Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee (PAAC)

PAAC has been working hard on a revamping and creating new workshops to reach broader audiences, including:

  • Our most popular, ever evolving Knowing Your Benefits presentation with up-to-date information on rates, benefits and rules
  • Facilatating commuity forums to build local synergies of advocacy
  • CERB and how it relates to ODSP

PAAC members have also been delivering workshops and presentations to various audiences, mainly at different food bank programs and other community organizations. Many of these requests come through our bi-yearly presentation to the Toronto Daily food bank. We have also given presentations to a Ryerson University social work class, and have been asked to present at the University of Toronto in a social work class.

PAAC members have also attended meetings and contributed the Coalition’s advocacy regarding proposed changes to ODSP.

PAAC has also supported the creation of the ODSP Peer Navigator Pilot project, which was being led by the Self Help Resource Centre. They hired a Coordinator and Peer Navigators which ran ODSP support groups in various GTA locations. Unfortantely that initiative is no longer funded. 

 PAAC meets on the last Friday of each month, from 11am to 1pm, by phone, or in person at the Income Security Advocacy Centre. Due to the pandemic, meetings are all being held remotely via teleconference or web conference (i.e. ZOOM).

New members are welcome anytime!

For more information, you can reach the PAAC co-chairs:  Andrea Hatala at hatala_3@msn.com or our general mailbox at odspactioncoalition@gmail.com