Strategic Direction 4: Build capacity
In this section:
A renewed focus on staff engagement
Team Grandview has achieved remarkable achievements over the past five years and in doing so, has promoted a commitment to high-quality, client-centred care in a team atmosphere. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a renewed Staff Engagement Survey refocused the leadership’s commitment to supporting teams with the tools, resources, time and appreciation required to support all members. As such, a renewed Staff Engagement Survey was launched, measuring the pulse of the organization every six months.
Through the responses, the leadership team can identify opportunities to strengthen our supports for teams. Coinciding with this work included a series of engagement sessions with all staff and across many specialized teams.
The work was supported by Human Resources, People and Culture and involved all members of Team Grandview.
Highlights:
- 94% of respondents say they feel like they belong to a team
- 94% of respondents say in their team, differences of opinions can be voiced and are heard
This work opened up communication between staff and leadership, and has led to the implementation of numerous initiatives directly informed by staff feedback, including:
- Conducting a market review and pay-banding exercise to inform collective bargaining and equitable practices across the sector, including a living wage review.
- Updating our approach to supporting individual professional development plans, including allotting $750 prorated per full-time employee, per year, and four days of dedicated professional learning for all staff.
- Updating our approach to alternative work environments to allow for enhanced flexibility, where appropriate.
- Enhancing our approach to one-on-one coaching and supports between employee and manager.
- Increasing awareness and accessible supports through Homewood Health.
- Re-establishing our Social Committee, now called the Connection Committee.
- Updating process for establishing annual professional learning goals, unique to each employee.
- Updating the orientation and new hire process.
- Providing more opportunity for staff recognition and appreciation.
We look forward to sustaining this momentum with a renewed focus on our people in our new Strategic Plan.
Growing Medical Services
In Fall 2023, Grandview Kids welcomed two new physicians to our Medical Services roster, which is overseen by Medical Director Dr. Carolyn Hunt. Through these new hires, Grandview Kids was able to re-establish its Neurology services. Supported also by a nurse and dietician, these expert paediatricians assess, diagnoses and provide treatment to children and youth with a range of physical, communication and developmental needs. They also advocate for and support referrals to other medical specialists.
An important component of our Medical Services team’s work is also funded through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP). We completed 525 assessments per year as an “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Hub” and provided post-diagnosis supports. Early intervention is critical; the ASD Hub ensures that our families receive wraparound care at the critical time of diagnosis to access OAP services.
Meet our Medical Services team:
New systems and technology to support Team Grandview
AlayaCare
One of the biggest changes that impacted Team Grandview in 2023-24 was AlayaCare. This is our new electronic health record (EHR), which was rolled out in February 2024. This new, modernized clinical information system has changed the way we work.
“The Incredible” Team Grandview rallied together to learn this new technology, demonstrating extreme adaptability and patience as we moved through implementation.
Planning and implementation required mountainous efforts from individuals and teams across the organization. We had to re-code hundreds of programs, activities and events in the EHR, reducing and streamlining where possible. We created 160 new forms and more than 100 new custom templates to support staff in their reporting activities.
We migrated 71,484 clients records and 2,247,677 documents from our old to new systems.
Training was rolled out to 300 staff across programs and disciplines, including in-person sessions, follow-up virtual coaching sessions, drop-in sessions and even a “Potluck” where everyone brought their “hacks” (instead of food) to share back with colleagues.
“I want to thank you for your INCREDIBLE leadership with AlayaCare. I don’t think you realize how INCREDIBLE you have been with this project and how evident it is that you want it to be successful. You spend hours making sure you understand the system, creating profiles, attending meetings, and sorting through information. Today I watched you lead the IPT through this change with humour, reassurance and knowledge. You have a natural ability to lead a group and inspire.”
Feedback from staff member about leadership of AlayaCare Champion, Corrie Dixon
Thank you to many people who contributed their leadership and expertise on our AlayaCare Implementation Team:
- Project Support: Armin Darvishzadeh, Karen Ng, Rachel Bandele
- Clinical and Client Services leadership: Corrie Dixon, Melany Cox, Helga Harris, Christine Curran, Cherie Kerr, Linda Laing, Joshua Theodore, Wanda Harrington, Keltie Morrison
- Interprofessional Practice Team: Julia Morelli, Alicia Gibson, Stephanie Stoddard, Winnie Wong, Lindsay Willsher, Ashley Rego, Brizida Vinjau, Natasha Mills
- Medical Services lead: Dr. Carolyn Hunt
- Communications lead: Adrian Polidano
- Infrastructure leads: Andrew Marsden, Anthony Aziz, Pavithraa Paramjothy
- Administrative leads: Marcia Newell, Taylor Goods-VanSchie
- Project sponsors: Leslie Suite, Harry Deeg, Tom McHugh
We continue to work to enhance our skills within this new platform, ensuring new staff are trained on the AlayaCare technology. We will continue to fully optimize all its features in service to staff and clients.
Microsoft Office 365
Office 365 is the cloud-based version for Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher. Since it is hosted in “the cloud” (i.e., internet), it gives users access to collaboration applications like OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams. In 2023-24, we upgraded to these applications to gain efficiencies in the way we communicate, share files and collaborate on documents. We continue to modernize our technology infrastructure to ensure Team Grandview has access to the best tools to do their daily work. These tools enable greater connection across our distributed workforce, which remains increasingly important as we continue to grow and expand across sites throughout the Durham Region.
Construction progress on our new headquarters
Construction has moved rapidly throughout the last year. The above-ground superstructure was completed in Winter 2023. As of Spring 2024, the crew had made substantial progress on the building exterior, including installation of windows, roofing and phenolic panel installation. Several installations have now been completed. On the interior, installation of door frames, ceilings, insulation, flooring and paint are underway. Civil works continue to progress around the building, as well as the penthouse steel structure that houses heating and cooling equipment. We have also begun work on exterior spaces, including the installation of retaining walls and clearing of the area for the Sensory Trail.
In January 2024, we hosted a number of important guests at the New Grandview Kids construction site in Ajax. Guests included the Hon. Michael Parsa, MPP Patrice Barnes (Ajax), MPP Lorne Coe (Whitby), members of Ajax Town Council, Regional Chair John Henry, and staff from Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The event celebrated the project reaching 50% construction completion, while thanking the municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments for their investments. Each level of government has provided funding for the New Grandview Kids, signaling broad support for Grandview Kids and the services we provide.
The collaboration and commitment required to get here have been unmatched. We have worked closely with champions across Team Grandview, and expert partners from Infrastructure Ontario and Children’s First Consortium. A number of appreciation events were held throughout 2023-24, thanking the dedicated on-site workers whose efforts are bringing the building to life in real time.
While construction progresses toward substantial completion – when the facility will be ready for occupancy – Grandview Kids is busy preparing for the transition to our new headquarters in Fall 2024. This work is called “Operational Readiness.”
Our dedicated Operational Readiness team is leading a number of working groups, comprised of staff across roles and disciplines, with each group focused on specific areas of the new build. Working Group topics span from features of the building, such as the café and Ajax Public Library branch in the Family Resource Centre, to key operational functions, such as technology, clinical and client services, building services, security, strategic communications and more.
While some operations will transition to our new Ajax headquarters, Grandview Kids will continue to operate satellite locations in Oshawa, Port Perry, Bowmanville and Whitby to ensure clients and families can access care close to home and throughout the Durham Region.
This facility is a long-awaited dream – one that defined our Building on Excellence Strategic Plan. Our new, fully accessible headquarters will enable Grandview Kids to expand services and introduce new ones, with state-of-the-art features and collaboration spaces that will better connect Team Grandview, clients, caregivers and our community. A dream soon-to-be realized.
Promoting connection and inclusivity
IDEA Committee
The Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee is comprised of Grandview Kids staff members who share the collective goal of enhancing knowledge surrounding inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility within the organization through live education sessions, educational resources, events, newsletter content and other areas.
In 2023-24, the IDEA Committee hosted several impactful all-staff huddles on important topics and awareness days and months, including Microaggressions in the Workplace, Ramadan, Transgender Day of Visibility (joined by guest speaker Jamie Pandit), Pride Month, and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Additionally, members of the IDEA Committee created regular articles detailing the significance of awareness days and religious holidays, which were featured in weekly internal newsletters and the external Gather newsletter on the first of each month.
Thanks to the members of our IDEA Committee for their steadfast commitment to stewarding and supporting inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility at Grandview Kids: Arjana Sivayogeswaran (Co-Chair), Adrian Polidano (Co-Chair), Taryn Eickmeier (Sponsor), Fadia Omer, Janicka Auguste, Kelsey Cluett, Lauren Bessel, Mitchell Daniels, Tina Laughlan, Suvaathy Vigneswaran and Yeldah Yousfi.
Connection Committee
The Connection Committee (formerly referred to as the “Social Committee”) inspires connections between members of Team Grandview by hosting, organizing or promoting fun and social events, competitions, games and other activities. The Committee’s goal is to develop and foster a culture of connection, engagement and belonging among Grandview Kids staff.
Connection Committee activities in 2023-24 included: Summer Staff BBQ including yoga, mindfulness, art stations and recreation activities; Winter Wonders all staff event, combining education and celebration into a day-long event; monthly “Connection Moments” at the beginning of all staff huddles; “Say Something Nice” boards; plant growing competition; virtual trivia on multiple topics; gifting seedlings to celebrate first day of Spring and International Day of Happiness; “Friday Funday” themed dress-up days; lunch-hour stretch breaks; “All About Me” workstation templates; chocolate chip cookie competition; cookbook; wellness walks; Grandview Kids Week staff profiles; participation in municipal holiday parades; art workshops; and Valentine’s candy-grams.
Thanks to the members of our Connection Committee for their energy and creativity to bring together Team Grandview in meaningful ways: Avori Cheyne (Co-Chair), Ashley Arriola (Former Co-Chair), Shannon Lock (Current Co-Chair), Adrian Polidano, Corrie Dixon, Harry Deeg, Jesse Todd, Karen Jange, Kristen McKinnon, Marcia Newell, Mark Salonius, Melissa Marasigan, Natalie Dnes, Natasha Mills, Samantha Milligan, Vareesha Khan, Yeldah Yousfi.
