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The nature of public sector engagement in collaborative,
comprehensive initiatives varies from one community to
another. How might we understand such variation? What
might each community’s experience of public sector
engagement, and the experiences of government officials
themselves, tell us about the potential space for collaboration?
The Spring 2007 Government Learning Circle series will
highlight the unique ways in which the public sector is
engaged in Vibrant Communities initiatives in four communities
– Saint John, NB; Hamilton, ON; BC’s Capital
Region; and Calgary, AB.
Supported by feature interviews with local leaders, these
community ‘stories’ will invite listeners
to deepen their understanding of key features of government-community
collaboration, including governance arrangements, ways
to create an ‘enabling environment’, and how
to achieve concrete results. On each call, an external
expert will provide a short commentary, helping us each
to apply what we’re hearing to our own work and
to contexts across the country.
The Government Learning Circle is open
to learners from all levels and portfolios of government
interested in the local efforts in Vibrant Communities.
 Sherri
Torjman, Vice-President of the Caledon Institute for Social
Policy, and Paul Born of Tamarack are the hosts of this
tele-learning series. Sherri and Paul invite all government
learners interested in Vibrant Communities to talk openly
about issues and to learn from leaders, experts and each
other’s experiences, in order to grow the impact of
these collaborative, multi-sectoral, community-based efforts.
Commentary for this series will be provided by Caroline
Andrew, Director, Centre on Governance, University of
Ottawa, Katherine
Graham, Dean, Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton University,
and Russell
Mawby, Director, Housing Branch, City of Ottawa.
Back to top.
The Vibrant Communities Government Learning
Circle (GLC) provides an open forum where participants
can learn from government leaders, from experts and from
one another, in order to grow and improve the poverty
reduction initiatives taking place in communties across
Canada.
To this end, the ‘Government Engagement’
series is designed to support government learners to:
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Understand the range of possibilities
for public sector involvement in collaborative, comprehensive
initiatives at the community level,
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Explore the key features of government-community
collaboration, including governance arrangements, ways
to create an ‘enabling environment’, and
how to achieve concrete results, and
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Increase their ability to apply
relevant practices and principles to their own work.
Enabling the empowerment of individuals
and communities is challenging when a city’s poverty
rate, like that of Saint John, is 24.5 percent—or
when a neighbourhood’s incidence of poverty exceeds
even 40 percent. Vibrant Communities Saint John partners
have together identified neighbourhood development as one
strategic response. Results already include record investments
in housing and deepened resident engagement. What might
be the next steps for Saint John’s leaders—and
others across Canada—in strengthening neighbourhoods?
In this session, Sherri Torjman speaks with Don Connolly,
Corporate Representative, Canada Mortgage and Housing, and
Donna Beaton, Regional Director, New Brunswick Department
of Family and Community Services. Commentary for the session
is provided by Caroline Andrew, Director, Centre on Governance,
University of Ottawa.
Resources for the Session:
Related Links & Resources:
Back to top.
 The
Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction is engaging community
leaders from all sectors to make Hamilton the best place
to raise a child. As co-convenor, the City of Hamilton is
practicing what it means to journey with the community as
both facilitator—welcoming others’ involvement
through support of the Roundtable—and partner—examining
its’ own policies and initiatives as they influence
poverty. How is a culture created that enables collaborative
governance and a sense of shared responsibility?
In this session, Sherri Torjman speaks with Joe-Anne Priel,
Community Services Manager, City of Hamilton, and Rick Beauchamp,
Regional Director, Ontario Ministry of Community and Social
Services. Commentary for this session will be provided by
Katherine Graham, Dean, Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton
University.
Resources for the Session:
Related Links & Resources:
Back to top.
 Embarking
upon a collaborative approach to poverty reduction requires
a comprehensive framework—considering the inter-related
and root causes of poverty. The CHALLENGE is practicing
what it means to move from frameworks to action—amidst
an always-changing broader environment. How might particular
sectors, departments or agencies best work together towards
shared goals while each pursuing their own mandates and
responsibilities? How can officials work towards, at minimum,
a collaborative mindset?
In this session, Sherri Torjman speaks with Laurel Gordon,
Service Delivery Manager, Citizen & Community Services,
Service Canada, Southern Vancouver Island, and Nancy Taylor,
Project Manager, Victoria Agreement, City of Victoria. Commentary
for is provided by Russell Mawby, Director, Housing Branch,
City of Ottawa.
Resources for the Session:
Related Links & Resources:
Back to top.
Since
its inception, Vibrant Communities Calgary has mobilized
residents in contributing towards the development of policies
that improve the lives of low-income individuals. Recently,
the Living Wage Working Group contributed towards the
City of Calgary’s decision to more formally pursue
a variety of means for ensuring all residents earn a living
wage—so key in a booming economy. How might all
governments use the levers available to them to influence
residents’ abilities to achieve economic success?
In this session, Sherri Torjman has a conversation with
John te Linde, Manager of Social Policy and Planning,
Community and Neighbourhood Services, City of Calgary,
and Derek Cook, Research Social Planner, Community and
Neighbourhood Services, City of Calgary. Commentary is
provided by Katherine Graham, Dean, Faculty of Public
Affairs, Carleton University.
Resources for the Session:
Related Links & Resources:
Back to top.
Join
Caroline Andrew, Director, Centre on Governance, University
of Ottawa, Katherine Graham, Dean, Faculty of Public Affairs,
Carleton University, and Russell Mawby, Director, Housing
Branch, City of Ottawa for a roundtable discussion, capturing
what we’ve learned and considering how to apply our
learning to our day-to-day work. Where do we go from here?
Resources for the Session:
- Summary
of the Session
- Session
1 summary - Vibrant Communities Saint John - Strength &
Empowerment, Neighbourhood by Neighbourhood. Access the summary here.
- Session
2 summary - Vibrant Communities Hamilton - Shared Leadership
= Collective Governance: The Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty
Reduction. Access the summary here.
- Session
3 summary - Vibrant Communities BC’s Capital Region
- The Quality of Life CHALLENGE: Leadership – Bottom-up
and Sideways. Access the summary here.
- Session
4 summary - Vibrant Communities Calgary - Community-Driven
Policy Change. Access the summary here.
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VC Saint John: Strength & Empowerment, Neighbourhood
by Neighbourhood |
Run time 00:54:01 |
VC Hamilton: Shared Leadership = Collective Governance:
The Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction |
Run time 00:37:44 |
VC BC’s Capital Region: The Quality of Life CHALLENGE:
Leadership – Bottom-up and Sideways |
Run time 00:33:49 |
VC Calgary: Community-Driven Policy Change
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Run time 00:32:50 |
Government Engagement In Community-Based Collaborations
to Reduce Poverty: What have we learned? Where do we
go?
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Run time 00:26:31 |
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