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Income and Employment Supports

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IEHSD Programming 

The Municipality of Durham Region Income, Employment and Homelessness Supports Division (IEHSD) provides resources and programming for low income residents of Durham Region through our Community Resource Center, Workshops, and Support Groups. 

Here are some of the supports and services we provide:

IEHSD Workshops and Calendar

Workshops are designed to support low income residents of Durham Region.  Topic categories include Educational Information, Financial Literacy, Life Skills and Wellness.  Facilitators provide an inclusive and non-judgemental space for participants to learn about community resources, develop resilience, explore future thinking, and build relationships.  Workshops are free and offered in multiple formats including in person, virtual and hybrid platforms. 

 

Please click on the IEHSD workshop calendar linked below to view our scheduled workshops. 

IEHSD Workshops Calendar Workshop Self-Referral Form

 

Workshop Descriptions

A Wellness Journey

The act of reading and talking about books and stories can help people to achieve a more positive sense of wellness. This session offered every Thursday afternoon is a chance to connect with others, listen to a variety of readings on a different theme each week and share your thoughts in a small group.

Budgeting Dollars and Sense

Learn why budgets work and how to build a budget that works for you in simple, easy steps.

Centennial College Information Session

Attend this session to learn about programs, application process and deadlines to transition to post-secondary studies.

Computer Basics

Computer Basics is a 6 day in person workshop designed to give you an understanding of the basic functions of a computer, laptop, and smart devices. Topics include Introduction to Windows, Microsoft Word, Teams, ZOOM and Google as well as an introduction to keyboard shortcuts and internet/internet safety.

Confidence Boost

Get a better understanding of confidence and self-esteem. 10 tips to boost your confidence.

Day School & Pathways Program Information Session

Attend this session to learn about achieving credits towards your high school diploma, upgrading options and specialized training programs through Pathways available at Durham Continuing Education and Archbishop Anthony Meagher Continuing Education Centre’s.

Durham College Information Session and Online Tour

Attend this session to learn about programs, application process and deadlines to transition to post-secondary studies.

Effective Communication

Tips to help recognize poor communication and how to strengthen your communication skills.

Find Your Fit

This workshop offered over six half day sessions. Find Your Fit is designed to help you get a better understanding of your values, skills, and personality traits. Use this information to guide you in your life planning process. Learn how to research information related to personal wellness, community involvement, education, and career possibilities.

Fleming College Information Session and Tour

Attend this session to learn about programs, application process and deadlines to transition to post-secondary studies.

Getting Ahead

Getting Ahead in a Just Getting’ by World is a curriculum that supports people in poverty as they create their own plan for stability. The powerful and very interactive Getting Ahead curriculum studies poverty from an individual and community level.

Getting Ahead ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)

Participants examine their own experience of poverty and explore the issues in their community that impact poverty. Those who participate learn how to build positive resources and relationships to assist them to move toward a thriving, more stable life for themselves while addressing trauma through trust and resilience. 

Goal Setting

Explore different types of goals and how to create goals that work.

HOPE to Happiness

This hybrid workshop series will help you to take steps forwards building a future filled with HOPE: Happiness – Optimism – Positivity – Energy. In this 9 day series we will explore information on: Growth Mindset, Self Care, Triggers & Fear, Coping & Control, Rest-Routine & Reset, Mindfulness, Genuine Optimism and Glimmers. You will complete activities, collaborate with others and examine ways to build more HAPPINESS into your life.

Managing Anxiety

This is an eight-day series offered every Wednesday afternoon, provides a confidential and safe place to normalize, share and learn about coping with anxiety.

Managing Emotions

Attend this 2-hour session to learn about Emotional Intelligence (IQ) and strategies to coping with anger. Topics covered will include: defining emotions and feelings, six- basic emotions, managing difficult emotions, rule of 12, de-escalation techniques, window of tolerance, and grounding activities.

Mental Health Matters

In this workshop we will look at mental health as a state of well-being which greatly affects the quality of our day to day lives and our ability to be productive and maintain healthy relationships. This safe and engaging virtual session will provide a forum in which we can share thoughts and experiences while we explore ways we can stay mentally healthy and when and how to seek professional help when needed for ourselves or those we care about.

Money Mindset

This 6-session series focuses on how to take stress away from your money mindset. Learn and talk about how to build a budget, smart shopping, consumer tips, credit, savings and preparing for taxes to get benefits.

OSAP Information Session

Financial Aid Specialist will share the process of funding your post-secondary education through Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) with lots of opportunity to ask questions.
Program Information (See Calendar above for location)
General: Learn about Ontario Works programs in this all-in-one session and how to register for them.

Overview of Workshops and Community Resources

Learn about Ontario Works programming and community supports in this all-in-one session and how to register for them.    

Pathways to Protection: SAFE (Supporting Awareness, Freedom and Empowerment)

Learn strategies to keep yourself SAFE through four in-person 2-hour modules on Healthy Relationships, Boundaries and Consent, Online Safety and Safety Planning. This workshop will be facilitated in a warm, welcoming, and confidential space for participants.  

RentSmart Basics

In today’s challenging rental market, RentSmart Basics prepares renters to find housing and experience successful tenancies. In this workshop series, spread over three mornings, participants learn three Keys to Housing Success.

Resilience: Reboot & Rebuild

Comeback from difficulties with tips & techniques that rebuild your resilience. Listen to stories of others who have also suffered setbacks and have had real forward movement in restoring and refreshing their own inner strength.

Seneca College Information Session

Attend this session to learn about programs, application process and deadlines to transition to post-secondary studies.

Staying Ahead Connections

Recent Getting Ahead Graduates continue to share their experiences and grow as the continue to work on their future stories.

Supported Self-Filing Tax Clinic

If you have a simple tax situation, access to email, basic computer skills and want to learn how to file your taxes online, this may be the workshop for you. This 2 hour session will support you with learning how to file your taxes online.

Tax Time Ready

Tax time doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Information, support, and resources to assist you in preparing to file your federal income taxes.

The SMART Consumer

In this two-day workshop reflects on making wise choices as a consumer. Learn to recognize advertising influences, discover tips for smart shopping, spot common frauds and scams and understand your consumer rights.

True2Life Lessons

Discover, explore, and engage through nine life lesson modules focused on personal growth, improving relationships and problem-solving abilities. This workshop series will run over nine mornings.

Tuesdays with Ted

Spend some time connecting with others and sharing your thoughts in this video chat series. Each week we will present a different topic with a few related videos.

VHA Home HealthCare - Hoarding Help & Extreme Cleaning

VHA Home HealthCare is proud to share exciting information about hoarding supports in your community through this interactive and educational workshop. What is hoarding and how do we help? You’ll learn the answers to these questions and more about the no-cost extreme cleaning and hoarding support services that we offer Durham Region residents.

Youth Workshops

Individualized workshops designed for young adults between the ages of 18-29. These workshops help young adults develop techniques and tools for mental health self-management, developing and maintain relationships and explore future thinking.  Available workshops include: Managing Emotions, Resilience and Vulnerability, Courage and Reframing, Critical Thinking and Decision-Making, Self-Care.

 

Community Resource Centre

The Community Resource Centre is located at 200 John Street West in Oshawa, in the upstairs of the Midtown Mall. The Community Resource Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents can use, free of charge, computers, printers, fax machines, photocopiers and telephones. IEHSD staff are onsite and available to support.

 

Contact Information

Telephone: 905-666-6239
Toll-free: 1-888-721-0622
Bell Relay Line: 905-660-6223
Interpreter Language Line: 1-800-523-1786
Fax: 905-432-7602

 

Learning, Earning and Parenting (LEAP)
Young and expectant parents ages 16 to 25 are eligible to participate in the LEAP program. This program is available if you do not have your Ontario Secondary School Diploma and receive financial assistance through Ontario Works. LEAP assists participants in obtaining their high school diploma; provides parenting support and resources; and help finding and preparing for employment.
Homelessness
Homeless Shelters
Education, Employment and Skills Training 

The following schools provide education and skills training, including beginner level and skills upgrading:

  • Archbishop Anthony Meagher, Catholic Continuing Education Centre
  • Clarington Centre for Individual Studies
  • Durham Alternative Secondary School (DASS) (16 to 20 years old)
  • Durham Continuing Education (E.A. Lovell) (21 years and older)
  • Durham College
  • University of Ontario Institute of Technology

The following organizations may help you find a job in Durham:

  • Agilec
  • Centre D'Emploi Francophone De Durham
  • Durham College (Oshawa Community Employment Services)
  • Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre
  • Employment Ontario
  • Global Experience Ontario (Foreign Credentials)
  • John Howard Society
  • META Making Employment Transitions Attainable
  • Open for Business
  • Second Career
  • Service Canada
  • VPI Working Solutions
  • YMCA Durham Employment and Community Services
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