Yearly Reports and Priorities

Annual Priorities 2021-2022

PAQ’s 2020-21 annual operational plan is built around the three areas of focus identified in the 2020 draft strategic directions document: building community; providing culturally adapted services; and advocating for the health and housing rights of urban Indigenous peoples. The annual plans also include an internal priority of building organizational strength and resilience.

Key Commitments from Staff that Guide the 2021-22 Plan

• We commit to incorporating Indigenous knowledge and values in our decision-making, policies and programs, and ways of working. We also commit to increasing the recruitment of Indigenous staff and volunteers.
• Participation and feedback from participants are important and will help improve our programs and services.
• We will prioritize building and strengthening proactive mental health supports that meet our community needs, whether through direct service provision or referrals to partners.
• We will value our employees’ strengths and wisdom, ensuring they are given more autonomy to support community members to the best of their abilities, and have opportunities to learn from each other. We will capture and document the knowledge, wisdom, and experience that exists within the organization.

 

1. STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY

Recognizing that there were few opportunities to gather during the pandemic, PAQ commits during the 2021-2022 fiscal year to prioritizing community gathering, consultation and decision-making, involvement, and empowerment.

2021-2022 deliverables:

1. Member input and participation in PAQ operations and community life are increased and enhanced.
2. PAQ’s policies, programs, and operations are updated, are culturally safe, and reflect Indigenous values and traditions.
3. PAQ is further developed as a welcoming, safe cultural and physical space for community members.

 

2. PROVIDE SERVICES

PAQ provides a wide range of accessible services and referrals that fulfill the basic needs and promote the well-being of the urban Indigenous community in Montreal. In 2021-2022, PAQ remains committed to investing in our core business of providing emergency shelter.  We also recognize the need to both broaden and deepen our service offering. We plan to move towards a full continuum of housing options: from emergency shelter to transitional housing, to permanent housing with wrap-around services. We also acknowledge and plan to act on the critical gaps in psychosocial and mental health support for the community.  We will increase our in-house trauma-informed counseling and psychosocial support services through the addition of an extra caseworker, an outreach worker, and a part-time psychologist.  We also plan to improve the collection and management of data to transition towards more evidence-based decision-making about our services.

2021-2022 deliverables:

1. Progress is achieved towards providing a full continuum of services from emergency shelter to transitional housing to permanent housing.
2. The range and quality of PAQ’s intervention are improved and our intervention model is documented.
3. The Life Skills Program and Confidence Building Program is further developed and a minimum of three 12-week sessions are held.

 

3. PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVOCACY

PAQ recognizes that we are stronger and have a broader impact when we work in partnership with others. This year we will focus efforts on initiating new partnerships and strengthening our existing relationships with other organizations in the sector, donors, and all levels of government.  We aim to be an active and contributing member or ally of the networks and coalitions working on issues that align with our priorities of homelessness, reconciliation, and health and housing justice.

2021-2022 deliverables:

1. A wide range of partnerships are developed and maintained to support the PAQ mission.
2. PAQ has actively participated in relevant coalitions, forums, and networks that advance the PAQ mission.
3. PAQ has furthered its reputation as a credible, reliable partner and thought leader with all levels of government, funders, and the public.

 

4. INTERNAL: STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND RESILIENCE

2021-2022 deliverables:

1. Achieve consistent, cost-effective delivery of services.
2. Collection, analysis, and use of data for evidence-based decision making are improved.
3. Updated performance management tools and processes for staff are developed and rolled out.
4. Recruitment and retention of staff, particularly Indigenous staff, are improved.
5. $350,000 is raised from private sources.
6. The strategic plan is finalized and presented to members at the 2021 AGM for approval.