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In a hybrid service delivery model with baseline capabilities and competencies, each Frontline Practitioner, Manager, Director, Executive Director/CEO, and newcomer should have the same understanding of what a baseline hybrid service delivery model can offer. Consistency is key. SPOs can exceed this baseline, developing solutions beyond and above the baseline. They may have internal resources, or be connected to external resources (possibly shared among other agencies) to ensure that they have the capacity to provide an expected level of hybrid service delivery.

This section explores promising practices and models outside of the immigrant serving sector with a specific focus on innovation, solutions, and implications that other sectors have been implementing to enhance services in their organizations. In particular, we are interested in the evolution of Virtual Care practices in health care.

Sectors and organizations are increasingly being asked to create their own data ethics standards, practices, and procedures. Organizations require the skills to gain meaningful insights from data in order to unleash the strength of data. Measuring service delivery outcomes in a hybrid service model practice requires a different lens than simply the quantitative one.

This section explores new skill sets and roles that are emerging and will be important in a hybrid service delivery model. In many cases, these will not be entirely new roles in organizations. They will become part of someone’s role. It is important to explore these emerging roles not only to identify them, but to also explore the skills required and how hybrid professional roles (such as Frontline Practitioner/Digital Navigator) will emerge, be developed, and workers trained.

Technology access, literacy & infrastructure require investments in training and appropriate hardware as it evolves, and as client use of it changes. The sector uses technology and indeed has a rich history of being innovative with technology; however, there continue to be many challenges to technology implementation in agencies, particularly around service delivery and data, information, and feedback management. To achieve innovation and technology outcomes that will propel the sector forward, investments are needed to build the capacity of sector agencies and their staff.

Simply described, a hybrid service delivery model suggests a combination of in-person and online/remote (digital and non-digital) services for newcomers to Canada. It occurs when services are offered in-person as well as at a distance. It is both a tool and strategy that guides Settlement practitioners to determine how technology can be used effectively in service delivery, while ensuring support and room for in-person support.

In the Digital Maturity Model approach, change management is crucial. People, processes, leadership, and organizational readiness require attention and development.

Our preliminary report identified that settlement practitioners gradually acquired digital technology knowledge and integrated digital skills into service delivery. Digital literacy is a foundational skill that must be developed in a hybrid service delivery model, alongside established skill sets. This section reviews the discussions and available digital literacy frameworks to enhance support to digital inclusion in the sector.

Addressing digital inclusion is complex. It requires recognition of the challenge and sustained effort to address it. There is no single strategy or method that could address all populations’ needs. Instead, localization and customization of different programs in Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) requires flexibility. Digital inequity is multifaceted, and intersects with culture, gender, age, class, and educational background.

In this 2014 ten minute LearnIT2teach Podcasts episode, Nicola Finnson of Carleton Trail College describes the challenges newcomers and the college faced, and the impact of the pilot program on learners, their course attendance and participation, and their workplaces.