Our interviews with practitioners uncovered many lessons and best practices that apply to all parts of supporting benefits access.

Learn more about what might be needed for you to start, improve, or expand your access to benefits supports.

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The organizational systems you have in place are important to provide effective benefits access supports.

A Client Management System (CMS) can help staff manage long-term relationships with clients. It also helps when multiple staff are engaging with a client. In the context of benefits access, client management systems help staff to provide the right supports at the right time and avoid duplicating previous supports or requests for information. It can help staff track the client’s goals, past staff engagement, action plans, and progress. Depending on the needs and size of your organization, a CMS be a simple Excel spreadsheet, or a customized application.

Accessing benefits can be a complex, multi-step process. A CMS can help staff pinpoint where individual clients are in their journey and support them in their immediate next steps.

### Other considerations for a CMS

- If sharing information with a Community of Practice or across branches of your organization, a database where shared statistics can be captured helps to communicate to funders the deeper need and impact and to help talk about the situation in broader terms.
- If possible, systems should be flexible and adaptable to capture all funders required information. Ideally the system should be able to be tailored by the organization to add new information when required.
- Sometimes a CMS will have limitations and information will also need to be collected using an excel spreadsheet.
- Some organizations assign an ID number to remove identifying names from the database

### Examples

- [Transform](https://pages.qwilr.com/IslamicFamily-ca-Transform-An-Intelligent-Digital-Assistant-for-the-Social-Services-Sector-ZqIewAdGSqqF) is an example of a CMS for the social services sector.
- [OCASI](https://ocasi.org/ocasi-client-management-system-ocms) also has a CMS designed for the sector.

It is important to understand the impact of your benefits access service as this will help you identify best practices and areas for improvement and will be useful when reporting to funders. Systems for collecting data and measuring impact can include client surveys, focus groups with staff members, or follow-up interviews with clients, depending on the resources your organization has available.

Prosper Canada’s [Indicators for Financial Empowerment](https://prospercanada.org/getattachment/49bff85f-936d-4d76-bebb-b3c5059c0379/Indicators-for-Financial-Empowerment.aspx) resource provides a great starting point for standardized Continuous Improvement Systems.

### Continuous Improvement Systems

Access to benefits work is a practice that requires ongoing learning, reflection, and adaptation. Staff at all levels will develop perspectives on what is working, and what is not. A continuous improvement system can help to ensure improvements take place. It can include formal channels for staff to log suggestions, creating time and space for staff to identify and pursue process improvements, and regular team retrospectives to share experiences and reflect on potential changes. There can also be incentives or recognition for championing effective changes, as well as efforts to build an internal culture of continuous improvement.

It is important to recognize that as you do benefit access work, your understanding of how to do the work well will increase, but that it requires conscious effort and management support to enable this new understanding to lead to positive changes in client experience and outcomes.

### Other considerations for data and impact collection

Most systems measure the impact of access to benefits in the short term, such as what new benefits were received, or how much income was added to the household. It is harder to gain medium and long-term data on issues such as stress reduction or quality of life. If possible, consider ways to conduct pre and post assessments for the mid to longer term.

Referrals are critical to accessing benefits, as many organizations do not provide all the supports  an individual may need. However, it is easy for clients to get lost in the transitions between service providers or between organizations. A clear referral process or system  can help clients overcome the barriers they may  experience when  being referred.

An effective referral system should have the following components:

1. A list of referral organizations that includes contact information and details on the services provided distributed to all staff so that referrals do not depend on an individual staff person’s network.  This list needs to be kept up-to-date to remain effective.
1. A process to help the client connect with the referred agency to ensure a successful transition.   This could include calling the referral contact with the client, joining them at their first meeting, or asking the referred agency to confirm when the client has made contact.
1. A feedback mechanism to assess whether the referrals made are appropriate and useful could involve checking with the client and the referral agency whenever possible to ask if the referral process or relationship can be improved in any way. This can be done via an online survey, email, or phone.

Many organizations provide telephone, online or in-person options for clients but find that online or in-person are most effective as documents can be viewed together. Online services can reduce barriers for some clients who may struggle to access in-person supports but should not be offered exclusively as in-person supports remain the lowest barrier option for many other clients.

### There are pros and cons to providing services online

#### Pros

- Online service works well for clients for which coming into the office can be a barrier (time, cost, childcare supports needed, etc.).
- It can be difficult to talk about finances in person, for some it is more comfortable to do so from home and online.
- Some organizations find that online service reduces the number of no-shows compared to what they experience when booking in-person appointments. Otherwise, weather conditions, lack of childcare and other issues can increase the occurrence of no-shows.
- Online supports allow the front-line worker and the client to a share screen and move through the form while filing it out together. This also allows everyone to confirm in real time that the information is accurate and that the process is done correctly.
- If providing workshops on benefits and taxes, recorded sessions allow clients to choose when they engage with the content on their own time.

#### Cons

- Not everyone has access to the technology needed to communicate online.
- In some remote regions people do not have access to internet or it is very unreliable or expensive.
- Some clients (for example, seniors) have low digital literacy and find online navigation difficult or frustrating. In some instances, staff have spent a lot of time on the phone explaining how to open an email for a video meeting, which reduces the amount of time they have to discuss tax information.
- When you share a screen, you see a very tiny picture of person so it can be hard to determine their body language and facial expressions. It is easier to build trust when delivering service in- person, however it is possible online as well.
- Often clients say they don’t feel as supported online or via telephone as they do when meeting face to face.
- It can be exhausting for staff to work entirely online, due to screen fatigue. It is important to build in time in-between appointments and to ensure that staff have opportunities to take breaks for self-care.

### If you offer service and support online, consider the following 

- If you have capacity and the expertise, offer workshops to help clients increase their digital literacy, or refer them to other organizations that offer this programming.
- See if there is any support in your community to help clients access the technology they need. Check out [reBOOT Canada](https://www.rebootcanada.ca/).
- Consider offering courses or workshops for clients to learn more about how to navigate benefit applications online. You can also offer workshops on how to use the [Benefit wayfinder](https://benefitswayfinder.org/) and demonstrate how it works.
- Some organizations provide digital training for staff so they can better help clients with online navigation.

Client management systems (CMS)

Data and impact collection systems

Referral systems

Online delivery systems

Systems

You can enable strong access to benefits supports by choosing the right staff and providing a supportive environment for them. Learn what supports are critical for staff who are delivering access to benefits services.

It is important for staff to have a social work skill set as the foundation for benefit access work. Skills such as empathetic listening, patience, cultural competence, communication, and advocacy are critical. Finance and benefits-related information can be learned on the job, but a social work skill set is harder to teach for a staff member with no prior experience.

A social work skill set is critical because benefits and finances are delicate topics that need to be explored with sensitivity and tailored to each person’s unique circumstances. Staff are not providing advice but instead are coaching and offering resources and choice.

Supporting benefits access takes time. Staff will require flexibility and support in their scheduling to do this work, as a   simple conversation about the benefits of filing taxes can blossom into a larger engagement with clients about the benefits available to them, and the steps they need to take to access them. Without the time and space to engage on this topic, staff may not actively provide access to benefits supports even if they feel these supports are important.

As there many ways to do this work, it is important for staff to know their roles and boundaries. Having flexibility and fewer boundaries enable staff to be more adaptive in their approaches to supporting clients, but having clear boundaries also helps them maintain positive and safe relationships.

Consider and define what is within scope for staff to do. For example, are staff able to go with clients to appointments, such as a doctor’s appointment to help advocate for a disability benefits application, or must they remain on site? What types of requests can staff help with, and what is outside of their scope? 

Role clarity will ensure staff feel confident about the benefits supports they can provide, which can then be communicated clearly to clients. Supports that are outside your organization’s boundaries may be delivered elsewhere. Staff should refer clients to these supports to ensure that clients feel their needs are being met.

To ensure staff have the time and flexibility to provide quality access to benefits service, your internal incentive and performance management structures should support this activity.

For example, in frontline service contexts, it is common for staff to have a target average time spent per client. This type of target can get in the way of the flexibility that quality access to benefits services require. If staff feel they don’t have the time to provide these services, they may default to providing the bare minimum. Instead, consider how staff will be recognized for providing quality access to benefits support and how they are evaluated so they are encouraged and rewarded for providing access to benefits services.

Similarly targets based on dollar outcomes may be very misleading since there are benefit programs that may not have easily quantifiable dollar outcomes, such as a food bank or setting up direct deposit or have low dollar impact such as a leisure pass or reduced transit fare but have a very significant impact on the lived experience of the household.

Providing certain kinds of benefits support requires specific training. For example, legal supports should only be undertaken by trained legal professionals. Other areas of support may not require a professional designation but should be accompanied by training and onboarding to ensure that staff feel supported and able to provide these services.

Tax filing, benefits screening, documentation access, and advocacy supports all require some background training and onboarding. There may be existing training programs already available, such as [Prosper Canada’s Foundations of Access to Benefits](https://training.prospercanada.org/courses/foundations-of-access-to-benefits-ab-en-001#:~:text=Our%20Foundations%20of%20Access%20to%20Benefits%20course%20will,Benefits%20wayfinder%20tool%2C%20and%20access%20to%20further%20training.) course, or the training available for Community Volunteer Income Tax Program tax preparers.

On-the-job shadowing and learning have been reported to be the primary way that staff learn to do this work well. If your organization doesn’t have staff with this expertise, consider reaching out to other community organizations that do for training and advisory support. You can browse agencies that provide various Access to Benefits services on the [Benefits Wayfinder help page](https://benefitswayfinder.org/help).

Social work skill set

Time and space to engage

Role and boundary clarity

Aligned incentives

Specialized training and support

Staff

There are many unique principles, that specify how you can approach access to benefits services, regardless of the way you help clients access benefits. These principles can help you design your supports in a way that will meet client needs effectively.

The community members you serve may have experienced trauma in their lives and so a trauma-informed approach is important.

To counter trauma, it is important to work with clients in ways that:

- Consider how past experiences can affect current reactions
- Is strengths-based
- Emphasises physical, psychological, and emotional safety
- Creates opportunities for participants to feel a sense of control and empowerment
- Avoids re-triggering and re-traumatizing 

Often, this means focusing on building the following into your client services:

- Safety
- Trustworthiness
- Transparency
- Choice
- Collaboration
- Peer support
- Empowerment 

In practice, a trauma-informed approach may look like this:

> Rasmus had just arrived for his first one-on-one meeting to discuss tax filing and finances. Since Rasmus was new to the Canadian tax system, he did not know that benefits were available to him. He also didn't consider his fibromyalgia a disability that could qualify for benefits. The frontline practitioner asked questions, presented information and options, and adjusted their approach based on Rasmus' input. When the frontline worker sensed that Rasmus was not comfortable with entering his personal information online, the frontline practitioner respected that and avoided using the questionnaire in the Benefits Wayfinder tool.

In this scenario, the frontline practitioner ensured: 

- The conversation took place in a one-on-one private setting.
- The process provided Rasmus choice and control at every stage. For example, Rasmus was hesitant to share personal information online, so the frontline practitioner avoided using the questionnaire with him.
- The process was collaborative. The frontline practitioner presented information and options. Rasmus' input informed next steps.
- It empowered Rasmus by informing him of possible benefits he may be entitled to, including those related to his fibromyalgia 


Talking about money can be very difficult, especially if a person has previously felt judged for their money situation or money choices. For example, budgeting tips that focus on ways to save money at the grocery store may not be appropriate for someone who needs a specialized diet or may feel patronizing and judgemental for someone who has already made several attempts to reduce their food costs.

Clients face a wide range of barriers to accessing benefits that may not be relatable for staff who don’t have their same experiences. When clients feel judged, it’s easy for them to shut down or disengage from the process. Instead, work with clients in a supportive and validating way, listening first and seeking to understand what might work best for them.

__In practice, this can look like:__

- __Validate client experiences and perspectives__. Demonstrate to clients that their experiences are valid. For example, if a client hasn’t followed through on completing an application form acknowledge that the benefits application process can be overwhelming and offer support to continue the process if the client is willing.
- __Accept and support clients’ choices__. A client may feel that it is not the right time to explore benefits, even if you believe it would be helpful to them. Respect their choice and   encourage them to reconnect when they feel ready. Remember that they are experts in their own lives.

Effective access to benefits supports find ways to raise awareness and engage clients at key moments when they are open to the conversation, while respecting their right to choose not to proceed further.

Often people do not know about the supports available to them, so they don’t reach out to discuss benefits access. For example, people who are new to Canada or those without strong community networks, might not know about the social services and systems available to them.

__In practice, this can look like__:

- __Discussing access to benefits__ with a newcomer to Canada in a settlement conversation about housing. The additional money they may be eligible for could help them pay their rent.
- __Promoting access to benefits__ at a local foodbank to encourage community members to file their taxes to ensure they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled
- __Hosting a workshop__ at a local library or community centre to share information on access to benefits services.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting benefits access since everyone has a unique relationship to money and benefits.

Seek to understand your community members’ unique perspectives, values, and relationships to benefits, and integrate those perspectives into how you deliver your services.

Consider the following:

__What are your community member’s relationships with and trust for government and other institutions?__

People who don’t trust government or institutions will likely be skeptical of tax filing and providing information on government forms and will benefit from supports that recognize and validate their concerns. For example, share how the government uses information on benefits forms, and how information-sharing within all levels of governments works.

__What messages and themes appeal to your community members?__

A person’s mindset and values will impact how they view benefits. Some people feel ashamed about receiving government benefits or feel they are designed for those who are even more vulnerable.  Consider positioning benefits as ‘entitlements’ or as ‘supports,’ to address negative stigma towards receiving benefits.

__Where are your community members typically reachable?__

Effective access to benefits supports seek to engage community members where they are. For example, to reach people who are street-involved, street-outreach approaches may work best.   For some, libraries are a neutral ground to find support, while others may see them as an untrustworthy, government institution. ‘Superclinic’ approaches (where multiple services are provided by multiple agencies in one location) are a great way to make multiple services available to clients in one place.

__What family dynamics are at play?__

You may need to adapt your approaches to enable multiple parties to participate. For example, sometimes spouses and partners need to be involved in the process. Culture may be a factor in family dynamics, so understanding how it may impact decision-making or who will be accessing the services, may be helpful. Consider engaging families at home to avoid barriers associated with childcare and to enable spouses to both be equally involved.

Clients may form expectations that differ from the ones that you and your staff hold. This can cause frustration and uncomfortable interactions with clients. Since clients are likely absorbing a lot of information all at once, reinforcing these expectations throughout the process is important.

__In practice, this can look like:__

- __Let clients know how much time to expect to spend in the process__. Let clients know it can take about 30 minutes to go through the process of finding benefits that match their situation and make plans to apply. If clients don’t understand the time commitment in advance, this process can be frustrating, especially if they have other competing priorities.
- __Let clients know what you can and can’t help with__. Be clear about what services you provide and the level of expertise you have to assist your clients.  If you can help clients find the right benefits for them, but can’t help with the application process, it helps to let them know in advance. You may also want to refer them to places that can help with other parts of the process.
- __Let clients know what might go wrong__. It helps to be upfront about some of the challenges clients may face along the benefits process to avoid getting discouraged or surprised when something goes wrong. For example, often disability benefits applicants get denied in their first application, but a first denial often doesn’t mean the person isn’t eligible, it usually means something needs to be changed in their application. Setting this expectation in advance will help a client know what to do if they get denied, rather than giving up on the process.
- __Let clients know what they need to do__. It is important for clients to understand their role so they can decide whether to participate and can come prepared. For example, to file taxes, clients need their Social Insurance Number (SIN). Letting clients know this before booking an appointment will reduce frustration if they arrive without it and you are unable to help them without their SIN.

Your organization or team has certain strengths and a way of working with your specific population. You also have a unique position within the community, both in your physical location and in your relationship to other parts of the community.

When deciding how to best support your community members in accessing benefits, it is important to identify ways that you can help that play to the strengths of your team and your community. It is also helpful to do your research to identify what supports are already available in the community, so you are not duplicating services.

In practice, this can look like:

- __Amplify and enable others’ efforts__. Rather than starting something new, your best way to support might be to amplify existing efforts to support access to benefits. For example, if your organization has laptops or other digital tools, sharing them with an organization that provides free tax filing services might help them reach more people.
- __Do your research__. Ask clients and collaborators about supports that are available in the community, and what they see as missing or needed.
- __Base your supports upon your unique strengths and assets__. Your assets are an important indicator of where you can make a unique contribution to benefits access. For example, if you have staff and volunteers who speak different languages, you could focus your efforts on providing translation supports as part of the benefits access process and training these staff to understand basic concepts of benefits. If your organization is well connected to and trusted by clients who are socially isolated, it could focus on awareness-building and promotions of benefits to these clients.

Best practices

Systems

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Staff

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Principles

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