ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: October 1, 1999
Author/Local: Baldwin Wong/6637
RTS No. 1036
CC File No. 2151

Council: October 19, 1999

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Director of Community Services, Social Planning Department
SUBJECT:	Allocation of Family and Youth Reserve Funds

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council approve a grant of $ 30,000 to M.O.S.A.I.C., the source of funds being a $30,000 reserve in the 1999 Community Services Grants Budget.

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services submits the foregoing for CONSIDERATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report recommends approval of a grant to M.O.S.A.I.C. to conduct Community Profile/Needs Assessment of two ethnocultural communities in Vancouver, i.e. Korean and Filipino. The project will provide a comprehensive survey of current and emerging community issues in the Filipino and Korean communities, particularly in the areas of access to services and community participation.

BACKGROUND

On March 16, 1999, Council approved a reserve of $30,000 in the 1999 Community Services Grants Budget for Family & Youth Support work (previously called the Multicultural Family Support Reserve). The recommended reserve of $30,000 allows for follow-up to existing initiatives on the needs in smaller ethnocultural communities.

In 1996, Social Planning staff conducted a review of family support/family counselling services for ethnocultural communities in the City. One key issue identified was the significant gaps and inequities in service access for families who have limited/no English. In 1997-8 Social Planning provided funding to M.O.S.A.I.C. and the Immigrant Services Society to explore a model(s) for family support services to small ethnic communities which have little or no access to such service. The project was completed in March 1999, and community agencies and other funders are currently undertaking a Phase II project to further develop transferable service models which can be utilized in smaller ethno-cultural groups.
The proposed time-limited Community Profile/Needs Assessment project will also complement findings of another initiative which will identify barriers or other issues between small ethnocultural groups and established service organizations.

DISCUSSION

Immigration statistics show that between 1991 and 1996, newcomers to BC were mostly from the Pacific Rim region, and many of them have settled in the Greater Vancouver area, with approximately one third eventually residing in the City. Of the visible minority population, the population of both the Filipino and Korean communities have increased significantly since 1991. In 1991, 12,230 people of Filipino origin lived in the City of Vancouver (Census 1991). By 1996, the number was increased to 16,930, a 38% increase. This trend has continued in the past three years, and the Philippines is now among the top three source countries of immigrants to BC and the Lower Mainland. (Source: BC Stats 1997-9.)

Similarly, the Korean community also stands out as the group that has undergone the most change between 1991 and 1996. According to the 1996 Census, almost one half of the Koreans in the Greater Vancouver area arrived within 1991 and 1996. In 1991, the Korean population in the Lower Mainland was 6,730, with about 2,100 residing in Vancouver. In 1996, the total number of people of Korean origin residing in the Lower Mainland is about 17,085, a 153 % increase from 1991, and 4,085 of those lived in the City of Vancouver, anincrease of 94.5%. (Vancouver Local Areas Census: 1996) The increase in population in the Korean community has continued in the last three years , as shown by recent data from Immigration Canada.

In discussion with funders and community agencies, it was identified that a Community Profile/Needs Assessment of the Filipino and Korean communities will be both timely and needed to provide additional information as to whether smaller ethnocultural communities are utilizing existing community resources and whether available services are meeting the needs of the community. Results from the proposed Needs Assessments will assist funders and service providers to better understand outreach to smaller ethnic communities and their service needs.

This time-limited Community Profile/ Needs Assessment Project will be a consultative and collaborative project between M.O.S.A.I.C. and community groups or agencies from the Filipino and Korean communities. The goals of the project are: to provide an up-to-date demographic survey of the communities, to identify current and emerging community issues and needs, to identify barriers and challenges in community participation, and to provide a better framework to funders and community agencies on how to work with smaller ethnocultural communities.

The project will start in November, 1999 and be complete by the summer of 2000. Both United Way and BC Multiculturalism have expressed interest in participating and advising on the project. The outcome of the assessments will also assist other levels of government and Ministries, such as the Ministry of Children and Families, in identifying pressing issues concerning families, youths, seniors, health and community participation in those communities.

CONCLUSION

Social Planning staff are recommending approval of a grant of $30,000 to M.O.S.A.I.C. to conduct Community Profile/Needs Assessment of the Filipino and Korean communities. The results of the assessment will be shared with community groups, service providers and other levels of government in order that more effective outreach and community services can be implemented for smaller ethnocultural communities in the City of Vancouver.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver