Yonge Street Mission Community Development Initiatives Yonge Street Mission Community Development InitiativesCommunity Development FrameworkSt James Town Toronto

RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTAnish AlexCommunity Capacity Builder

"Community development is a structured intervention that gives communities greater control over the conditions that affect their lives. This does not solve all the problems faced by a local community, but it does build up confidence to tackle such problems as effectively as any local action can. Community development works at the level of local groups and communities rather than with individuals or families. The range of local groups and organizations representing communities at local level constitutes thecommunity sector. Community development is a skilled process and part of its approach is the belief that communities cannot be helped unless they themselves agree to this process. Community development has to look both ways: not only at how the community is working at the grass roots, but also at how responsive key institutions are to the needs of local communities". - A Statement from theCommunity Development Foundation (UK)

RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTSocial change requires community participation beyond programs and services. Using multiple tools and working with other community actors, YSM will take an active role to bring transformative change in St. James Town community. This transformation will take place when the residents of St. James Town come together and take a collective action to generate solutions for their common problems. YSM will play a lead role in building capacity among its stakeholders in the community to establish a community led social infrastructure (Community Development Society of St. James Town) which further control and manage the assets and resources in the community. This type of a collective action often evolves economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the people living in St. James Town. This initiative is the first step of YSM towards its journey of community led social activation and poverty reduction strategy. There is a scope of action research in this initiative. The results will significantly help YSM for its further strategic community initiatives as well as its macro practices. Community/ResidentsThe neighbourhood of North St. James Town in Toronto is the community mentioned in this document, lies in the northeast corner of the downtown Toronto area. The term Residents used in this document refers to the residents living in the neighbourhood covers the area bounded by Sherbourne Street to the west, Bloor Street to the north, Parliament Street to the east, and Wellesley Street East to the south. It is the largest high-rise community in Canada. It consists of 19 high-rise buildings (14 to 32 stories). These massive residential towers were built in the 1960s. Approximately 17,800 people live in the neighbourhoods, making it Canadas most densely populated community and one of the most thickly populated neighbourhood anywhere in North America. More than fifty five percentage of the community members are at the age between 24 54 and living with their family. DevelopmentThe term development often carries the assumption of size, expansion or growth. In this document, development means the self-reliance capacity of the community or an increasing respect for reducing outside dependencies. The term development also depicts the process of building social infrastructure, such as developing Self-Governed Groups, creating residence councils or constituting Community Based Organization (CBO). YSMs activation initiatives involves the operation for community action that specifically focus on resident engagement, community ownership and action. Community engagement, participatory initiatives, advocacy/resident councils and community owned social infrastructure are the key pillars to the long term transformation of the community. Long term and short term treatments are necessary for a sustainable change in the community. The short term initiatives includes different levels of community engagement. Long term initiatives can be planned based on the learning from short term initiatives.Community engagement builds social capital, social ties, problem solutions, and support which are associated with a better community cohesion and well-being. Creating alliances and partnerships with existing organizations builds trust and mechanisms for joint action. Levels of engagement

YSM will engage community and all possible partners to bring sustainable change in St. James Town and promote resident led initiatives. Which will reflects in various degrees of participation from a stakeholders point of view. YSM adjusted the engagement levels for this initiative.Potential Engagement MethodsCommunity Engagement Level 1: YSM would consider the following methods to engage community as well as the key stakeholders at St. James Town in the initial level.YSM will build a formal partnership with other organizations working in St. James Town and develop a joint initiative (Community Development Roundtable) where all the partner organizations can bring their ideas and resources for SJT Community Development. YSM will take a lead role in this initiative and make sure that all its partners understood what is Community Development and its principles. 1.1 Capacity Building for stakeholders involves various trainings and workshops which focuses on the process of initiative which are going to carryout in the next levels.1.2 Nominal Group Workshops (NGT) to take consents, priorities and ideas from community members, partner organization and other stakeholders. Different NGT will be organized in association with various community partners. The process needs to be carefully planned and facilitated to ensure it moves into action planning.1.3 Social Media Engagements are a growing and significant channel for connecting people and key stakeholders. Online responses and discussions can be directed at all SJT community and key partners.1.4 A hotline is a widely advertised phone number that people can call to access pre-recorded messages, leave comments on selected topics, or talk directly to a person who can answer their questions about an issue or an engagement activity, based on their interest and need.1.5 Meet and Greet people in the building lobby, common areas and coffee shopsCommunity Engagement Level 2: YSM would consider the following methods to engage community as well as the key stakeholders at St. James Town in the secondary level.2.1 Discussion Groups - participants selected either randomly, building based or specific population basis, to priorities the views and opinions gathers in level 1.2.2 Participatory Evaluation- The affected population group emerged from the community consultation (level 1) will be called for a participatory evaluation meeting. The group would discuss the problems and suggest new ideas/solutions.Community Engagement Level 3: YSM would consider the following methods to engage community as well as the key stakeholders at St. James Town in the next level.3.1 Capacity Building: Building capacity to the specific community representatives and partner organizations to logically connect the priorities, problems, solutions, advocacy and social action. YSM will use Logic Model Process in order to collaboratively plan the further initiatives. (This is important for the partner organizations to understand the further process) Community Engagement Level 4: YSM would consider the following methods to engage community as well as the key stakeholders at St. James Town in the next level.4.1 Leadership Development and Platform creation: YSM along with its community development partners will create a venue for community leaders to present their various concerns in front of appropriate bodies. 4.2 The community representatives will be part of further planning and work with the CD round table4.3 YSM will take initiative along with other partners to develop resident councils in each building. A community resource and infrastructure assessment would be beneficial to move further. EXPECTED OUTCOMESA. Self-Governed Groups and Community Economic DevelopmentSelf-governed Groups and local economic development are the concepts at a community level, and seeks to combine the social, economic and political aspects of community development and empowerment. Based on the outcome and community responses of various engagement initiatives, YSM may take initiative to facilitate self-help groups in St. James Town. The nature and type of groups will be based on the need of the community and demand of specific populations. E.g. 1: Community raised that there is no specific programs and services for fathers in the community; YSM may take initiative to organize fathers in the community and create a Dads Club so that fathers in the community can address their issues in a micro level. E.g. 2: Community raised that professionals in the community needs more support; YSM may create a professionals network and work along with other employment services and employers in the community to make sure that the skills and knowledge in the community are well utilized for the benefits of the community as whole.Self-Governed Local Employment InitiativesYSM may create a unique partnership with external agencies (Social Enterprise Toronto, Social Economy Centre) to initiate local Self-Governed Employment Initiatives in St. James Town. This kind of members run enterprises that employ business methods and practices will create employment and training opportunities for low income individuals in the community. This initiative would be a professional approach with a clear business embedded vision. E.g. 1: Community raised the concern that there is no proper channel in the current employment program to help an individual with a proper/potential business background/skills. YSM may create a pool of similar talents/skills those who can take an entrepreneurial initiative. And facilitate their group, connect them to appropriate external agency and mentor them. B. Opportunity Grand for Community ProjectsIn order to create a community impact on YSMs community led initiatives, YSM could provide direct funding to the community led initiatives. This exploration small grants are intended to support local community to undertake initiatives that will increase social interaction, reduce isolation and engagement in projects that will benefit St. James Town community. This funding should be given under different areas like Socio-economic projects to foster temporary employment and training opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups (unemployed immigrants, physically/mentally challenged), creative projects to showcase community talents or boost up the creative skills etcApart from the opportunity grand, YSM can support groups to prepare Grand proposals for external funding and develop necessary capacity to implement project.C. Development of Resident CouncilsYSM and its partners develop connections with people in different buildings and motivate them to create a council to effectively participate in the process. Residents councils may have the opportunity to apply for opportunity grand as a council. Resident councils needs to be engaged in a productive way so that the council can contribute to the process significantly. People should be engaged, respected and feel genuineness in all initiatives.D. Creation of a Community Based OrganizationCreation of a Community Based Organization (CBO) with a legal entity is the end result of this entire initiative. In order develop CBO, YSM and its partner agencies needs to take initiative to develop building councils in each building at SJT. CBO will consist of representatives from each building councils and other community groups. Eventually CBO will take over the community development initiatives in St. James Town and work as a sustainable self-governed community based organization. SJT CBO will be a model of community self-governance. YSM will advocate for CBO and support them externally. Macro PracticeYSM will be able to conduct an action research along with the community engagement initiatives in St. James Town. Each level of engagements will be close to John Friedmanns Planning as Social Learning approach. This efforts would possibly create an idea for future planning and develop significant data which can be referred for a policy framework and also present in various platforms. YSM can also take up the learnings to a government level. Sustainability Yonge Street Mission focuses on the development of a sustainable resident led neighbourhood association with the capacity to reflect the interest of the residents and work effectively with external service providers in the community to effectively manage the resources. This community led initiative will work as a social transformation point in the community and develop partnership with agencies to deliver services in the community based on the community demand. This community placed initiative can do practical assistance to other organization in their community research, community outreach, campaign, local hiring, project implementation, planning and so on. As a result direct funding for community initiatives can be directed to CBO, and this organization will built community assets and create capacity building opportunities in the neighbourhood. CBO can conduct this entire process periodically with the support of external agencies Limitation and ChallengesCommunity development initiatives need massive community network, in order to develop that connections a partnership initiative would be more viable at this level. Building partnership is a challenge especially finding organizations to work for resident led initiatives.

Theory of ChangeIt is a road map which provide an idea where we are now and where we want to go. This theory of change is based on the conceptual understanding about how and why this capacity building model community development strategy will work in SJT. Resident Engagements StagesPassiveParticipationEmpowermentLeadership

EngagementLevel 1Nominal Group Workshops.Residents drop some ideas, share some thoughts or issues, critique some programs, may ask some questions. Resident doubtful about the process

Social Media Engagements

Hotline

Direct one-to-one

EngagementLevel 2Discussion Groups.Residents drop specific ideas, share their thoughts around this ideas or issues, may ask some questions about the processResidents actively participate in discussions, formulate ideas, raise problems and suggest solutions

Participatory Evaluation

Engagement Level 3Capacity BuildingResidents actively participating to solve the identified issues/ formulate ideas, and suggest solutionsThe affected group take some initiatives. YSM build capacity and support those groupsIdentify some leadership based on issues, some capacity building initiatives

Group formation

Engagement Level 4Social Enterprise.Individuals take initiatives for their economic growth.Leaders will take initiatives for Small projects and speak for the community. Intentional Capacity Building initiatives

Each building organize councils and write projects for grand

Opportunity Grand.Building councils discuss the identified issues

Resident Councils.Building Council select their representatives

Capacity building.All the partner agencies along with YSM advocate for CBO. The community funds currently getting by service providers will go to CBOBuilding Councils select/elect representatives for CBO. Community representatives will run the CBO. Developed Capacity and community led organization.

Community Based OrganizationCBO will manage the opportunity grants

CBO will hire community people and run community projects

ConclusionThis initiatives aim to have an impact on the social, economic and health outcomes which the SJT residents can achieve. Precisely this movement focuses on more economic opportunity, new initiatives on social development, an improved participation in making decisions affecting to the community, and an improved healthy lives. Besides this initiative also intended to gather information relevant to the existing programs and services and identify key advocacy areas. References/Resources1. Asset-Based Community Development retrieved from http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html2. Building Strong Neighborhoods retrieved from http://www.unitedwaytoronto.com3. Census Canada (2011) Neighbourhood Demographic Estimates, North St. James Town4. Community Engagement strategies retrieved from http://tamarackcommunity.ca5. Community Development Handbook: A Tool to Build Community (1999) Flo Frank and Anne Smith retrieved from http://ccednet-rcdec.ca/en/node/43196. Community Toolbox retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu7. California Neighborhood Research retrieved from http://www.calnr.com8. Planning as social learning (1981) by John Friedmann9. Yonge Street Mission Strategic Plan Presentation 2015-201010. Yonge Street Mission community consultation document11. St. James Town Community Assessment (2008): Yonge Street Mission and World Vision12. St. James Town Community Assessment (2010): Centre for Community Learning and Development13. Theory of Change: A Practical Tool For Action, Results and Learning (2004) Anne E. Casey Foundation 14. The economy and resilience of newcomers in Canada retrieved from http://newcomerwomen.org/pdf/EARN%20Report.pdf15. Toronto Strong Neighborhood Strategy-2020: City of Toronto (2014)16. Vertical Poverty: A research study done by United way retrieved from http://www.unitedwaytoronto.com/document.doc?id=89Anish Alex, CCB SJT10

Prepared by Anish Alex, CCB SJT9