211 service directory website comes to province

A new website launched today for Saskatchewan gives new meaning to the term "let your fingers do the walking."

Instead of flipping through outdated print directories to find government and community-based services, people will be able to search a 211 website. 211 is an information and referral system already available to 85 per cent of the people living in the United States, and 60 per cent of Canadians (those living in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia).

The United Way of Saskatoon and Regina set up Saskatchewan's 211 website, and paid the $300,000 cost.

"Prior to now there was no comprehensive data base of programs and services being offered across this province, both government and community services," said Ken Howland, the volunteer chair of the 211 Saskatchewan steering committee. "So that was the first challenge, was to be able to collect that information."

Plans for phone service

The United Way also hopes to launch a 24-hour 211 service as soon as it can raise the money for that. Howland said it will cost about $1-million annually to operate the website and phone service combined.

He said the phone line is "absolutely essential."

"Everyone does not have access to the internet," he said.  "Everyone is not familiar with being able to do a search on a website, where there are language issues, barriers due to literacy."

The phone line will be able to provide service in 150 languages, he said.

Pointing people in the right direction

Laurie O'Connor, executive director of the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, applauds the arrival of 211.

"I would say there could be at least one time a week where someone comes to the food bank because they feel comfortable here but it isn't really food that they need," O'Connor said. "They actually might need information about housing and they might not speak English."

O'Connor said 211 will cut down the amount of staff time it takes to point people in the right direction.