About 211 Nova Scotia
211 Nova Scotia is your 24/7 connection to the programs and services in your community that matter most to you. Through information and referrals, we help connect you to local community groups, non-profit and government organizations. Help starts here with 211.
Our Community Resource Navigators are trained to deal with the most complex and sensitive questions. As a result of your contact, we can help connect you, a family member, a friend, neighbour, or a client with organizations able to meet your needs.
The 211 service is free and confidential. So, whether you want to talk, text, email or use our online search tool, we are here to help. In addition, we also use a translation service that is available in over 240 languages.
In short, 211 Nova Scotia is for all people from all walks of life. It is for those who are seeking information about community and social services in their community or throughout the province, either for themselves or for someone else.
So whether you are seeking homecare support for an older adult in your life; a teenager looking for job-seeking skills; you’re in need of food; looking for shelter/housing; or, new to the province/country and you’re looking for language or employment training—among many other scenarios, we can help.
The Online Database
Our online database provides easy-to-access and easy-to-search information on social services and programs in the province. Service providers are quickly able to direct people to services that are outside of their organization’s scope or area of expertise. It also allows them to discover and connect with other service providers whose goals and mandates complement their own, building stronger community networks. Furthermore, records are validated annually by our team to ensure accuracy.
Data Collection
211 Nova Scotia collects important information on needs that are not being met either because services are not available or because the demands are greater than can be met by existing services. In addition, 211 Nova Scotia provides this vital information to community leaders who are then able to use it to better understand where the needs are and how service delivery can be improved in Nova Scotia to meet those needs.
History
211 Nova Scotia was incorporated under the Societies Act in 2008 as the 211 Information and Referral Services Association, after being championed for years by the United Way. The 211 service formally launched in Nova Scotia on February 11, 2013. In 2017, 211NS received international accreditation through the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS).
211 Nova Scotia was proud to have received its reaccreditation from the AIRS in 2022. AIRS accreditation provides objective evidence of achievement in the areas of service delivery, resource database, cooperative relationships, disaster preparedness, and organizational effectiveness. The rigorous multi-step reaccreditation process includes a consultative review of policies and procedures, an online resource database review, call review testing, and a virtual onsite review.
AIRS is the professional membership association for community information and referral serving the non-profit and government sectors. AIRS is the driving force behind the delivery of quality information & referral services and the sole source for standards, program accreditation and practitioner certification for the information and referral (I&R) sector. In August 2023, the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems rebranded to become Inform USA.
