourhoods Geographical boundary Geographical Boundary, Neighbourhood # 124, Neighbourhood: #138. 37 - Scarborough Centre (west) 38 Ward: 35 - Scarborough Southwest (north), Scarborough Centre (east) Ward No. 35 Scarborough- Southwest (north).

10 10. Figure 1 Bridges on Eglinton Avenue Figure 2 Intersection at Midland &. East towards Midland Eglinton Figure 3 Intersections at Kennedy &. & Eglinton Ave East Ave East Road Figure 4 Amenities on Kennedy Eglinton 11. 12. CHAPTER 2. 2. Executive Summary The survey covered Eglinton East - Kennedy Park neighbourhoods neighbourhood # 124 and 138. The purpose of the survey was to have a deeper understanding of and assess the COMMUNITY NEEDS of surveyed neighbourhoods and to measure the index of well-being. The survey covered the immigrants, both citizens and permanent residents, from various parts. respondents do not depend on any support services like food bank, social assistance, subsidised housing, employment insurance, etc. But 33% of the respondents are dissatisfied with their standard of living. High concentration: in day-to-day engagement like employment outside the COMMUNITY and unpaid work at home. Others are volunteering, students, locally employed, and staff of COMMUNITY agency.