b'continue to transport kids to their appointments,service to the community. mentors video chat to stay in touch with youth, foster and kin caregivers open their homes toWe were pleased to be a part of the development children and youth who need a safe and secureof Peel Regions Community Safety and Well-place to stay, and when a home visit is needed,being Plan, and continue to actively participate in our workers are there. We are so grateful for theefforts to achieve its goals. We work with partner dedicated team at Peel CAS, whose commitmentorganizations on major issues in the region, like to the well-being of children, youth and familieshuman trafficking and intimate partner violence, has not wavered during difficult times. Ifto support survivors and their families. We take anything, it has grown stronger. Read the Caringgreat pride in our partnerships and the work we through COVID article for more information onare doing collectively to address systemic issues how we adapted our services this year. like racism, discrimination, poverty, and other forms of marginalization that impact so many In spite of the years challenges, we achievedresidents in Peel. exciting new milestones, like the opening of our beautiful new building in June 2020. There isWe acknowledge that racism exists in all so much optimism to be found in those spaces,institutions, and our organization is not as we decorate with colourful artwork thatimmune. We have developed an Anti-racism reflects Peels vibrant diversity. We look forwardStrategy to dismantle and eliminate racism to seeing children climbing on the playground,and discrimination in all its forms. Learn more youth playing basketball in the sports complex,about our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff chatting in the lounge, and family membersinitiatives, like our new Employee Resource meeting in our access centre. We cant waitGroups: Black Employee Network, Diversity and to welcome our clients, partners and theInclusion Council, and a 2SLGBTQ+ Committee. community to enjoy the facilities as soon as itThese groups encourage staff to meet, share is safe to do so. Look ahead in this report to seeinformation and influence practice throughout some pictures of our new spaces. the agency. Recognizing the importance of supporting our staffs mental health through We launched our new, modernized website,these challenging times, we have connected with to make it easier for people to learn about usour Employee Assistance Program to ensure and access our services online. The new siteemployees can access services from a culturally Left: A mural on display in a corridor at the new Peel CAS building, by artist Marilena Madio. Top right:is user-friendly, with online forms for ease ofmatched provider. We look forward to engaging Juliet Jackson, President, Peel CAS Board of Directors. Bottom right: Rav Bains, CEO, Peel CAS access to information, fully updated content inin a comprehensive Ministry-led operational both official languages, lots of resources aboutreview and workplace assessment in 2021 and parenting, fostering and adoption, and a focuscommit to implementing their recommendations Message from our CEO and Board President on diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racismin partnership with our staff. Together, we will and Truth and Reconciliation.create a stronger, more inclusive Peel CAS. T his has been a year of crisis on a global scale. A year of change and uncertainty, of hope,Two of our flagship ethno-cultural serviceAs we look ahead to the coming year, we reflection, and perseverance. The challenges that our community, and others around themodels, Saath and Akoma, celebrated their firstwill continue to work together to rise to the world, have faced in 2020 have served as a reminder to focus on what is truly important:anniversaries this year. We are so proud of thesechallenges before us. In collaboration with our Safety. Family. Community. Loved ones. Taking care of each other.important partnerships, and the recognition theyteam and our partners, we will protect the safety have received from the Ministry of Children,of children and youth, support families to thrive, At Peel CAS, these values have always been central to our work. As we have risen to the challengesCommunity and Social Services. It is thanksand above all else, take care of each other. that faced us this past year, our commitment to those values has allowed us to continue to grow ourto innovative programs like these that 93 per partnerships, support our community, and move our organization forward toward a brighter future. cent of clients surveyed say that they feltJuliet Jackson, President, Peel CAS Board of While some of our work has moved online, our front-line workers, volunteers and caregivers havetheir cultural and religious backgrounds wereDirectors and Rav Bains, CEO, Peel CAScontinued to do everything possible to look after our children, youth and families. Volunteer driversrespected. Work is underway to expand on these successful models to continue to improve our 4 Peel Childrens Aid Society Annual Report 2020-2021 5'