2015-16 SEARCH Annual Report – “Bridging Gaps Through Student

SEARCH Mission, Vision, & Values
Our Mission:
SEARCH is a student run, interdisciplinary primary health care initiative situated in Regina. Our
goal is to provide access to social and clinical programs in an after-hours, clinical setting to
bridge the gaps in service for diverse populations.
Our Vision:
External Vision: “The community has achieved improved health and wellbeing through
equitable, accessible programming delivered by an interdisciplinary collaborative of students
and mentors.”
Internal Vision: “SEARCH students and mentors are leaders and champions of collaborative
interdisciplinary approaches to professional practice.”
Our Values:
Compassion: Caring relationships built upon respect, empathy, and active listening in an
atmosphere of warmth and belonging.
Continuous Learning: Our commitment to quality through ongoing development, improvement
and evaluation of ourselves, our team, and our services.
Wholistic1 View: Supporting individuals, families, and the community as a whole (physical,
spiritual, emotional and mental) through an approach that is accepting, culturally inclusive and
honours the stories of others.
Collaboration:
Working together as a team in a respectful way where diverse ideas are shared, varied skills and
perspectives are valued and the contributions of all are recognized.
Strength:
Our positive approach which focuses on the strengths and assets of others to empower them to
make the best decisions as experts in their own lives.
1
Terms used to incorporate First Nations values into the organization’s approach to healthcare. Also referred to as
‘holistic’.
Thank-you!
To begin, thank you to everyone who has helped SEARCH get to this point in our history. Thank you to the
dedicated and hard work of our students, mentors, staff, partners, and above all, our clients. Without the
participation of all these individuals, SEARCH would not be the thriving and diverse agency that it is today.
You have provided us with knowledge, guidance, and an array of opportunities to continue to establish
ourselves within the North Central community here in the City of Regina. We celebrate serving postsecondary students and the community, and we look forward to what the future will bring!
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our partners who have continually supported SEARCH by
offering their time, space, resources, and financial contributions in order for us to remain sustainable in our
organization. These include: the Ministry of Health, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, University of Regina,
University of Saskatchewan, SaskPolytechnic, First Nations University of Canada, Four Directions Community
Health Centre, North Central Community Association, City of Regina, Regina Public Interest Research Group,
Community Initiatives Fund, SaskGaming, Rotary Club of Regina (Eastview), College of Medicine (Regina
Campus), The Caring Place, McNally’s Tavern, Memories Fine Dining and Lounge, Chapters Regina, and
Student Wellness Initiative Towards Community Health (SWITCH).
In addition to our partnering organizations, there are some important people who deserve special
recognition as well. These individuals have provided SEARCH with extensive guidance and support as we
continue to grow as an organization. Thank you to Marci Scott, (RQHR Strategic Planner), Natalie Jones
(Manager at Four Directions Community Health Center), all of the staff at Four Directions Community Health
Center, Lionel Tancrede (Board of Directors Advisor), Rikki Gusway (Board of Directors Advisor and SEARCH
Mentor), Twyla Salm (Faculty of Education – University of Regina), Michael Parker (Executive Director of
North Central Community Association), and Anna Dipple (RPIRG Executive Director). These individuals have
provided many valuable opportunities and expertise to SEARCH over the past year and we greatly appreciate
all of their assistance. Thank you for all the time you have taken to collaborate with SEARCH and support us in
our continued success.
Also, to all of our mentors at SEARCH – past and present –
we thank you for all the hours of service you have put in
and we are very grateful for the time you take out of your
busy schedules to work with us. Your continued support
and dedication to SEARCH is forever appreciated and
valued.
Lastly, to our student volunteers, thank you for
volunteering your time with SEARCH to provide after-hours
health and social programming to the community of North
Central Regina. We hope that you use the skills and
knowledge you have obtained while volunteering with us,
benefit you positively in your future careers. Your time and
commitment to SEARCH is invaluable and we wish you the
best of luck and hope to see you at the clinic again soon!
Our History
SEARCH first opened its doors to the community of North Central Regina in 2009. However, prior to this,
nearly two years of strategic planning took place in order to create valuable partnerships in the
community for SEARCH to begin offering its services.
The initial interest for developing SEARCH was due to medical students that wished to further pursue
their career goals. These students were inspired by their volunteer experiences at SWITCH, a studentrun clinic in Saskatoon that opened in 2005, and has ran successfully ever since. These students
attended the University of Saskatchewan at the time and afterwards, their residencies and internships
brought them to Regina where they believed a student-run clinic would also be beneficial.
Due to the interest in student-run health care initiatives, Dr. Gill White, the Associate Dean at the
College of Medicine for the University of Saskatchewan (Regina Campus) was contacted for his support,
expertise, and resources. With this support, other colleges and faculties from the universities became
involved including the Faculty of Social Work, Faculty of Arts, College of Nursing, and many more. As
SEARCH began to develop, the goal became to integrate interdisciplinary practice for students and
professional health care mentors.
The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, along with the Ministry of Health, was crucial in getting SEARCH
off the ground when the health region agreed to provide core funding in order to make this dream a
reality. During this time, a three year contract with Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region was signed and the
proposal to open an after-hours health care clinic in North Central was underway!
During the planning stages of SEARCH, Sarah Liskowich (a medical student in her residency) and Lionel
Tancrede (a nursing student) became the first members of the SEARCH Board of Directors and assisted
in the creation of the clinic. Throughout this time, many round table discussions took place regarding
what SEARCH should look like when it opened.
This day finally arrived in 2009 and SEARCH was a huge success within its first year. Over 1000 clients
were seen at the clinic and word about a new volunteer opportunity with SEARCH spread quickly.
In 2010, the SEARCH Board of Directors, at this time, created SEARCH’s first three year strategic plan in
order to create a mission, vision, values, and the goals for the future. This was then implemented over
the next three years in order to keep SEARCH a success and sustainable non-profit organization. It also
served as a guideline for accountability for the students and mentors involved.
Today, members of SEARCH recognize the intrinsic value of all people and their right to high quality
health care. As future health care professionals, they strive to understand the social determinants of
health, the principles of primary health care, and the importance of socially responsive health
promotion. SEARCH’s vision is based on local priorities, as determined through extensive communication
with community groups and health professionals. SEARCH provides an invaluable link between students,
health care professionals, community based organizations, post secondary institutions, and the
community. Students benefit by gaining practical experience in an interdisciplinary setting, exposure to
unique clinical circumstances, and practice in delivering social programs. The community has access to
an after-hours, (w)holistic approach to primary health care delivery. Within this mutually beneficial
environment, opportunities exist to diminish barriers to health care, improve community relations, and
make Regina a healthier place for all.
Our Strategic Direction
SEARCH’s 3 year Operational Strategic Plan for 2015-2018 was unveiled last year with great progress
continually being made towards our long term goals. The 3 strategic goals that SEARCH has decided to
focus on in its operational plan include:
1) Strengthen and expand the client base: This refers to extending our reach into the Regina
community and also post-secondary student groups, as per our dual vision. Over the past year,
SEARCH is proud to report that our clientele numbers have increased and remained consistent from
week to week, with high rates of client retention. In order to continue to make connections with
residents, SEARCH has actively been participating in tabling events throughout Regina by attending
various opportunities such as Regina Food Bank Making Community Connections, Kitchener
Community School Health Fair, and the North Central Community Association’s Program
Information Night to name a few. In addition to recruiting and retaining clients, SEARCH has also
been successful in recruiting and training student volunteers and mentors in order to maintain
sustainability of our organization. During the Spring and Summer semester in 2015, SEARCH did not
have to close any shifts for the second consecutive year.
2) Strengthen the quality of programming: Rather than continue to develop new programming,
SEARCH aims to stabilize its programming in order to look towards improving it in the future. This
goal has been focused on throughout our programming over the past year and some highlights
include strengthened First Nations Cultural Programming through incorporation into Literacy Days
and our Nutrition programming. SEARCH was pleased to host its first Traditional Feast and looks
forward to continue offer this spring celebration and the end of the academic year in the years to
come. Programming also continues to be refined through ongoing program evaluations and client
feedback and we are continually seeking opportunities to expand our programming and increase our
reach within all of Regina.
3) Enhance the capacity of SEARCH: Ensure sustainability of the organization through planning, full
board recruitment and participation, and establishing measures. In 2015, SEARCH was pleased to
welcome a near-full Student-Board of Directors. In doing so, many improvements have been made
to internal processes of the SEARCH organization including collection of outcome based evaluations,
increased contingency planning, and a broader range of grants being sought.
SEARCH 2015-2016 Board of Directors
Stephanie Clarkson – Past Chair
Jessica Yelland – Chair, Board of Directors
Monica Costa – Co-Chair, Board of Directors
Kelsey Laventure – Secretary, Board of Directors
Jessica Dunster – Chair, Programming Committee
Carli Wollbaum – Chair, Fundraising and grants Committee
Crystal Bjornson – Chair, Policy Committee
Eman Abdulhadi – Chair, Student Retention Committee
Nicole Tyminski – Member at Large (College of Medicine Representative)
Message from the Chair, Board of Directors – Jessica Yelland
Another year has passed here at SEARCH and as usual, it
feels like it has flown by. 2015 was an exciting and busy
year for SEARCH. We began the year with the resignation
of our Executive Director, Amanda Kuckartz, in order to
pursue her Masters of Social Work, and SEARCH was
fortunate to find an amazing candidate to fill the open
role within our own volunteer ranks. Kelly Husack took
on the role of Executive Director in May and has worked
tirelessly to successfully maintain the momentum that
SEARCH has gained over the past few years.
Programming at SEARCH continues to evolve as we
increase our capacity and grow to meet our clients’
needs. Individual counselling has finally found its footing, and is one of our most popular programs every
week. Cultural programming continues to grow and we were privileged to have many guest presenters
this year, including Brenda Dubois, Carol Daniels, and Elder Archie Weenie. Additionally, clients were
able to participate in new activities such as finger knitting and yoga while enjoying their downtime at the
clinic. SEARCH is also very excited to have five community resource workers available on a regular basis
to our clients, as well as two new dieticians in the kitchen, and a potential upcoming dental hygiene
partnership.
We continued to offer our professional development (PD) sessions for students, with two PD sessions
offered each semester in 2015, covering such topics as cultural safety, the role of the Regina Region
Local Immigration Partnership, and treating clients under the influence of drugs and the changing drug
scene in Regina. We are excited to offer these kinds of opportunities to our student volunteers, who
contributed over 600 hours of volunteer service in the winter 2016 semester alone, and we are glad that
students have enjoyed participating with us.
2015 was also a year full of fundraisers. SEARCH hosted our fourth annual KISS Band Night, raising a
great profit of $1200. We must extend our great thanks to McNally’s, who once again donated the use
of their space for the event, and Port Noise, Beautiful Thieves, and Zuko Rocks, who donated their
considerable talent to the cause. Our annual Gala was once again hosted at Memories, our gracious
hosts for 6 years now. Amanda Kuckartz gave a wonderful address about SEARCH, the Kevin Kasha trio
regaled us with live jazz music, and we raised over $6000.
We also embarked on a few new fundraising initiatives. In partnership with Indigo, SEARCH hosted a
Chapters fundraiser, in which friends of SEARCH indulged their love of reading by shopping at Chapters
on a designated evening and a portion of the proceeds were donated to SEARCH. Over $200 was raised,
and SEARCH was able to increase visibility in the greater Regina community. Finally, SEARCH was thrilled
to be the recipient of the funds raised by Regina’s first S.O.S (Student Organized Shenanigans) Variety
Night. Modelled after a successful fundraiser in Saskatoon, S.O.S brought students of all disciplines
together to showcase their talents and raise money for SEARCH. Held at the Artful Dodger, the evening
was full of fun and great entertainment, and SEARCH received over $1100.
A highlight of our year was hosting the Student-run National Clinic Council (SNaCC) Conference over the
weekend of August 14-16, 2015. Members from student-run clinics across Canada, including SWITCH
(Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health), WISH (Winnipeg Interdisciplinary Student-Run
Clinic), and IMAGINE (Interprofessional Medical and Allied Groups for Improving Neighbourhood
Environment), came to visit Regina and SEARCH. Over the course of the weekend, member delegates
learned a great deal about each other and each other’s clinics, funding, succession planning, volunteer
and mentor recruitment and retention, student engagement, interdisciplinary work, human resource
structure, research and publications, engaging service users, governance, establishing partnerships with
academic institutions, and building better partnerships, among other things.
As always, thanks must be extended to all of the people and organizations that have and continue to
help SEARCH deliver services to our clients and students every week. We would like to thank the Regina
Qu’Appelle Health Region for their ongoing support and guidance. We would like to thank the Four
Directions Community Health Centre staff for the continuing use of their building space and inclusion of
SEARCH as an outreach program, with special thanks going to Natalie Jones. Thank you to the North
Central Community Association for the ongoing partnership and space. Thank you to Aids Program
South Saskatchewan, Regina Police Service, the Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership, and Dr.
Carrie Bourassa for delivering our professional development sessions. Thank you to our academic
partners; the University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, First Nations University of Canada, and
Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Thank you to all of the professors and other professionals in their respective
fields that offer support, and guidance to SEARCH and who steer their students our way. We would like
to acknowledge our partner agency, The Caring Place, and the counselling mentors, Sam Berg and Lola
Miller who help provide one of our most popular programs. Thank you to our sponsors; the Community
Initiatives Fund, SaskGaming, the Regina Rotary Club (Eastview), Regina Public Interest Research Group
(RPIRG), the University of Regina, the City of Regina, the University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan
Polytechnic.
We would like to thank the members of our Advisory Committee for their support and unwavering belief
in the mission and vision of SEARCH. We must extend a huge thank you to our mentors, including those
who have been with us for a long time and those who are newer to the SEARCH family; our nurse
practitioners Cathy Pillipow, Kelly Lang, Susan Furman-Pelzer, and Barb Beaurivage; our social work
mentors Bobbi Gelsinger, Amy McIlmoyl, Rikki Gusway-Kelln, Morgan Martens, and Gabriela Novotna;
our physician mentor Joel Manchur; and our nutrition mentors Kay Yee, Nicole Tyminski, Jessica Ethier,
and Brittny Harper. Your presence at the clinic every week helps to ensure we are providing the highest
level of service to our clients while modeling leadership and professionalism to our students, and we
would not be able to operate without you. We would also like to thank our tireless, amazing student
volunteers, who serve their community every shift, but are also paving the way to lifelong service to
their community through the skills they have learned.
Finally, I would like to recognize the rest of the board, and extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation
for all of the hard work, dedication, and passion that they have poured into SEARCH over the past year;
thanks go to Monica Costa, Crystal Bjornson, Carli Wollbaum, Jessica Dunster, Eman Abdulhadi, and
Nikki Tyminski. Additionally, I would like to thank your past chairs Lionel Tancrede, Rikki Gusway-Kelln,
and Stephanie Clarkson for their advice and guidance. Our greatest thanks must also go out to Kelly
Husack for her long hours and enthusiastic commitment to SEARCH.
SEARCH truly is an amazing organization supported by passionate, dedicated, and talented individuals.
As I move out of my role on the board, I know that SEARCH has unlimited potential and I cannot wait to
see what the upcoming year brings.
Sincerely,
Jessica Yelland, SEARCH Chair
Message from the Co-Chair, Board of Directors – Monica Costa
Yet another year has passed! I am grateful to have been a
part of this organization for a second year as the Co-Chair,
and for the opportunity to be a part of the driving force that
is required of all of us to influence positive outcomes.
At SEARCH, we have continued to grow as an organization,
strengthen our connections with our partners and further
worked on our relationship with members of the community
we serve. At each and every shift we see the contribution we
make to our client’s lives and we appreciate all of the life
lessons they continue to share with us. We continue to learn
something new every day and value the opportunity to
provide services for our clients.
I must express a deep gratitude and awe for the passion and commitment that my board colleagues
have committed to SEARCH. It is their driving force, creativity and passion is sure to make a positive
impact. We have been privileged to have such a great Board of Directors.
Trough collaboration with board members and volunteers alike, we have continued to hold our
fundraising events such as KISS band night as well as our Gala. SEARCH volunteers and board members
have also worked hard to come up with new creative ways of raising awareness about SEARCH and
raising funds. Our collaboration has paid off and we keep being reminded that SEARCH is truly valuable.
A special thank you goes to Kelly Husack, our new Executive Director. Kelly is passionate about SEARCH
and goes above and beyond to ensure that SEARCH continues to not only function, but also improve and
grow. Thank you, Kelly- for all of your hard work!
Sincerely,
Monica Costa, SEARCH Co-Chair
Message from the Secretary, Board of Directors – Kelsey Laventure
This past year at SEARCH has been both busy and
exciting, with the arrival of new mentors and volunteers,
fun and creative programming adventures, and lots of
opportunities to get involved with the community.
In August, SEARCH was pleased to host the annual SNaCC
conference. Participating board members spent the
weekend learning about funding, succession planning,
and board governance with fellow student-run clinics
from across Canada. It was a great opportunity to
discover new ideas and suggestions on how to improve
and strengthen student-run clinics.
Also in August, SEARCH participated in the Teddy Bear
Clinic, which involved face-painting, games, and health promotion. This gave us the chance to promote
the services SEARCH offers, collaborate with other organizations, and engage with the North Central
community.
Our annual KISS Band Night took place in September, and included the bands Port Noise, Beautiful
Thieves, and Zuko Rocks. McNally’s Tavern and the bands generously donated their space and time in
order for us to put on a night full of good music and good company.
In November we hosted our annual Gala Night, which was held at Memories restaurant and featured
dinner, music, and a silent auction. Board members, volunteers, and associated organizations came out
to help support SEARCH in one of our biggest fundraisers of the year.
SEARCH ran a couple of new fundraisers in the New Year, both turning out to be a success. In February,
we hosted an in-store fundraiser with Chapters, who donated a percentage of sales to SEARCH. And in
April, we partnered up with faculties from the U of R and U of S and held a talent-show with proceeds
going to SEARCH.
Several Professional Development Sessions were held over the last year, including guest speakers from
Regina Police Services, First Nations University, and AIDS Program South Saskatchewan. This was an
amazing chance for board members, volunteers, and mentors to learn more about health, safety, and
the community.
As the secretary on the board of directors for SEARCH, I was responsible for keeping in touch with
members throughout the year. This involved connecting through emails, conversations at monthly
meetings, and even the occasional office visit. I was also available to help fellow board members with
their roles and responsibilities. As a member of SEARCH, I was fortunate enough to take part in the
many fundraisers, events, and learning opportunities. More importantly, I was able to see SEARCH grow
and thrive during each clinic shift I attended. It still amazes me when I think of all the hard work and
passion that comes from our incredible executive director, fellow board members, mentors, and
volunteers. I know that 2016-2017 will be another successful year for SEARCH and I look forward to
being a part of it!
Kelsey Laventure, SEARCH Secretary
Message from the Programming Committee Chair – Jessica Dunster
The past year at SEARCH has been an incredibly rewarding one. This was my first year on the board of
directors, and I gained a great deal of experience professionally and perhaps have had even more
growth personally. The quality of our student volunteers, mentors, and board members throughout this
year has been amazing. Programming has continued to gain
momentum over the 2015-2016 year, offering a variety of
activities and services to keep our clients engaged. Our core
programming includes Literacy Days, Fun with Food,
Women’s Group, Cultural Support, Counselling, and What’s
the buzz? health information sessions.
This winter we introduced Family Yoga, which gives our
clients the opportunity to create balance and relaxation in
the body while developing strength and flexibility. The
children that frequent the clinic learned about science while
making DIY lava lamps, showed off their creative side with
rock painting, and enjoyed making healthy snacks such as
smoothies, monster cups, and mason jar fruit & yogurt parfaits. We shared many wonderful books each
month on Literacy Day, as well as activities such as rainbow writing salt trays, which facilitate a hands-on
sensory element to practice spelling and were a huge hit with our young writers!
We had the pleasure of hosting some great workshops, including a salad and stir fry night with fresh
ingredients from the North Central Community Gardens that was facilitated by the North Central
Community Association. Elder Betty McKenna’s tea making workshop was the highlight of our summer
programming, and something our clients are still talking about! This past semester we had a creative
writing workshop from Carol Daniels, who also did a reading from her book, Bearskin Diary. Brenda
Dubois recently attended the clinic to discuss components of First Nations culture, including Tipi
Teachings, which was also very well received by our clients.
Our Cultural Support Worker, Chasity Delorme, continued to mentor our clients this year while working
on skills such as beading and feast bags. We were able to purchase two new sewing machines and fabric
for ongoing sewing projects and also introduced arm knitting and adult colouring to Women’s Group.
I would like to thank all of the board members for their support with programming this year, and a very
special thank-you to our Executive Director, Kelly Husack for reaching out to her contacts in the
community and working so hard to arrange so many of these amazing events!
Jessica Dunster, SEARCH Programming Committee Chair
Message from the Fundraising & Grants Chair – Carli Wollbaum
This is my first year with SEARCH and my first year on the Board as the Chair of Fundraising and Grants. I
came onto the board knowing what SWITCH was and assuming SEARCH was the same thing, but I was
surprised to find out how much more socially-based SEARCH is and I love it. Over this past year I have
completed a list of grants to apply for, organized our regular KISS Band Night and annual Gala, and also
added in two new events; our Chapters fundraiser and
Student-Organized Shenanigans (SOS) Talent Show.
During the summer I was able to attend some shifts at the
clinic to get a clear picture of what SEARCH is really about. It
was great to be a part of such a great group of people, build
new relationships, and meet the clients. I was able to attend
SNaCC, as it was held in Regina. By attending this conference I
was again fortunate to make relationships with other students
run clinics all over the country, as well as collaborate together
to discuss how we can make our clinics better by pulling from
each other.
As soon as the fall semester started it was time to get ready for KISS Band Night and the Gala.
Fortunately for KISS, the biggest part of my role was making people aware of the event, as the event
location, posters, and bands were taken care of. By the band night being planned it gave me more time
to focus on the gala taking place in November. I spent countless hours canvassing the communities in
Regina handing out donation forms for silent auction items, calling them back, selling tickets, and
planning the event. We had such a success with the silent auction items that we physically could not put
out all of the items!
A Past Chair of SEARCH works at Chapters and informed us about their new fundraiser option where a
percentage of sales goes towards the committee organizing the event. The fundraiser took place in
February and again, we had great success with little effort. The event only took a few hours of our time
and involved inviting our friends and family to shop! Our last new event was brought about by a
Medicine Student volunteer name Nicole Tyminski. Her goal was to recreate a talent event that takes
place in Saskatoon every year and have it happen in Regina. In order to hold this event, we had to find a
location, talent, sound person, and people who wanted to join us for an evening of fun. SOS turned out
to be an amazing experience and we ended up raising a decent amount of money, as well everyone
involved had a great night.
I want to end with a huge thanks to our executive director Kelly and the rest of the board as I know
there is no way these events would have been successful without you guys. I enjoy every aspect of
SEARCH and look forward to my contributions to SEARCH in 2016-17.
Kindest Regards,
Carli Wollbaum, SEARCH Fundraising and Grants Committee Chair
Message from the Fundraising & Grants Chair – Crystal Bjornson
The 2015-2016 SEARCH Board of Directors has had a wonderful
term and I have enjoyed my experience as a part of this team
immensely.
As Policy Committee Chairperson, I worked with our Executive
Director to address any SEARCH policies that may have required
updating or formation. A majority of my time was spent
researching stipulations and industry standards that related to
policies both existing and in production; as well as, how SEARCH’s
new charity status would affect these policies.
This year we created a new Tax Receipt Policy to accompany our
new designation status as a charity; this policy proved useful
during several of our fundraisers. We are also working to create a
Social Media Policy to address our increasing online presence as
an organization.
As a general member of the SEARCH board, I was able to participate in several seminars that helped to
build board development, such as: SNACC and Non-Crisis Intervention Training.
With my term as Policy Chair now at a close, I would like to thank all of the volunteers, mentors,
sponsors, my fellow board members, and our Executive Director for their dedication and commitment to
SEARCH. Without you, SEARCH would not exist or be the amazing organization that it is.
Sincerely,
Crystal Bjornson, SEARCH Policy Committee Chair
Message from Student Retention Committee Chair – Eman Abdulhadi
Looking back at my first year with SEARCH I am excited by all the change and growth I have seen! This is
especially true with regards to our volunteer numbers and retention! This year we have had students
volunteer from a multitude of faculties including, but not limited to Kinesiology, Nursing, Science,
Medicine, Social Work, and Education. These volunteer contributed over 1600 volunteer hours at our
clinic. While many of these students learned about SEARCH through their classes, a growing number are
learning about us through multiple volunteer recruitment and retention efforts.
At the beginning of the fall semester our Executive Director,
Kelly, presented to many faculties and individual classes about
the opportunities available for students at SEARCH. Halfway
through the Fall 2015 semester, Kelly and I attended the
Volunteer Fair at the University of Regina and connected with
many students and other organizations. Furthermore, this year
we took on the ongoing project of connecting with specific
faculties across the University of Regina and University of
Saskatchewan. Through this initiative, faculty advisors in
Kinesiology, Science and at the Student Success Center were
contacted and presented to about SEARCH. We have seen an
increasing number of student volunteers who have heard about
us through these faculty advisors and we plan to continue reaching out to faculties to continue this
successful endeavour. Looking towards the summer, volunteers were recruited in the Riddell Center at
the University of Regina in March. A combination of all of these things and our course partnerships is
what has made our volunteer numbers continue to grow.
This year we also recognized the commitment of six students and nominated them as Team Leaders.
This position recognizes the importance of these exceptional volunteers and provides them with more
responsibility at shifts. With their continued support and leadership, we hope that other volunteers will
be inspired to be as dedicated as them.
Overall, I think we have had a great year with continued volunteer commitment and a growing interest
in SEARCH being observed with the passing of every semester. I can see this momentum continuing on
in the coming years and can’t wait to be present to see the growth that SEARCH experiences in the
coming years.
Thank you,
Eman Abdulhadi, SEARCH Volunteer Retention Committee Chair
Message from Executive Director – Kelly Husack
I would like to start by saying thank you to the SEARCH
organization for welcoming me as you did! As I reflect
on the past year, I cannot help, but be so incredibly
thankful and in awe of how far the organization has
come and how it has allowed me to grow with it over
the last 12 months!
Spring kicked off with some good news and in April of
2015, SEARCH was granted charitable status with the
Canada Revenue Agency. This has been long awaited by
the organization and has afforded us many new
opportunities in regards to obtaining new funding
sources and donations, further contributing to the
sustainability and growth of our organization.
Last May, we welcomed 5 new Board of Directors
members and it has been a pleasure to work with such a talented team of dedicated individuals. With
their support, we have been able to accomplish many impressive milestones including new fundraising
opportunities, increased volunteer recruitment and retention, and redeveloped clinic programming that
continues to meet the needs of our clients. A highlight for myself, was the hosting of SEARCH’s very first
traditional First Nations feast where clients and students were able to share in celebration of the end of
the Winter 2016 semester and beginning of the Spring semester. We look forward to hosting this on an
annual basis.
This year, SEARCH hosted two KISS Band Nights. The first was held at the end April 2015 and the second
in September 2015. Both these events help bring in over $2200. The 6th Annual SEARCH Gala was also
held again in November 2015 and raised over $6200. This past year, we were excited to create
partnerships with Chapters Regina and Student Organized Shenanigans to help raise funds and expand
our fundraising capabilities. All proceeds raised go to supporting program needs and operations of
SEARCH and we thank everyone for their continued support.
The SEARCH Mentor team also expanded this past year and we welcomed Dr. Joel Mamchur (MD), Dr.
Gabriela Novotna (RSW), Jessica Ethier (RD), Nicole Tyminski (RD), and Brittny Harper (RD). SEARCH
continues to be a well established community based organization that contributes to student learning,
all while providing vital health programming to the Regina community thank you to the knowledge,
skills, and time of our mentor team.
Lastly, I would like to thank a few key individuals for their guidance and mentorship as I transitioned into
the role of Executive Director. These include Amanda Kuckartz (Past SEARCH Executive Director), Lorelei
Johns (SEARCH Bookkeeper), Michael Parker (NCCA Executive Director), and Marci Scott and the entire
SEARCH Advisory Committee. Moving from student volunteer to Executive Director, showed me a whole
new side to the SEARCH organization and it has been an honour to take my experiences as a past
volunteer and work towards improving student and client outcomes. Thank you for a wonderful year
and I look forward to what lies in store!
Cheers,
Kelly Husack, BKin, CSEP-CPT
SEARCH Executive Director
Programs and Services We Offer
Medical Services: SEARCH offers medical services each shift to the clients who request medical
attention. These services can be for adults or children to see a doctor, nurse practitioner, and nurse (and
student volunteers from various health professions) for prescription refills and other general health
inquiries.
Nutrition Program: SEARCH offers a hot meal at the beginning of each shift prior to the start of
programs. This is prepared by student volunteers under the guidance of the SEARCH Nutrition Mentor.
During this time, the Nutrition Mentor facilitates skills and learning to the student volunteers and clients
about various nutrition topics including: eating in accordance with Canada’s Food Guide, getting the
right vitamins and minerals from foods, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with diabetes.
Adult Counselling: This program was implemented in conjunction with The Caring Place in Regina in
response to the changing needs in the community. SEARCH recognizes that the North Central
community is small and clients sometimes require more privacy to discuss. Therefore, counselling was
implemented in order to target the needs of the community and provide the service in an already wellknown, reputable organization within the neighbourhood. Lastly, this program is offered free of charge,
further reducing the barriers to care.
Fun With Food: Fun with Food is a program that is run for clients of all ages. It is a cooking program
where clients can learn to cook quick, easy, and healthy meals. The goals of running this program
includes, but is not limited to, comparing the cost between buying groceries as opposed to eating fast
food, education on healthier options of food to buy, emphasizing the importance of healthy eating, and
maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
What’s the Buzz?: What’s the Buzz? is a health awareness program. This program can be directed at
children and adults, depending on the topics discussed. Each week, a speaker (which has included
students, mentors, and community partners) prepares a presentation to educate clients on a particular
topic. The topics are usually chosen based on the interest of the clients, as well as who is available to
come and speak. Some topics in the past have included bullying, bike safety, heart health, and spiritual
development. This program is enjoyed by families, as there is usually an interactive component to get
everyone learning together.
Children’s Programs: The goal of the children’s programs is to incorporate a holistic approach to the
overall health of children. SEARCH believes that by offering these activities, learning opportunities for
children are also provided. Through this program, a variety of activities are available for children focused
around culture, education, art, music and overall development. By exposing children to a variety of
different options, we hope to foster their interests and passions.
Women’s Group: This is a talking circle for women and led by women. The topics are usually based
around the interests of the women who attend and it is facilitated by a mentor and a student volunteer.
Topics may be planned in advance or women can bring other topics on the day of the group. The goal of
this group is for women in the community to feel supported by their peers, as well as receive expert
guidance from a trained professional.
Literacy Days: Literacy Days runs once a month at SEARCH. When this program is run, other regular
scheduled programming (aside from lunch, medical services, and counselling) is not run. In creating this
program, SEARCH wanted to promote literacy and do so in a way that reflected the cultures and
traditions of the people it serves. SEARCH follows the Government of Saskatchewan’s idea that “well
designed family literacy programs involve families and community partners” (2012).
Cultural Support Worker: Throughout the years that SEARCH has been operating, we have recognized
that SEARCH serves a high number of First Nations and Métis people. The mentors and students see
many generations of families and learn many things about the First Nations culture from the clients. As
an organization, we have always worked tirelessly to create a positive environment that offers holistic
healthcare, however, there have been limitations to the amount of cultural support offered. Therefore,
a cultural support worker has been hired in order to work with students and mentors to provide cultural
guidance and increase cultural sensitivity. This person will also provide support to clients at their request
and fulfill the cultural needs of the community.
SEARCH has received excellent feedback from students, mentors, and clients on the programs and
services offered. We are continually evaluating each area in order to make improvements and ensure
each program continues to fit with the needs of the community.
Highlights of the Past Year
SEARCH has many things to celebrate and highlight over the past year. These include:
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SEARCH moved from a Saturday afternoon shift to a Monday evening shift for the 4rd year in a row
during the summer months of May to August. Last summer was once again extremely successful with
no shift closures due to volunteer shortage.
SEARCH partnered with 15 different programs, classes, and
professors to make volunteering with SEARCH part of their course
curriculum. A big thank you goes out to Christian Thompson,
Robert Biezenski, SaskPolytechnic Nursing Division, College of
Medicine Making the Links program, Education Core Studies 200
(University of Regina), Campion College Engaged Learning Program
(University of Regina), and the Community Research Unit Arts
CARES program (University of Regina) for allowing SEARCH the
opportunity to provide volunteering options to their students.
Past mentors continue to return to SEARCH to offer their time and
expertise to students. New physician, dietitian, and social work
mentors also joined the team.
SEARCH partnered with the group: Voluntary Sector Studies
Network (VSSN) to build their initiative and provide input into
engaging students in the voluntary and non-profit sectors.
SEARCH continued to hold its professional development seminars
for student volunteers. On these evenings that seminars were
held, SEARCH hosted the AIDS Programs South Saskatchewan,
Regina Police Services – Drug Unit, Regina Region Local
Immigration Partnership, and Dr. Carrie Bourassa.
SEARCH participated in the North Central Health Fair held by the
Canadian Diabetes Association and the North Central Community
Association on August 5, 2015.
SEARCH Executive Director and Board of Directors participated in
the Four Directions Community Health Centre Teddy Bear Clinic on
August 24, 2015. The team provided face painting to the children
that attended the clinic and were able to hand out information on
the SEARCH clinic to residents.
SEARCH partnered with the North Central Community Association
and participated in the North Central Culture Days Street Fair in
September. On this day, SEARCH student volunteers moved our
clinic and helped with the event activities.
SEARCH was interviewed by CTV Morning Live, CTV News at Noon, and Access Communications’ Talk of
the Town to promote SEARCH and the 6th Annual Gala fundraiser.
Celebrating Our Members and Partners
This year, SEARCH’s Board of Directors, partners, mentors, and student volunteers were very active in,
and around the community. At SEARCH, we like to share in these successes. Therefore, we would like to
highlight some of these achievements they were involved in:
 SEARCH hosted the 2015 Student-run National Clinic Council (SNaCC) conference this year in
August. Many new and interesting ideas were exchanged between the participating clinics.
Delegates from Toronto, Winnipeg, and Saskatoon were able to make the trip to Regina for the
conference.
 Kelly Husack gave a presentation about Literacy Days at SEARCH to the Regina Rotary Club
(Eastview) and was presented with a $1000 grant to continue to fund this program.
 Kelly Husack, SEARCH’s Executive Director, was a guest speaker for the introductory Health
Studies and Introduction to Health Promotion courses at the University of Regina.
Celebrating Our Clients
SEARCH would not be in existence if it were not for the clients who attend our clinic. Each week, we see
a variety of individuals and families. Some are familiar and come to SEARCH on a regular basis, and
others are new and interested in the services we offer. Therefore, we also want to thank them for
coming to SEARCH. They make our shifts meaningful, fun, and worthwhile and all the students and
mentors enjoy the company of the individuals and families who attend. The children make us laugh, the
parents share their stories with us, and each client brings their own uniqueness to the clinic. As a result
of this, we cannot thank them enough for choosing to spend their afternoons and evenings with us at
SEARCH.
Statistics
At SEARCH, we track the number of clients, students, and mentors at each shift. This year’s statistics
included are based on the months from May 2015 to April 2016 which totals 41 weeks of shifts.
During these months, SEARCH statistics are as follows:
423 student volunteers*
176 mentors*
1303 clients attending programming*
149 clients attending clinic*
How to Make a Donation
If you are interested in making a donation to SEARCH, you can do so in the following ways:
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Small food donations for a SEARCH shift.
Prizes for fundraisers (i.e., SEARCH Annual Gala Silent Auction).
Financial contribution.
If you are interested in donating your time as a mentor or student volunteer you can contact us at
[email protected] or check out our website www.searchhealthclinic.com for more
information.
Financial Statements
Please see the attached financial statements in APPENDIX A, in report of the financial position for the
SEARCH organization over the past year. The financial review (unaudited) was completed by Virtus
Group and includes comparative figures from the 2015 yearend.
2016/2017 Budget
Please see APPENDIX B for the approved 2016/2017 SEARCH budget.
*These numbers are totalled throughout the semester and therefore may be new or returning, students, mentors, and clients.
SEARCH would like to thank the following sponsors for their
continued support:
APPENDIX A
Financial Statements
Year Ended March 31, 2016
APPENDIX B
2016/2017 Approved Budget
SEARCH 2016-2017 Budget
Appendix A
April 1, 2016 to
March 31, 2017
Prepared on a Cash Basis
REVENUE
GRANTS
CONFIRMED:
RQHR
CIF Grant (Oct 1st)
U of S Nursing
U of R
U of R Nursing (previously SIAST)
Regina Rotary Club (Eastview)
FCC Regina Spirit Fund
RPIRG
$
$
UNCONFIRMED:
CIF Grant (April 1st)
City of Regina
Campion College
Moffat Family Fund - Summer Student
Association of Saskatchewan Realtors
Sask Gaming - Cultural Support Worker
College of Medicine
First Nations University of Canada
Green Shield Cananda
Subtotal
TOTAL GRANTS - Confirmed & Unconfirmed
50,000
9,000
5,000
2,500
1,000
1,000
6,000
1,500
76,000
15,650
6,000
2,500
4,000
3,000
3,800
8,000
50,000
92,950
168,950
FUNDRAISING
SEARCH Annual Gala and Auction
KISS Fundraiser
Chapters Fundraiser
Honorarium Donations
Charitable Donations
TOTAL FUNDRAISING
OTHER INCOME
10,000
1,300
400
4,000
1,250
16,950
0
TOTAL REVENUE
185,900
EXPENSES
Budget for 42 weeks
Program Expenses:
- Clinic - Food & Refreshments
- Fun with Food
- Craft supplies (women)
- Craft supplies (children)
- Literacy Day
- Activity supplies BBQ
- What's the Buzz supplies/Cultural Programming
- Elders/Guests
Subtotal Program Expenses
2,520
400
200
1,000
1,000
0
4,000
900
10,020
Subtotal Mentor Expenses
12,600
16,800
2,000
3,500
34,900
Mentors:
3 mentors per shift
1 physician per shift
Cultural Support Worker
Security for summer clinics
Fundraising Expenses:
- Gala
- KISS
Subtotal Fundraising Expenses
5,000
200
5,200
Subtotal Operational Expenses
1,500
500
100
500
2,000
1,200
2,625
60
1,000
2,000
200
2000
1,200
2,000
220
800
5,200
925
600
24,630
Operational Expenses:
- NCCA Office Expenses
- Office Supplies
- Printing
- Marketing - Printing
- Advertising/Marketing/Webservices
- Bank charges
- Financial Review
- Revenue Canada filings
- Professional Development - ED
- Professional Development - Board
- Meetings
- SNaCC/Travel/Food/Accomodations
- Mileage, Parking
- Client transportation
- Scheduling
- Memberships
- Insurance Malpractice
- Insurance Not for Profit
- ED Cell phone
Service Providers:
- Coordinator
- Coordinator Expenses (source deductions, wcb)
- Programming Coordinator
- Bookkeeper
- Summer Student
Subtotal Service Providers
TOTAL EXPENSES
147,875
NET PROFIT (LOSS)
Cash in Chequing Account
TOTAL CASH AVAILABLE
45,825
4,000
18,000
3,300
2,000
73,125
38,025
Per March 20/2016 General Ledger for Chequing
13,851
51,876