"How can we help?" New website enhances service user experience

TORONTO, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Children, young people and families needing supports and services from the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) can now access information on the organization's new and improved website, launched today at torontoccas.ca.

"By starting with the question 'how can we help?', we developed a site that enhances the user experience and supports the important work we do every day, like connecting service recipients to resources and linking them with community partners in the Greater Toronto Area," said Priscilla Manful, CEO of CCAS. "The website reflects our commitment to equity and our Catholic identity, which is fundamental to who we are as a child protection agency serving the Toronto Catholic community."

As part of CCAS' commitment to equity, the website features statements on anti-racism, anti-oppression, anti-Black racism, 2SLGBTQ+, and truth and reconciliation. It also includes a video about the Africentric Wraparound model, an approach to service delivery developed by the One Vision One Voice (OVOV) project, that seeks to unpack and dismantle bias in decision-making about families through critical reflection, and provides identity-affirming services to children, youth and families of African-descent.

To support young people receiving services from CCAS, the website has a "youth edge" section, which includes information about financial planning and literacy, education, who to call for support, and what they can expect when transitioning out of the child welfare system.

In addition to the enhanced content, the site is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), boasts improved search functionality to make it easier for visitors to find the information they need, and includes a new sitemap structure to help users navigate the site. The website is built with inclusive design, which means that it automatically adjusts to fit any device, including laptops, tablets or mobile phones.

"Our hope is that this new website will ensure anyone looking for information from CCAS can find it easily, and also that it will provide clarity, transparency and accountability to the work we do," explains Manful.

CCAS plans to seek feedback about the new website from service recipients and community members to inform continuous improvement efforts. The agency also plans to translate the new English content to add it to the French microsite that was launched last year.

About Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto:
We are provincially funded by the Government of Ontario's Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. We provide child protection services 7 days a week, 24 hours a day under the legal framework of the Child and Family Services Act of Ontario. We work with community partners throughout Toronto to support children and families. To learn more visit: www.torontoccas.org

SOURCE Catholic Children's Aid Society Of Toronto