Unison Benevolent Fund - Assistance to Date
Request for services continues to increase for both the Counselling & Health Solutions Program and the Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
By External Source
Request for services continues to increase for both the Counselling & Health Solutions Program and the Emergency Financial Assistance Program. Of all calls received in 2017 for Unison programs, 66% required counselling services, while 34% requested financial assistance.
Further breakdown and details of those requiring assistance can be found below.
| Counselling | Financial |
2015 | 62% | 38% |
2016 | 58% | 42% |
2017 | 66% | 34% |
Unison Benevolent Fund - Assistance Hotline, 2017
The counselling and health solutions support line is sponsored by Unison and provided by Morneau Shepell – the largest Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) counselling network in Canada. Counselling is provided by a multi-disciplinary team of accredited professionals who hold master’s degrees or PhDs in the fields of psychology or clinical social work.
Counselling can be provided over the phone or online, and can address a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to: mental health support, managing relationships and family life, finding child and elder care resources, legal advice, financial guidance, workplace challenges, tackling addictions, improving nutrition and focusing on your health. Morneau Shepell’s highly qualified, experienced and caring professionals help callers select a support option that suits their lifestyle and best addresses the challenges they are facing.
Unison offers five hours of counselling for music industry professionals and their family members. Arrangements can be made for additional help, as it is needed.
In 2017 there was a 50% increase in counseling services provided as compared to 2016.
In 2016 there was an overall 15% increase in counseling services provided as compared to 2015.
Source of Discovery
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Word of mouth | 45% | 63% | 54% |
Website | 26% | 17% | 35% |
Printed material | 21% | 11% | 4% |
Social Media | 8% | 9% | 8% |
Counselling Hotline Demographics
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Gender | |||
Male | 25% | 43% | 43% |
Female | 75% | 57% | 57% |
Years in the Music Industry | |||
Under 1 year advertisement | 15% | 9% | 3% |
1-4 years | 34% | 19% | 14% |
5-14 years | 9% | 30% | 23% |
15 Years and Over | 36% | 34% | 31% |
Declined | 6% | 8% | 29% |
Age Group | |||
20-29 Years | 4% | 15% | 19% |
30-39 Years | 60% | 45% | 45% |
40-49 Years | 21% | 13% | 21% |
50 Years and Over | 15% | 25% | 13% |
Declined | 0% | 2% | 2% |
Counselling Service Details
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
Personal Relationships | 6% | 10% | 27% |
Personal Stress | 24% | 28% | 22% |
Life Planning | 11% | 15% | 18% |
Mental Health | 14% | 23% | 13% |
Physical Health | 16% | 8% | 8% |
Work Related | 25% | 7% | 7% |
Parenting | 0% | 3% | 3% |
Addiction Related | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Family, General | 2% | 4% | 1% |
Unison Benevolent Fund - Emergency Financial Assistance
Unison provides short-term financial assistance to Canadian music industry professionals who have encountered an unforeseeable emergency, such as recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances that result in an inability to work, severe economic or personal hardship.
A committee of music industry peers promptly reviews each application, which are known only to them by a file name. No personal information is ever divulged. Each approved applicant is provided with emergency financial assistance and/or financial, career or personal counselling.
The assistance of Unison is short-term, helping to address a crisis situation. Unison moves quickly to determine what help can be provided and what actions may be necessary for each individual to re-establish independence from Unison.
In 2017 a 39% increase of applications were received, resulting in a 13% increase in financial assistance funds distributed above 2016.
In 2016 a 27% increase of applications were received, resulting in a 70% increase in financial assistance funds distributed above 2015.
The Emergency Financial Assistance Program launched in 2015.
Allocations of Financial Assistance by Category
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
Rent/Mortgage | 53% | 47% | 62% |
Utilities | 4% | 4% | 5% |
Food/Living Expenses | 21% | 26% | 14% |
Dental | 9% | 9% | 9% |
Medical | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Transportation | 4% | 6% | 4% advertisement |
Other | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Applicants for Emergency Financial Assistance by Province/Territory
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Alberta | 0% | 0% | 0% |
British Columbia | 0% | 3% | 4% |
Manitoba | 3% | 5% | 4% |
New Brunswick | 0% | 3% | 0% |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 7% | 8% | 0% |
Northwest Territories | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Nova Scotia | 3% | 0% | 15% |
Nunavut | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Ontario | 74% | 68% | 66% |
Prince Edward Island | 0% | 0% | 2% |
Quebec | 3% | 10% | 7% |
Saskatchewan | 7% | 3% | 0% |
Yukon | 0% | 0% | 0% |
International | 3% | 0% | 2% |
