Although still working out some of the day-to-day minutiae of her new role as a community outreach worker, Brittany Petrie certainly knows the position is needed and it will have an impact on citizens in the Town of St. Marys.
Petrie, who previously worked in childcare and child education for the town for five years, has hit the ground running.
Petrie told StratfordToday that St. Marys town council has been aware that an outreach worker would benefit the community.
"Council saw the need for more social service support," she said.
The City of Stratford is the consolidated municipal service manager for housing, homelessness, Ontario Works, and children’s services for St. Marys. Kim McIlroy, director of social services for the City of Stratford, said Petrie's position "allows us to have boots on the ground in the municipality."
Describing the role as a "systems navigator", McIlroy said Petrie will help the municipality through generalized knowledge in life stability issues, including housing stability, homelessness, and the resources/services available to help individuals in need.
Petrie said she is having conversations about those issues. She often works out of the town library, which has a food pantry. Through her work, Petrie is getting referrals to residents who may be struggling and need assistance. Some may need a referral for mental heath services, others need help filling out a passport.
Homelessness has been a constant topic, particularly with the weather getting colder, Petrie said.
The education aspect of the position will include Petrie and her colleagues at the City of Stratford hosting information sessions, including a presentation on homelessness on Dec. 13 at the Pyramid Recreation Centre, from 6:30-8 p.m. It will address myths about homelessness and what the region is doing about it and how community members can help.
"My hope is to have a few information sessions per year," Petrie said.
Petrie will also educate town council and staff about social issues and supports.
Petrie is working with newcomers to the town, including some refugees from Ukraine, helping them access grants for sports or making connections with school boards to see what services could help their families.
McIlroy said City of Stratford staff will still have a presence in St. Marys, there will be no change in direct service delivery and they will work closely with Petrie.
"We are seeing an increased need for life stability services throughout the county as a result of the pandemic. The matters for many individuals are complex and sometimes it takes a multi-team collaborative approach to address their needs."
Petrie, who grew up outside of St. Marys, is working three-days-per-week while also commuting to Victoria Hospital in London to finish up a Masters in Social Work at Dalhousie University. Once her education is complete, her position will shift to full-time.
Municipal, provincial and not-for-profit sectors are funding the outreach worker position.
"I give strong praise to St. Marys for taking the lead on this and putting the needs of their citizens at the forefront," said McIlroy. "It is a proactive approach that will address the needs of the citizens in a timely manner, and they can be referred onto services/resources that are subject matter experts in the field."
