Minister On Achievements Over Past 4 Years

“I rise with great pride and gratitude to share with you the reflections of the work, the deliverables, and the initiatives that the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors has successfully delivered since its inception in October 2020,” Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors Tinée Furbert said in the House of Assembly today [July 19].

The Minister’s full statement follows below:

Good Morning, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members, and fellow Bermudians, today, I rise with great pride and gratitude to share with you the reflections of the work, the deliverables, and the initiatives that the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors has successfully delivered since its inception in October 2020.

Mr. Speaker, As the Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, I have the honor and the privilege of leading a team of dedicated and passionate professionals who work tirelessly to make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of Bermudians every day. We serve with compassion, with integrity, with excellence, and with creativity. We serve because we care. We care about the future of our young people, who are the leaders of tomorrow. We care about the dignity and the rights of our seniors, who are the pillars of our community. We care about the safety and resilience of our families, who are the foundation of our society. We care about the inclusion and the accessibility of our persons with disabilities, who are the champions of our diversity.

Mr. Speaker, today I will highlight the achievements of this Ministry during the past 4 years. I invite you and my Honourable colleagues to join me on this journey of reflection on the critically important work that this Ministry has either birthed, pruned or watered and how the people of Bermuda have been served.

Mr. Speaker, let me start with the Independent Living Programme of which the Ministry was initially tasked to deliver this initiative in the November 2020 Speech from the Throne. This Ministry was to fill the void that existed when young people ‘age out’ of the Government’s care. In March 2023, this Island was stamped with a transformational moment in history as the first Independent Living Programme was officially opened in Bermuda at Garrison View in St. George. This Programme offers a secure level of comfort and support to our young persons between the ages of 18 and 24 years ageing out of the Care of the Director of Child and Family Services. It serves as a lifeline and a safety net for our young adults.

Mr. Speaker, this year, March 2nd, 2024, marked the first anniversary of the opening of the Independent Living Programme and there was much to celebrate. During the first calendar quarter, the Level Up Program which was a 2023 Throne Speech initiative was implemented providing our young people who are 17 ½ years old with the opportunity to gradually adjust to the realities of adulating as they approach their 18th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, what will always stay close to my heart is the feedback expressed by residents just this year in the ILP’s year in-review which included a satisfaction survey of the residents. They expressed gratitude for the program and when asked how they felt about being residents at Garrison View, they responded that “it felt like HOME”.

Mr. Speaker, no person in our society should be left behind or feel ostracized because they have a disability. For this reason, this Ministry successfully delivered on the Government’s commitment to develop a formal register of persons with disabilities as promised in the 2021 Speech from the Throne. The establishment of the Bermuda Disability Register is another first time ever for Bermuda. The Register is a centralized repository that stores accurate and current data on persons with disabilities. It holds key information about the types of disabilities persons are challenged with which will identify the gaps in the areas of programmes, services and any special equipment needed for persons with disabilities. At the launch of the Mobile Disability Register App, persons with disabilities who attended felt valued. This was evidenced by the many hugs and smiles extended to the Ministry team and representatives from the many organizations who were present. It was a moving experience on that day.

Mr. Speaker, the National Disability Register demonstrates that the Government remains committed to persons with disabilities and is preparing the country and its people for when the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is extended to Bermuda fulfilling this 2020 Throne Speech initiative. Also, this significant milestone in Bermuda’s history will empower persons with disabilities through accurate data representation which is crucial for promoting and encouraging active participation in society. This further aligns with the Government’s five-year National Plan for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families, 2023 to 2028, which launched in March 2023.

Mr. Speaker, this five-year National Plan for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities is a first for Bermuda. Yes, Mr. Speaker, a third first that this Government has delivered on. Additionally, this National Plan was transposed into an Accessible version, a direct reflection of inclusivity so that persons with intellectual disabilities are involved in the implementation of the National Plan. This is transformational. Our community members have reported they have been waiting and are pleased to see all of the conversations and movements in the disability space in Bermuda.

Mr. Speaker, the National ID Plan Steering Committee is a cross Ministry and sector governance committee. It oversees the implementation of action items in the National ID Plan to ensure accountable and coordinated activities by working groups that are committed to keep adults with intellectual disabilities and their families at the center. This includes having representation and input from persons with intellectual disabilities and their families at all levels of the implementation and governance process. The Steering Committee met just last month in June to strategize execution on the priorities outlined in the Plan.

Mr. Speaker, in partnership with Safelives UK, in 2023 the Government implemented a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) model in Bermuda which brings together key agencies and professionals to better support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. This initiative was a critical step in the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to enhance response to domestic violence in Bermuda. The MARAC Committee meets every two weeks to discuss and collaborate.

Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is the first country to implement a MARAC outside the 270-plus existing conferences across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. At the heart of a MARAC, is the working assumption that no single agency or individual can see the complete picture of a victim’s life, but all may have insights crucial to their safety. The Committee is also developing a five-year Domestic Abuse Strategy for Bermuda. The Government remains committed to ending domestic violence. With the establishment of a Bermuda MARAC to safeguard persons, it will also strengthen our commitment to the UK Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda MARAC Committee is soon to recruit a Social Worker – Domestic Liaison who will be responsible for providing coordinated emotional support, advice and advocacy for adults and their families who have been impacted by domestic violence. This support will provide referral pathways for victims and those who are harmed. It will also fill a gap in specialist provision for minoritized groups and demonstrate a focus on intervention.

Mr. Speaker, in the 2021 Speech from the Throne, the Government promised that it would strengthen the area of Child Safeguarding to reduce the harm, abuse and distress of children on our island. To date, this Ministry has worked diligently to implement various measures for child safeguarding to help keep our children protected and place emphasis on the child’s voice. These include:

• Amendments made to the Children Act, 1998 in 2022 to introduce a Children in Care Advisory Council;
• In 2022, the Counselling and Life Skills and Assessment Unit within the Department of Child and Family Services engaged in specialized assessment and treatment training for child victims and child offenders of sexual abuse;
• The National Child Safeguarding Committee released a National Child Safeguarding Policy in 2023;
• A Litigation Guardian framework was structured during 2022 and 2023 in that litigation guardians were selected, appointed, and trained to represent the child’s voice in the Courts and provide their professional analysis of what is needed to guarantee the child’s safety and wellbeing;
• In April 2024, the Office of the Litigation Guardian became fully functional under the remit of the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors; and,
• In June 2024, the Ministry launched a full week of Safer Internet Training supported by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office which funded Consultants to train public and private school students, social workers, school counsellors, education therapists, principals, teachers, Department of Education staff, Government Ministries and Departments and representatives from third sector organizations.

Several participants reported that the training was both phenomenal and engaging. They appreciated the support and networking opportunity and were excited about future opportunities to carry on the mantle to train other persons and share the understanding of safer internet use.

Mr. Speaker, let me shift to present the work that the Ministry has done and is still implementing to support our Seniors. As life expectancy in general increases and quality of life improves, the number of elderly in Bermuda will continue to grow impacting the services of Ageing and Disability Services (ADS). Therefore in 2022, ADS underwent an organizational review by the Management Consulting Services. Stemming from this review, the staff at ADS was increased by two additional Social Workers and a Policy Analyst. This reduced the volume of cases for each of the Social Workers and positioned ADS to provide a more effective level of case management service to meet the needs of Bermuda’s growing senior population. ADS has also been complemented with the intervention of a new structured decision-making tool to better service their clients.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Bermuda were promised a National Seniors Strategy that would include a strategy for dementia and a prevention plan for senior abuse; two areas of great concern that our seniors face today. This strategy is in draft form and is currently being reviewed by technical officers. We are thankful to our seniors who packed the halls when we held our consultation meetings. The National Seniors Strategy now reflects our seniors comments, feedback, and suggestions – their voices; and, is a demonstration of how we can work together collaboratively. At the end of August, the draft National Seniors Strategy will be placed on the Bermuda Citizens Forum for greater consultation with the general public. Our vision for the strategy is that it reflects an inclusive Bermuda that celebrates and prepares responsibly for ageing. The consultation feedback from the public will help make the vision a reality.

Mr. Speaker, in October 2023, the Ministry funded a six-month Dementia Care Services Pilot Programme. The purpose of this pilot was to provide support and intervention services to persons with dementia and their caregivers while assessing the need and impact of such a programme. A total of 50 persons with dementia who were either underinsured or uninsured were provided dementia care services during the pilot along with their carers.

Mr. Speaker, a dementia diagnosis can be daunting for the person impacted and their family so having affordable access to a resource for education, guidance and support is critical As a result of the positive outcomes obtained during this dementia care services pilot programme, the Ministry has extended the pilot for an additional 6 months until November 2024. The data shows that the need is evident and growing. Feedback from those persons who utilized the service shared: “This has been an invaluable resource for our family”. Moving forward the Ministry is committed to identifying sustainable funding for the provision of dementia care services.

Mr. Speaker, in 2022, the Ministry on behalf of the Government entered into a landmark partnership agreement with the United Nations to participate in a joint program “Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi Country Office in Jamaica and UN Women, Caribbean Office. The programme targets women-owned or women-led, youth and persons with disabilities micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism, agriculture and creative and cultural industries.

UN Women conducted two feasibility studies on financing mechanisms for gender equality and on financial tools and instruments needed by women-owned MSMEs in Bermuda to guide the development of innovative financial products. The outcome of these studies supports a BEDC Accelerator Programme for Women Entrepreneurs that will be implemented by September 2024. Entrepreneur graduates of this programme will have the knowledge and skills to scale up their businesses for growth and be positioned to pitch their businesses for financial support outside of the traditional banking system. Also, we have offered our businesses and entrepreneurs, through partnering with the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, many opportunities for training and building business capacity.

Mr. Speaker, in the 2022 Speech from the Throne, the Government promised to further progress the Financial Assistance Reform. Legislative changes were made underscoring the Government’s commitment to reduce inequality, lend greater support to vulnerable persons and strengthen social protections for Bermudians. The legislative changes allow clients to retain partial income from work; the changes expanded the eligibility criteria so that families with children have greater access to child day care allowance and maintenance; and, the legislative changes also added new funding schemes so that clients can receive gifts.

Clients of Financial Assistance received increases in allowable expenses for rent, disability allowance, funeral expenses, nursing and rest homes, and, benefit increases for electricity, food allowance, eye care exams, podiatry fees telephone and water fees. These legislative changes became effective in October 2023.

Mr. Speaker, recently in June 2024, legislation was passed to support short-term relief benefits payable to individuals who apply to the Department of Financial Assistance and prove that they are experiencing sudden hardship. For example, if a person has been made redundant from their job or is a victim of domestic violence, that specific individual can apply for the short-term relief benefit and receive for a maximum of three months, up to $4,500.

We recognize that sudden hardship can happen to anyone, at any time, and for any reason. We also recognize that no one should have to face it alone. This is why the short-term relief benefit was introduced to serve as a lifeline for those who need it most. This is not a cost; this is an investment. An investment in our people, our communities, and our future. This demonstrates the commitment of the Government to supporting its people, especially in times of difficulty and distress.

Mr. Speaker, I will list the remaining initiatives that the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors has embarked on during the past years which include:

• The appointment of a first-time Gender Affairs Council;
• Establishment of a Homelessness Advisory Panel;
• Collaboration with the Charity HOME to execute the Plan to End Homelessness in Bermuda;
• Transition of the MIRRORS Programme to the Department of Child & Family Services;
• National Mini Youth Conferences for Primary, Middle and Senior School Students in support of goals in the National Youth Policy; and,
• Bi-annual meetings held with the third sector and pastoral services for improved relationship building.

Mr. Speaker, this Ministry has delivered much in a short period of time. We are committed to continue to improve our services, to enhance our policies and to expand our programmes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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