Community Living Toronto is excited to be a part of MyCommunityHub, an online registration space where people with intellectual disabilities and their families are able to find a variety of activities and programs that reflect their interest.

We sat down with Shawn Ratnasingam, Project Manager and Angela Bradley, Chair of Steering Committee to find out more!

Q. How did MyCommunityHub come to be?
Angela: We were hearing more and more from families that they were struggling to find the kinds of programs they wanted to register for. They knew they were out there but couldn’t find them. They were tired of registering with many different agencies, and struggling to track them. Meanwhile, CLToronto was beginning to offer more fee for service options and we wanted it to be easy and fast for families to find, register and pay in this day and age!
Frustrated with how hard it was for families in the Developmental Services to go online and register with a few easy clicks, we started looking into an online tool and asked around other sectors that had registration systems.

After hearing about this particular one, we realized it was a great solution for CLToronto,  but we also realized it was much bigger than us. So we threw it out there to Toronto Developmental Services Sector agencies and six others came forward who were committed to making this work. Together, we worked on a collaborative proposal and applied to the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ Employment and Modernization grant and were successful!

Q. Why was there a need for the hub?
Shawn: Families are looking for more individualized, fee for service options in their communities with limited success. Currently they are left searching through websites, phoning, collecting brochures, attending information sessions and touring various facilities.

Agencies are also struggling to navigate the world of fee-for-service options. Many do not have the tools to create and price these services. They also do not have access to marketing and communication resources to reach families and are, at the base, struggling to figure out what families want. All of this, while trying to be collaborative with their partners and not create a competitive, unbalanced environment. MyCommunityHub creates an anytime, one-stop environment where families, individuals and agencies can find what they need, when they need it.

Q. How many agencies are currently involved with MyCommunityHub?
Shawn: At the moment, there are seven partners; Christian Horizons, Community Living Toronto, Corbrook, Meta Centre, Kerry’s Place Autism Services, Reena, and Vita Community Living Services.

Q. How many programs are currently offered?
Shawn: As of February 17, 48 programs were offered in various categories including activities & programs, camps, classes and workshops, and day respite. The low number of programs being offered at launch is due to some programs already running for the winter season, however come spring and summer, more programs will be available for registration.

Q. What has the reception for MyCommunity Hub been like so far?
Shawn: Overall, the feedback has been remarkable and most families and support staff are registering without any issues. For those having trouble navigating the site and following the prompts, we are addressing this concern by developing an FAQ along with a step by step visual guide on how to create an account and register for the programs. Support is also available through e-mail to the administrator for registration related questions, however if it’s about a specific program, we encourage connecting with the direct agency.

Q. What are the next steps for MyCommunityHub?
Shawn: At the end of 2016, 13 more agencies will be introduced into MyCommunityHub, and finally in 2017, the remainder agencies will have an opportunity to join MyCommunityHub and start showcasing what they offer.  

For more information, visit: http://www.mycommunityhub.ca