Welcome to our new annual report format!
This year, I have decided to create a balance between work and self-care so I have included some of the stained-glass pieces I created during Covid. I am of the opinion that as a community, we have not talked enough about the psychological strain the pandemic put on each of us. We all react to a crisis in different ways and the ACSA team has taught me that as a leader, I needed to be very mindful of each person’s ability to regulate their return to in person programming while also handling the amplified issues participants bring to our organization.
This year the team dealt with two murders and a suicide. The level of intensity regarding participant anger, violence, grief, loss, anxiety and depression has intensified and it is having an impact on the team. I have taken on a new strategy with the team in terms of taking mental health breaks and remembering to have downtime as a team while we guide people through programs. This new approach also honours the degree of trauma the team has exposure to on a daily basis when reading collateral information from children’s services, probation and police that can be traumatizing to read. This new strategy has helped immensely and has increased our ability to get our work done without putting added emotional strain on everyone.
We are currently in the process of upgrading our IT system and I wish to acknowledge the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Stollery Foundation for the $30,000 grant we were successful in securing which will streamline our client information system as well as upgrade some very old computer systems.
Continue reading by downloading the full report.