Archive

DCAFS seeking new board members

February 2, 2017   ·   0 Comments

Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS) is on the verge of undertaking an enforced transition at the boardroom level and the organization is looking for the public’s help as it prepares to move into a new era.

DCAFS Board President Steve Scott spoke to the Citizen this week about the organization’s need for new volunteers, with at least three of nine current board members set to vacate their positions in the summer.

“DCAFS has always had a fantastic reputation within this community and as such has always had a very healthy flow of volunteers willing to take on an active role in the organization,” Mr. Scott said. “Once again, we’re coming up to a point where we need to replenish that group.”

Having taken on a volunteer leadership role with DCAFS back in 2011, Mr. Scott is among those who will be forced to move on in the summer as the organization’s bylaws state that board members can sit for a maximum of two terms, or six years.

With roots in the region that seep back over 100 years, DCAFS is the leading integrated children’s service agency in Dufferin County. Mr. Scott says the organization is “unique” in the way that it provides a wealth of necessary services in the community to those who need it. Although the association’s ‘bread and butter,’ so to speak, is centred around child welfare, DCAFS also supports children’s mental health services and development support assistance to children and families in the area.

In its annual ‘Year in Review’ report, DCAFS noted that it served 1,236 clients in its 2015/16 organizational year.

“We’re one of only three or four organizations in all of Ontario that takes a multi-service approach to helping our youth,” Mr. Scott said. “In my opinion, our model is right up there alongside the best in the province.”

Through the advanced, integrated model the organization embraced back in the 1970’s, DCAFS works closely with local police, education and other health and social agencies to provide the best possible services to area residents. The board plays a big part in the organization’s overall success as it is responsible for administering a definitive direction on a variety of issues and programs relating to child and family services.

“It’s a challenging position, but an extremely rewarding one,” Mr. Scott told the Citizen. “I’ve been involved in child-related services for a long time now, it’s always been something I’ve been passionate about. My experiences with DCAFS have been exceptional. When I joined the board I wasn’t particularly familiar with the child protection sector, but this position has gone above and beyond in providing me with an education in this area.”

Quizzed about the requirements for joining the board, Mr. Scott simply stated the organization was looking for individuals with an open mind and a willingness to learn.

“A lot of what we do as board members is analyzing different reports and discussing issues at a big table, but essentially what we do is serve the children that need us,” Mr. Scott said. “Sure, we have to make sure we’re following our bylaws, meeting the standards of our values and strategic plans and ensuring we’re spending our money appropriately and that our programming fits what our mandate is, but the real reason we’re all there is the children.”

Mr. Scott says the board meets once a month, while each of its members, varying from nine to 12 individuals, also sit on at least one of the organization’s four committees (Dufferin Children’s Fund, Finance Committee, Governance Committee and Quality of Programs Committee).

While he says he will be sorry to step aside, Mr. Scott is excited to see a new batch of local volunteers step forward to lead DCAFS into the future.

“This is an absolutely vital service in our community. We have kids in Dufferin County that needs DCAFS and right now DCAFS needs the community,” Mr. Scott said. “It really is a unique opportunity in the sense that you get to truly help the most vulnerable people in our community while at the same time broadening your own horizons, learning something new and making connections in the community.”

For more information on DCAFS, visit dcafs.on.ca. For more information on how you can get involved with the organization, call 519-941-1530.

Readers Comments (0)