Project Description
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES BY WORKING TOWARDS SOCIAL JUSTICE, POVERTY REDUCTION, FOOD ACCESS AND ADVOCACY
Community Development recognizes the importance of responding to the diversity of needs within local communities and pays attention to those members of the community who are most vulnerable and face barriers to health and social services. Our Community Developer facilitates social change and capacity building through working in a broad range of communities including place-based communities in various settings including neighbourhood and rural community work.
Community Development is grounded in over-arching principles of social change and requires foundational supports to provide the infrastructure capacity for Community Development practice.
For a more immediate response, please call 613 741 6025. If this is an emergency, call 911. This contact form is monitored during regular business hours.
RESOURCES
Our Work
Making Voices Count with the City For All Women's Initiatives
Vision Jasmine Steering Committee
Social justice advocacy
Capital Pride
Covid-19 Neighborhood Engagement
Community Beautification
The Community Development Guiding Principles: Community Development is grounded in over-arching principles of social change and requires foundational supports to provide the infrastructure capacity for Community Develpment practice. Learn more here:
(Community safety, hard reduction, income security, advocacy regarding adequate and affordable housing)
- Contribute to positive social change/justice
- Identify and address root causes of inequity
- Improve quality of life through health equity
- Engage others by creating a shared understanding regarding systemic inequity
- Create spaces and leverage resources to speak out on concerns that impact vulnerable communities
- Support communities to create, advocate and drive change
(Needs assessment, environmental scans, consulting, evaluation, community planning, making connections)
Being responsive to the community means that the work of Community Development is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the community, including its strengths, challenges, needs and priorities. Being responsive to the community ensures that CD initiatives:
• Are led by the community
• Truly meet the needs of the community
• Build on community assets and strengths
• Result in social change that is effective and impactful
• Take time to understand the needs, concerns, solutions, and aspirations of the community
• Create opportunities for sustainable and meaningful engagement of community members in decision-making
• Promote community leadership
• Develop solutions with the community
• Facilitate connections/networks/resources on behalf of the community – act as a broker • Engage and listen to all community interests and con
A multi-faceted approach that creates dynamic relationships and shared learning and growth
• Approaches to popular education
• Fostering knowledge
• Learning processes (to learn or unlearn)
• Challenging systems and ideologist dominant culture
• Nurturing critical consciousness
• Championing existing knowledge
Partnerships and collaboration offer the opportunity to work together to build capacity and develop social capital.
• Uncovering opportunities to work together with shared vision, mission, goals, outcomes, understanding, measurement – often defined in a formal agreement • Respect for capacity and limitations of engagement
• Sharing of knowledge
• Focus on co-creation
• Regular and effective communication
• Leveraging resources and support
• Increased collective capacity – each partner brings a unique asset
• Multi-disciplinary partnerships offer a diversity of knowledge and expertise
• Create networks and identify connections
• Build strategic partnerships with all levels including inter-disciplinary initiatives at CHRCs and alongside community, agencies, government, etc .
• Transparently connect and engage with community members
• Foster internal / external opportunities emphasizing innovative collaboration
Our Community Partners
CHANGE A LIFE TODAY
Be part of your community and provide vital support for vulnerable residents. Be inspired to raise money so more people in need can get the help they deserve and need.
Whatever you choose to do, and however much time you have to give, you’ll be making an incredible difference for vulnerable people at a time in their lives when they need help the most..
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