Toronto conversations...

As you may have noticed, we had a bit more time to look around in Toronto - this is me about to get wet from Niagara Falls! Amazing it was, and greatly appreciated it was too - wearing that 'coat' was inducing a state of sauna!! The little dog one man brought on board was not as impressed tho... small dogs are treated like members of the family in North America and welcome on buses, trains and boats: including those packed with tourists on a slippery deck and rocking to the rhythm of a gigantic waterfall! Quite different from home...

Anyway, while we had space for wandering and noticing (and having quite a lot of fun too!), we did also meet with some people doing amazing things :-). In all cases with those we have been talking with, there seems to be a really clear sense of understanding 'why' and making very deliberate decisions about both 'what' and 'how' (as well as who, when and where too) in order to focus efforts, for sure, and also to include, accentuate and grow community expertise as well as to change aspects of the systems we are all embedded in. 


In many cases the impetus for such initiatives arises from research and research can be a hugely valuable currency, especially when talking with others already in the system as well as for creating baselines and assessments and enriching understandings. In communities, however, what research says is often only a [selective] part of their experience. Of course!, I hear you say: no research will ever include everything right? That's the point. Conversations with communities yield different perspectives. Not necessarily any more 'correct' but different. Sometimes communities are not even directly included in research while those working with them are. Other times communities are asked to comment on the issues but not on the opportunities, or strengths they notice and experience. And still other times communities are included only when some level of decision making has already been made on their behalf. 


One of the striking things about many of the inspiring initiatives we are hearing about as we travel is the efforts key people involved have gone to to ensure the inclusion of community expertise alongside that of others, such as funders, local authorities and professionals. And often from the get-go. 


In Hamilton, for example, the Hamilton Community Foundation is fostering community leadership by doing things like community investing, which is a process whereby foundations directly invest some of their assets in the community or social/environmental enterprises consistent with their mission. These investments may take the form of a loan rather than a grant too and, to my mind, represent a really innovative approach to working together in place. Hamilton Community Foundation focuses its energies on poverty reduction, neighbourhood development and the environment and in each area there are several ways communities are enabled to, not just contribute to, but to influence both what and how things are being done.  


Similarly in Niagara, the Niagara Prosperity Initiative has funded 162 neighbourhood-based projects that range from small and short term to more complex and longer term.   A Community Committee provides leadership in informing and changing attitudes about poverty, sharing ideas, resources and information services to leverage, collaborate and maximize the opportunities for community engagement.


Both the HCF and NPI have worked with Tamarack who have been instrumental in the Vibrant Communities initiative; a community-driven effort to reduce poverty in Canada by creating partnerships that make use of a communities most valuable assets – people, organizations, businesses and governments. Tamarack is an amazing source of commentary, tools and assessment and conversation with Tom, Sarah and Liz together was a pleasure and a privilege, not the least because even though each of them is involved in some significant local progress, no-one shied away from the trickinesses involved. There is no recipe here, and plenty of learnings are happening all the time!


In Mississauga, the situation was similar. Over an 'all you can eat' lunch on the hottest day for eons with Sharon and Adaoma we spoke together very frankly about how in recessionary times, the pain hits first and hardest in poorer communities and community priorities in these communities can also be the first to go as austerity approaches can traction. Yet community expertise certainly exists in these communities too and some funders and providers recognise that working with community expertise can actually grow community capacity while also stretching their philanthropic dollar. United Way in Peel, for example partners with many organisations, including the Region of Peel Council and uses a five-pronged integrated approach to create sustainable social change:

Invest	United Way supports 99 well-managed human care services and programs (delivered through 53 community agencies) that are focused on meeting community priorities.
Lead	Support community-based partnerships as they tackle complex social issues such as poverty, opportunities for newcomers, and early childhood development.
Train	Develop the skills of our agency staff and volunteers to provide a strong, sustainable human care network to the community.
Advocate	Seek out public policy changes to eliminate inequity and expand opportunities so individuals can fulfill their potential.
Leverage	Strengthen the use of vital resources and shared capital to better serve the community

Maytree understands this too. They invest in leaders to build a Canada that can benefit from the skills, experience and energy of all its people as well as contributing policy insights that promote equity and prosperity. Check out their DiverseCity and Cities of Migration projects. 


Each of these organisations and initiatives are, in their own ways, working together with communities in place, learning as they go and that is inspiring!


Denise