Human Resources Workshop 

Quickly after the General Assembly, the Human Resources Workshop took place. A primary focus was working on the new Compensation Policy and training people how to implement it. Most communities were present and were represented by at least one of the following: the human resources coordinator, the community leader and/or the accountant. The two days spent on this were rich and full! The atmosphere was electric and stimulating as everyone worked to understand the tools for putting in place the Compensation policy. The room vibrated with energy as we worked together!

Peggy Keaney and the committee who developed this policy and led this part of the Human Resources workshop are owed a great debt of gratitude. The work continues as each community continues to implement it.  The remaining day was facilitated by Landys Klyne as Danielle had to leave for personal reasons. Julie Johnstone, an HR specialist, led a session on disciplinary process and termination. Carl animated a session on boundaries and the ethics of touch. Thank you, Danielle, for organizing these days!

Québec

Zoël graciously passed on the role of Zone Coordinator. Once that was done, he realized that he needed to live the reality of letting go before taking up another role in L’Arche. This led him to decide to not continue as interim regional coordinator for Québec. He will follow his original plan to spend six months with the L’Arche community in Buenos Aires, Argentina leaving in January. His support over the summer and fall is greatly appreciated. At the same time, we send him off with gratitude and love.

Yvette Légaré, Linda Morin & Gabrielle Beaulieu

Gabrielle has accepted to be the Interim Regional Coordinator for Québec. On December 4th, the Québec Regional Council met to adjust the regional priorities for the next six months. Early in the new year, the region will enter a mandate and selection process for a regional team of regional and vice regional coordinator.

Yvette Légaré has graciously extended her yes as board president of the L’Association des Arches du Québec for a third year. The time has come for her ‘retirement’ from this role. The nomination committee of Jocelyn Girard, Geneviève Montquin and I will begin the process of finding a new Board President. Yvette’s spirit of service is a model to all.

There have been two meetings between the L’Arche Canada Foundation and the Fondation des Arches du Québec. The purpose of these meetings has been to look at how to share their respective expertise and be more effective in fundraising for L’Arche. Nathan Ball, ILanga Lokoka and Gilles Drapeau are working to develop a plan to accomplish this which will be presented at a meeting in January.

A first step in this partnership is being taken as Peter Howlett, a member of the L’Arche Canada Foundation Board, will add his support to the Québec communities’ request to the government for a review of and increase to their funding. 

Who carries what?

Joe and I have spent the month gathering information. Recently, Joe arrived in a very chilly Edmonton where over two days we sorted through everything that we have heard, read, felt and thought. During this time, we divided up the work of L’Arche Canada as follows:

Joe will follow :	Hollee will follow :
Regions: Ontario, Western Canada, Atlantic	Québec (including following the communities of Beloeil & St. Malachie)
Human Resources	Board
Educational Initiatives	Communications
Nobel Peace Prize Process	L'Arche Canada Foundation
Board Training Program	Spirituality Commission
Retirement Issues	Solidarity
Long Term Assistant work	Office
Compensation Policy Implementation	L'Arche International

Together we will carry membership, the follow up of the Long Term Assistants process and the Commitment and Belonging National Reflecting Group.

While one of us is the primary reference for a specific area, we will work as a team to support each other and to ensure the greatest wisdom is applied to the work of L’Arche Canada. We will do this by meeting regularly.

There will be also regular meetings with those who carry various responsibilities within L’Arche Canada such as educational initiatives, communications, human resources, the office and the L’Arche Canada Foundation. This will help ensure that the work is coordinated and executed in a timely manner.

Educational Initiatives

Recently Beth Porter and Nathan Ball received news that they had received a grant from HRSDC in order to develop and online bilingual interactive resource and handbook to help young people with disabilities, teachers and parents develop a social network that will provide support when people leave the school system and will carry over into their adult lives and will be sustainable for the long term.

This is one more way of the vision of L’Arche influencing Canadian society.



Nobel Peace Prize

Again this year, Martha Bala working with L’Arche International is soliciting support from citizens of prominence for Jean Vanier’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Joe is championing this project with Martha. If you know someone or are aware of someone who would meet the criteria, which was distributed to the communities recently by Joe, please contact him or Martha at marthabala@yahoo.com. Many thanks to all who have already responded so quickly to this request as January 31 is the deadline.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Jean is more than worthy of this award. Recently on Tout le monde en parle, a weekly program in Québec, Cardinal Turcotte spoke highly of Jean and of L’Arche.

Aging

Cathy Dansereau has accepted to complete the project on Aging that was begun several years ago by Jane Powell. She is gathering materials that exist, ensuring their translation and that they are user friendly. She will be adapting some for use in formation. This project is funded by a grant from the Royal Bank of Canada. Everything will be eventually transferred to a new website by March 31, 2010 where it will be accessible to all members of L’Arche. Some of the work will also be made available to the public.

As you can see, much is happening. We wish to thank you for all the notes and cards of support that we have received. We thank you for the ways that you carry and live the vision and mission of L’Arche.

Building Together: as we put our energies together to build L’Arche in Canada, we will truly be able to touch and influence our society.

Wishing you peace,

Hollee Card & Joe Egan