1. Brief Introduction of PMC services: Peel Multicultural Council (PMC) is a non-profit, charitable, community organization. The Council, founded in 1977, develops and implements innovative, positive strategies to empower and assist marginalized community members obtain self-sufficiency.  It is a non-profit organization and its goal is to promote a harmonious multicultural society and facilitate the settlement of newcomers to Canada. In recognition of its services, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration gave a “Citation for Citizenship Award” to PMC in October 2001.

PMC started providing ESL and Job Development programs since 1989. These include an ESL/Job Development Program with the Peel Board of Education and Peel's multicultural community in 1989, and an ESL Program Delivery for the Somali Association in 1991. It started providing LINC (Langauge Instructions for Newcomers to Canada) classes in western Mississauga in February 1995. The present set of classes consist of full-time, part-time day and part-time evening classes from level 1 to level 6.  PMC also provide childminding services consisting of 18 seats for the pre-school children of LINC students.

PMC  successfully started additional settlement services to newcomers in October 2007 through the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program (ISAP) and Job Search Workshop (JSW) and added HOST program for youth as well adults in 2008. PMC added Enhanced Language Training (ELT)with component of job placemnt in 2008. PMC’s JSW and ELT programs have made tremendous difference in the lives of many internationally trained professionals by provididng them vital tools for seeking and retaining employment. PMC is a member of the Peel ISAP Committee as well as Peel LINC Partnership. PMC also makes positive contributions toward enhancement of settlement services in the Peel Region being an active steering committee member of the Peel Newcomers Strategy Group.

2.  Project Background

Meadowvale and Streetsville areas in Mississauga (which is PMC's service catchment area) is a multicultural community. This area has been identified as under served when it comes to delivery of vital social services. An influx of the immigrantion population in this area has changed its demographic landscape. An Ontario Trillium Foundation and United Way of Peel sponsored study (done by Social Planning of Peel) shows that the population growth for Streetsville and Meadowvale is 44% and 22 % respectively. The same study shows that rate of growth in the immigrant population in these two areas has been recorded at 74% and 48% respectively. Contrary to this growth, there hasn’t been any substantial improvement in the social services available to the community. 

People living in Meadowvale and Streetsville areas know how hard it is to find and access services – whether it’s services for children, families, youth, adults, or seniors.  Any needed social services available are spread all over the Mississauga city or not in a way that responds to community  needs here.  Peel Multiculrual Council is the only service provider to meet the needs of newcomers to Canada. Many essential services needed for the larger community (which means including citizens) are not available in this area of the city. Community members feel that access to services is seriously impeded by the lack of accessible service sites in neighbourhood.

2. Purpose

The main purpose of this project is to develop a business plan to establish a community neighbourhood service centre. It will bring together currently available immigrant settlement services and community services.  The proposed new services will include but are not limited to: early years centre; seniors drop in centre; employment resoure centre; pre-employment services; family services; and  recreation services for children and youth etc.

3. Objectives of the plan for the establishment of a Neighbourhood Centre in Meadowvale-Streetsville Area:

PMC's neighbourhood Resource Centre will bring a wide range of services to the door step of community members and will be able to fill this gap effectively. It will provide a critical outlet to accessible services. PMC’s neighbourhood services centre will become a focal  point for formal and informal services thus linking community members to a full range of services and linking staff from across multiple sectors in a single joint effort. This centre will also help create opportunities to support the building of social networks that will add to the informal capacity of Streetsville and Meadowville community members.

For this to happen, PMC has to establish the needs and develop a business plan to set-up a neighbourhood centre. The staffing resources requested with PMC’s OTF project will help establish this service and allow PMC to develop necessary strategies for strong funding proposals. Consequently, this will attract new and absolutely necessary community services funded by local, provincial, federal and private sector foundations in the proposed neighborhood centre. This project will also create avenues for community engagement and development of leadership skills among the community members.

OTF Funding will provide key support to the PMC to hire a consultant to develop a feasiblity study and business plan in consultation with community members and community organizations to establish a neighbourhood resource centre in Meadowvale and Streetsville area of Mississauga. This business plan will help PMC and other community organizations to make a case for funding of various services needed in this area.

4. Hiring of the Consultant:

a) Publication of the vacancy:

PMC will engage an experienced and competent consultant familiar with the demographics of Peel in general and Meadowvale-Streetsville in particular in order to accomplish the work. Quotations for this will be invited from interested contactors.

b) Screening of the Application: While making recommendations on the shortlisted consultants, it will be determined whether the prospective consultant can demonstrate the following capabilities:

·         Ability to engage community members and community organizations in consultation process

·         A proven ability of doing feasibility studies and business plans for community service organization.

·         A track record of positive outcomes from the prepared business plans, leading to establishment of needed community services/organizations.

c) Final screening: From the shortlisted consultants, final screening will be made through a formal process of interview, necessary experience and skill sets to complete this task. ?? not sure what this means.  The f-following things will be considered while making a decision to hire a consultant:

·         How experienced is the consultant?

·         What other similar projects has the consultant worked on?

·         Who would work with PMC on this project?

·         What type of reports will PMC receive from the consultant?

·         What are the consultant’s expectations of PMC board/staff involvement in this process? What can PMC expect from the consultant?

·         What will a typical community consultation session with the consultant look like, in terms of time and work? How many sessions typically? What follow-up is there once we have completed the process? 

·         How would you describe the way you go about a job? 

·         Will your written scope of work include a timeline and fee expectation? 
What installments will make-up your fee structure?  

·         What is your project workload at present? How long will it take to complete our project? 

D) Profile of the chosen consultant must reflect:

·         Sound knowledge of development issues and practitioners in Peel Region

·         Background in social sciences with at-least 10 years of progressive experience

·         Cross-sectoral (Newcomers, youth, seniors, women, family services) experience

·         Substantial policy analysis/ development experience

·         Substantial needs assessment, feasibility and business planning experience

5 Eligibility: Both individuals and institutions are eligible to apply for this assignment.

6. Show a step-by-step work plan for your project indicating each of the steps in order;

The project will have three phases which include:

Phase I:           Literature review

Phase II:          Community Consultations

Phase III:         Feasibility Study

Phase IV:         Business Plan to establish Neighborhood Services Centre

7. What will the consultant help PMC achieve?

 At the end of the contract, the consultant will help PMC achieve the following:

·         Identification of the need for enhanced community services in Meadowvale and Streetsville area.

·         Identification of spacing needs to house the identified (through this project) and already existing services at one central but easily accessible location.

·         Help PMC and other community groups identify the funding resources to start the proposed services.

·         Sustainability of the proposed Neighborhood Services Centre.

Expected Results:

a.      Identify new partnerships, collaboration and networks of interested community members

b.      new model of community centre developed

Performance indicators:

a.      Community network established committed to developing community centre in the Meadowvale and Streetsville areas of Mississauga.

b.      Feasibility plan developed for community centre in Meadowvale and Streetsville, outlining interested partners, potential programs and potential funders.

8. The indicators to be used to measure the success of this project:

·         By the time community consultations are complete, this project will have raised a high degree of community awareness and will have also taught the community members the importance of being involved in community programs

·         The project will bring out the leadership qualities among community members engaging them in this project through a steering committee and consultation forums. 

·         Dialogue initiated with the community through this project will help in the identification of the critical social and human services needed in the Meadowvale and Streetsville areas.

·         The project will eventually lay foundation for the establishment of a Neighborhood Services Centre which will serve the community for many years to come. This will be the project’s real achievement as Meadowvale and Streetsville areas have been struggling for a long time to establish a Neighborhood Services Centre that will provide a variety of much needed human social services to support the diverse needs of families and individuals in the area.

9. 9. Time Lines:

·         Submission for Proposed Research Plan – February 28, 2010

·         Update on research progress – June 2010

·         Draft Report plus presentation: November 20, 2010

·         Final report & Business Plan for the Project – December  20, 2010

11.  PMC Contact information:

If you are interested in this posting please send (mail, e-mail or fax) your profile stating relevant/similar experience and cover letter to the following address, so at to arrive at PMC no later than 4:00 p.m. We thank all applicants, however only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

www.peelmc.com