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Tillsonburg & District Multi-Service Centre began operations out of the building shown on the left (185 Rolph Street) in 1978.
One of the former homes of the Gerry Livingston family, the building was donated to MSC by Mr. Livingston.
It was eventually sold, by MSC in the 1990's.
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Programs offered by MSC in the first year (1978) were:
Information Tillsonburg (discontinued in 1996); and
Home Help and Home Maintenance services for seniors.
Other agencies and organizations began to rent space from MSC and also operated out of this building.
The first programmig to do so in 1978 was:
Adolescent Services, St. Thomas Psychiartic Hospital. The Oxford Child & Youth Centre later absorbed the services provided by Adolescent Services when OCYC was formed in 1987.
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By 1989, and through 1992, MSC required additional space and operated out of two buildings: the one on Rolph Street and this building at the corner of Ridout and Bidwell Streets.
This building was, and later returned as, the manse of St. Paul's United Church. A restaurant, The Manse, is now located in this building.
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By 1989 - 1992, MSC administered programs included:
Adult Basic Literacy: a one to one student tutor match program that began in 1987 after a 1986 assessment survey determined the need for such a community service;
Counselling: first offered regularly from 1980 to 1983, this service was offered by contract counsellors from 1983 to 1993;
Home Support Services: this program area grew to include Transportation services in 1981, Meals on Wheels in 1982 and Home Care contract services beginning in 1982;
Youth Employment Services: the first employment programming offered by MSC started in 1985 and included Youth Employment Counselling and Futures; and
Information Services: (discontinued in 1996)
Other :
Probation services (first offered in 1979; through various Ministries);
Pediatrician services (first offered in 1984);
Women's Emergency Centre (first offered in 1987 - after the Woodstock office noticed a 40% increase in calls from the Tillsonburg area); and
Oxford Child and Youth Centre (formed in 1987)
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In 1992, MSC moved all programs and services into this building at 40 Brock West.
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MSC program areas had evolved, around the program cores, to include:
Adult Basic Literacy: in addition to the core programming of one to one tutoring, special projects addressed issues such as Mennonites and Health and Barriers to Youth Acquiring Literacy Assistance.
Bridging programs were also added during these years.
Counselling Services: in 1993, a coordinator was hired to solidify programming offered.
During this time EAP programs were developed and the APSW-Elgin program was added. (The programs in this area [Adult Protective Services, Community Counselling Program, Employee Assistance
Program, Care Giver Support Group] were discontinued as of April 2003. The APS program and EAP contracts were assumed by Family Service London).
Home Support Services: core programming (Homemaking, Transportation, Meals on Wheels, Home Maintenance) grew in numbers and contracts.
In 1997, Respite Care and Supportive Housing were added.
Employment Services: this area grew to include services to youth and adults (Futures/Career Employment Preparation/Job Connect for youth, jobsOntario, Job Finding Clubs, Resource Centre, adult programming, many special projects for targeted groups and summer programs) offered in partnership with the province, federal government, municipality and other agencies.
Information Services: discontinued in 1996
Other services, offered to the community in addition to those added during the Rolph/Ridout years, were those provided by:
Canadian Mental Health Association;and
Credit Counselling London.
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In 1998, MSC moved all programs and services into The Livingston Centre along with its partner agencies.
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MSC service areas now include:
Home Support Services:
Employment Services:
The organizations and agencies that had rented space from MSC also moved to The Livingston Centre. They, along with some additions, are now referred to as the Associated Agencies.
