Call for Expression of Interest
(Amended July 25, 2023)
Deadline: August 18, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (CST)
Background
The Department of Families is seeking a community partner to provide navigation services to young adults who have exited care from Child and Family Services (CFS) system. Partners have indicated that once youth transition out of care, they would benefit from guidance and support for connecting to programs and services for which they are eligible. This initiative is to pilot Youth Mentorship Hubs that would help young adults leaving care access benefits, programs and supports to help transition to independence.
Research indicates that youth exiting care benefited from a service navigation component (mentorship) that was connected to the existing supports they received. Other jurisdictions (Ontario and Alberta) have begun to introduce this service component. Development of youth mentorship services aligns with recommendations received related to supporting youth in service navigation after they exit care to ensure services are coordinated and that they receive the necessary support for a successful transition into the community.
On behalf of the Department of Families, the Child and Youth Services Division is seeking community-based organizations, including Indigenous led organizations or organizations partnered with Indigenous-led organizations to design and deliver programming and supports through Youth Mentorship Hubs tailored to meet the needs young adults who have exited from CFS care.
- Hubs will be designed to support young adults who have aged out of the child welfare system and help support their transition to adulthood.
- Up to six community-based hubs in the province/sites will be established with a priority for establishing the six sites in underserved areas outside of Winnipeg that have a high number youth and young adults at risk of homelessness. Each site will employ mentors to conduct outreach and provide case management/navigation and support to eligible youth who have exited the CFS system.
- The hubs will be delivered by community-based organizations outside of the CFS system to support young adults who have transitioned out of care.
- Proponents will have flexibility to use a program model that meets their community needs and some variability between the programming/supports can be expected based on the proponent’s existing capacity, identified staffing requirements and community needs.
- Existing funding and services within the community will be leveraged to ensure maximum coverage and supports are provided. Priority will be placed on co-locating, and coordinating Youth Mentorship Hub services with existing resources and Integrated Youth Services Models, such as the Huddles (www.huddlemanitoba.ca).
Successful applicants will be selected based on the set of criteria outlined in this EOI. Selections will be made with the goal of addressing existing gaps in available programming.
Expression of Interest Guidelines
Program Parameters
Preference will be given to Indigenous-led organizations, or organizations partnering with Indigenous-led organizations, operating and providing services in Manitoba are invited to apply to the EOI. The guidelines are intentionally limited to allow tailored programming to be proposed by organizations that are familiar with the needs of youth in their service area.
Program Information Requested:
As part of the evaluation process for the EOI, please complete the application or provide a short proposal that includes the following information:
- Brief description of your organization, including your organization’s history working with youth, in particular those who have exited Child and Family Services care.
- Description of partnerships and community support including:
- at least one (1) letter (maximum of three (3) letters) of support outlining the commitment of the community/partners for the Youth Mentorship Hub. This should include declaration of support from a Huddle Manitoba site if the Youth Mentorship Hub will be located within a Huddle region.
- If applicable, should speak to alignment with existing youth services (e.g., Youth Huddles)
- How youth and young adults will be engaged through the program
- Description of proposed program including:
- Location(s) of the proposed Hub sites including expected volume of youth. Please clearly indicate if multiple Hub locations are being proposed and whether the same model will be used for each.
- Description of program operations/resource requirements as well as program activities, including number of youth/young adults to be served
- Program deliverables, including anticipated outcomes with a description of how results will be measured and evaluated
- Cultural supports included in the program or available through your organization
- Timelines for implementation
- Description of the impact programming will have on the identified community and a clear explanation of how the proposed program will build on local strengths and address existing gaps
Who Can Apply
To be eligible for the EOI, organizations must be:
- Non-profit organizations or registered charities located and operating in Manitoba
- organizations with an established governing board,
- Organizations that are Indigenous-led or who are partnered with Indigenous-led organizations, or
- Indigenous Local Governments, Tribal Councils, and Band Councils.
Minimum Requirements:
- The application is submitted by the established deadline.
- The application is completed in full, including at least one letter of support and budget.
- Proposed sites are located outside of Winnipeg.
- The project or initiative must begin be completed within one year from the start date
- Organizations must be an eligible applicant
- Cannot be a Child and Family Services Authority or a mandated agency.
What We Fund
Eligible Activities
Hubs will employ mentors to assist young adults who have exited CFS care in accessing service, supports, existing benefits to secure and maintain housing to prevent homelessness as well as advocate on their behalf as they access and navigate existing support services.
Examples of eligible programs and services can include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Engage and assess youth’s level of independence, housing knowledge and understanding as well as support awareness and access of current benefits (i.e. Canada Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB))
- Develop case planning and system navigation activities tailored to youth’s circumstances, knowledge and needs
- Support youth to develop and enhance their identity, cultural identity and connection to community
- Help young adults secure housing and support them in maintaining housing
- Engage and educate key stakeholders (i.e. landlords, other community resources)
- Coordinate with existing services to maximize the supports available with youth (CFS agencies, Huddles, community services and programs, and the CMHB)
- Support the development of life skills
Eligible Costs
- salaries or wages for staff working on the proposed project
- promotion of the project
- administrative costs
- project or program space rental
- program costs (ex: food, bus tickets etc.)
Ineligible Activities and Costs
Activities and costs that are not eligible under the EOI include:
- deficit financing or reducing
- capital costs
- previously incurred costs
- emergency funds for organizations
- endowments
- sponsorships and/or fundraising campaigns
- project costs for other activities that are not specified in the application
- proposals solely for infrastructure improvements
- on-going operational costs unrelated to the proposed project
- funding to support unrelated activities and operations other than what is proposed
Funding Amount
Approximate funding for each Hub will be set at up to $218.4K. There is the possibility based on proposals received that Hubs could range in size based on community size and resourcing capacity. Additionally, leveraging existing community or organizational resources could allow additional Hubs to be created within the overall budget ($1.31M).
Evaluation
Each Proposal that fulfils the mandatory submission requirements will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria and points allocated to each criterion as follows:
| Evaluation Criteria | Points |
|---|---|
Criteria #1 - Alignment with the Mentorship Hub call for proposals |
16 |
Criteria #2 - Service Experience and Partnerships/Alignment with Existing Youth Services Alignment of Youth Mentorship Hub with existing Integrated Youth Services Models, such as the Huddles, to share resources will be prioritized. The proposed Youth Mentorship Hub demonstrates the ability to offer services across the six core service components (housing, system navigation, case planning, culturally appropriate supports based on individual needs such as Indigenous programming, stakeholder engagement/advocacy, services coordination) to young adults transitioning out of care or who have transitioned out of care. Plans to address any significant local/regional barriers are clearly identified and described. |
18 |
Criteria #3 - Youth and Young Adults Transitioning Out of Care Engagement Proposal demonstrates how the organization and/or collaboration has engaged youth and young adults, including individuals with lived experience with service barriers, in decision making in the past and how they will work to hear the voices of the individuals supported throughout the project. |
12 |
Criteria #4 - Demonstrated Community Value & Impact Proposal describes and reflects the specific needs and any unique complexities of the community that can make service delivery and access challenging, with plans for how the Youth Mentorship Hub would help address those challenges. Proposal also demonstrates a broad level of community support from youth and families, service partners, local leaders, health authorities, First Nations or Indigenous communities, etc. by providing letters of support. |
16 |
Criteria #5 - Capacity to Support Diversity, Inclusion, Cultural Safety, and Health & Social Equity |
12 |
Criteria #6 - Commitment to Evaluation of Youth Mentorship Hub |
6 |
Criteria #7 - Systems Considerations: Resources/Capacity/Feasibility Proposal describes a sufficient physical space that can be used to meet with participants and can support the Youth Mentorship Hub. The Proposal is within budget, demonstrating strong community commitment to the hub. |
20 |
| Total | 100 |
Manitoba reserves the right to consider a diversity of locations for the selected Hubs when ranking.
How To Apply
Applications for the EOI must:
- be completed in full, using the EOI application form
- include a project budget
- be signed by an authorized organization representative
- be submitted to via email to StrategicInitiatives@gov.mb.ca by August 18, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
Although it is not required, organizations may choose to submit additional documents to support the proposed project.
Applications submitted will receive confirmation of submission within five business days. All applications submitted by the deadline will be notified of a decision.
If you require an alternate format or have any accessibility accommodation requests, please contact StrategicInitiatives@gov.mb.ca.
If you have questions about the EOI and are not able to attend the information session, please contact James Houston, Manager, Child and Youth Services Division at James.Houston@gov.mb.ca or Kirra Noble, Manager, Child and Youth Services Division at Kirra.Noble@gov.mb.ca.
Expression of Interest Significant Dates
Intake Period
The EOI will be accepting applications for a 4-week period from July 20, 2023 to August 18, 2023.
Information Sessions
Expression of Interest Issue Date:
Virtual Information Session #1:
August 2, 2023, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. To register for the session(s) please email StrategicInitiatives@gov.mb.ca
and a Microsoft Teams Link will be provided.
Application Submission Deadline: August 18, 2023
All Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the Department of Families by email at StrategicInitiatives@gov.mb.ca no later than August 18, 2023 at 11:59 pm CST.
Following the review of the Expressions of Interest, department representatives may be in contact to request further information and negotiate terms. Funding and approval for the EOI will be subject to the Manitoba government’s fiscal year: April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
Manitoba may consult staff of a department, branch or division of the Government of Manitoba, a Manitoba Crown corporation or agency, or an academic institution, health authority or other entity providing education, health or social services funded by Manitoba that have had dealings with the proponent or the proponent’s subcontractors.
Manitoba may use existing data and past performance in evaluating organizational knowledge, experience and expertise to address project objectives.
For expression of interest inquiries or questions, contact James.Houston@gov.mb.ca or Kirra.Noble@gov.mb.ca.
