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What does a safe and vibrant community mean to you?. Neighbors working together with a common vision and goal for there community. What is the United Neighbors Project?. Launched in 2007 in response to increased community concern over crime; specifically youth involvement
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What does a safe and vibrant community mean to you? Neighbors working together with a common vision and goal for there community.
What is the United Neighbors Project? • Launched in 2007 in response to increased community concern over crime; specifically youth involvement • In spring 2008 community surveys were carried out, which yielded over 800 responses in 4 languages(English, French, Somali, and Arabic)both adult and youth responded • as a result issues were identified and 4 working groups were established to addresses these issues
Project model • This crime prevention initiative is best characterized as Participatory Action Research • We are utilizing the “No Communities Left Behind “ model- founded upon 4 principles • Collaboration, coordination, community participation and leveraging resources • The United Neighbours project continues to draw from “best practices” used in decreasing risk and maximizing protective factors for youth
What is “NCLB” and Community Development • Abid Jan, co-ordinator for NCLB “The program is designed to identify specific problems in small areas and then to get grassroots plans to deal with them….. It works because people get involved.“
Community Development • “Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people by providing these groups with the skills they need to affect change in their own communities” - Wikipedia • Community development was seen as emphasizing self-help, mutual support, the building up of neighbourhood integration, the development of neighbourhood capacities for problem-solving and self-representation, and the promotion of collective action to bring a community's preferences to the attention of political decision-makers.Smith, M. K. (1996, 2006) 'Community development', the encyclopaedia of informal education, www.infed.org/community/b-comdv.htm. Last update:
Project Successes • Winner of CPO Community Safety Award 2009 • Community forum June 2008- showcasing the results of the community surveys • Development of a website http://unitedneighbours.weebly.com • Forum focusing on addictions “Finding Hope Together” • Numerous community events, park clean-ups
Continued successes… • Parent workshops • Regina Towers community beautification project • Winthrop park, green space and park development • Paint’It Up Mural project at Foster Farm • Coffee houses to discuss crime and safety concerns
What next • Project received secure funding from Trillium Foundation for 3 years (2010-2013) • re-survey the community to see if things have changed Nov/Dec. 2010 • Upcoming forums include: “Demystifying the Reporting process” January 2011 • Community Garden information session March 2011 • Celebrating our non-traditional helpers April 2011 • Kindness Week Activities Feb 7-11, 2011
How can you help • Participate in one of our working groups • Provide support with website updates • Share information and opportunities with others in the community • Support forum planning • We all have a role to play in creating the neighborhood we want to live, work, and play in “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi