Personal Learning Cloud #5: Part One

 

Sagkeeng CFS

    Hello, the organization I chose to complete this Personal Learning Cloud on Organization Structures is Sagkeeng Child and Family Services (Sagkeeng CFS). Sagkeeng CFS is a child and family services agency mandated by the provincial government to child welfare services and family enhancement programming. Sagkeeng CFS delivers service directly to members of the Sagkeeng First Nation, exclusively. It is one of 10 child and family services agencies that are provincially mandated in Southern Manitoba. I am familiar with this organization because I come from Sagkeeng First Nation and have worked for Sagkeeng CFS. 

External Environmental Factors:

Political: In a political context, Sagkeeng CFS is very interesting because it has funding agreements with both the provincial and federal government – meaning funding allocations depend on the respective provincial and government bodies. Although, Sagkeeng CFS jurisdiction falls under provincial child welfare regulations, not the federal law. The Sagkeeng Government is currently undertaking steps to establish its own child welfare regulations. 

Economic: Economically, Sagkeeng CFS is dependent on funding allocation from the provincial and federal governments, so when constraints and budget cuts arise, it can greatly reduce the effectiveness of the agency and how many children and families they can support. The state of the country’s economy could also play a toll on how many essential items are received by children and families due to rising inflation. 

Social: Sagkeeng CFS, like other child welfare agencies, don’t always receive positive rapport due to some of the work that is required to keep children and families safe. In this instance, public perception plays a role in factoring in social and external environmental factors. Another factor would be demographic changes. This plays a role because it affects how many children will need to access care. 

Technological: Advances in technology, such as digital case management systems and communication tools, can affect the agencies’ effectiveness and efficiency. The agency has to keep efficiency high with respect to technology in order to maintain effective record-keeping. 

Environmental: Sagkeeng CFS has to account for environmental factors that might hinder the agency’s ability to provide services to children and families. A few of these environmental factors could be weather systems, pandemics, and natural disasters. 

Legal: Sagkeeng CFS is subjected to complying with legalities such as child welfare acts and legislation that are constantly being amended to better serve children in care. The agency has to stay up to date on current legislation to ensure they are working within legal parameters to support child welfare. 

Internal Environmental Factors:

Organizational tasks: Sagkeeng CFS by nature takes on tasks and services that aim to provide children and families with resources to enhance the welfare of children. Commonly, these tasks include family enhancement, customary care, apprehension, and placement. Furthermore, Sagkeeng CFS also offers culturally appropriate services for indigenous people. Because the agency has a services that require specialized expertise, it adopts a more decentralized structure for greater coordination of service. 

Goals: Sagkeeng CFS goals are to ensure the welfare of children and families as well as encourage community participation by providing collaborative approaches to deliver services to members. The agency’s goals very much impact the structure of the organization. If the agencies goals are to be efficient and/or cost-effective to meet its goals, it may adopt a more centralized organizational structure that promotes standardization and reduces duplication of efforts.

Job Characteristics: Sagkeeng CFS employs a broad range of services which impacts the organizational structure. To accommodate this, Sagkeeng takes a more decentralized approach – giving more decision-making authority to it Directors of the departments. Giving a more higher degree of autonomy to its departments. 

Growth Cycle: Sagkeeng CFS has continued to expand its range of services which gives it consistent growth. Because Sagkeeng takes a time-phased approach to growth, growth doesn’t happen so rapidly. In this field of work, projects are rolled out a slower pace to tests its effectiveness before its brought to the larger demographic.