Community engagement is underway, as 14 Wing Greenwood’s Military Family Resource Centre begins the transition of programs to Military Family Services.
“This is our first engagement – we wanted to come and hear from the community,” MFS associate director Kim Hetherington said December 3, during an evening town hall with GMFRC board members, 14 Wing leadership and the wing community. She was accompanied by Kara-Lee Casselman, MFS associate director.
After a day of meetings, and by the end of the town hall, Hetherington already had the contacts for a potential first volunteer, interested in the advisory council that will stand up in the new year to give local feedback into MFS programs and services.
The GMFRC volunteer board announced in October it will relinquish Department of National Defence funding for MFS programs to Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services after a challenging year of staffing change and growing management burden. MFS will take on all staffing and operational responsibility, as it offers CFMWS’ “envelope” of programs supporting military and veteran families with relocation, work-related absences and illnesses, injuries and transitions to civilian life; along with mental health and intimate partner violence resources. The GMFRC board will change mandates, and entirely operate a childcare centre, with the ability to access provincial and national $10-a-day-daycare funding.
“Same building, same services,” said GMFRC board chair Natasha Appolloni. “All the background the volunteer board was doing – human resources, hiring, financials – will be done by MFS.
“The advisory council becomes just that: advising. The GMFRC remains a not-for-profit, and, with our funds we have saved and from the wing, we plan to do our best to ensure success for the childcare centre and to support 14 Wing families during this transition.”
Hetherington expects MFS will have a senior manager in place in January, followed by focused hiring into the Spring for key positions that match prioritized programs. GMFRC staff will be invited to apply for positions with MFS, as a new employer. As the staff team builds, Hetherington said, more localized programs outside MFS’ formal mandate, but supported by the advisory council, the wing and community; may be added, with partner support.
Casselman said changing times are a challenge for a 30-year-old MFRC board model in Greenwood, and in some other locations across the country, as family dynamics, connections with a military workspace and community, and the expectations of volunteer for entities with substantial budgets, responsibilities and time commitment have all evolved. Recruiting military family members to take on liability and fiduciary board roles has become harder.
Wing Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Proulx will be an ex officio member of both the MFS advisory council and the GMFRC’s childcare centre board.
“Two organizations, co-located: the average 14 Wing member and family won’t know the difference,” Proulx said. “The advisory council will be critical to what we want communicated from the wing community to the MFS centre, and there will be checks and balances to get the right people, for the right reasons, on that council.”
14 Wing Colonel Luc Vachon encouraged military and family members with questions, or an interest in the MFS advisory council, to reach out.
“I see a lot of positivity, and am extremely supportive, of the board’s decision to go with MFS. The wing chief and I had no oversight over the GMFRC before. We were observers, and the time and effort of our MFRC board – as volunteers – was huge. The money will be the same MFS funding into mandated programs, and our advisory council will communicate with our MFS senior manager. And, now, the wing chief and I can reach to the highest levels within CFMWS – or higher – if we feel our advisory council is not being listened to.
“For us, it’s a win, and we’re excited to go through the process. There is a definite interest from other bases and wings in going this route.”
Former GMFRC board volunteer and military spouse Stefanie Arduini thanked the current board volunteers for their work in recent months.
“I can only imagine the brain power and mental work that’s gone into this. You’re all amazing – thank you.”
If you are interested in receiving information about the new military family advisory committee, contact mfsgreenwood@cfmws.com
