Keeping people safe & well

United Way 2007 Community Builder Award for NCLB

 

EPIC Award 2007

 

Minutes of the Steering Committee Meeting

Second meeting

 

September 20, 2005, 1:00 – 03:00 pm
Banff Community House

 

Present:                               

Representative from South Ottawa Community Legal Clinic Officers from Ottawa Police Services
Superintendent Charles Bordeleau, Ottawa Police Services
Director Banff Community House
Manager, Community Services SEOCHC
Project Coordinator, No Community Left Behind SEOCHC
Community Developer, SEOCHC
Health Promoter for Youth, SEOCHC
Board member SEOCHC
City of Ottawa Official for Parks and Recreation
President Tenants Association
Treasurer Tenants Association
Secretary Tenants Association
Business Representative from Osgoode Veterinary Clinic
Representative from Youth Services Bureau 

Absent:             

Representative from Ottawa Community Housing            Representative from Fairlea Community Association 

Regrets:               

Co-Coordinator, Russell Heights Community House
Vice President, Community Services, United Way              

1.      OPENING AND INTRODUCTION

Catherine Dubois welcomed the participants and introduced James Williams as a member of the SEOCHC Board of Directors and Community Relations Committee who has agreed to chair the Steering Committee for No Community Left Behind Project. He will be reporting progress to the Board. 

2.      APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Approved as circulated. 

3.      APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF  AUGUST 03, 2005

Approved with correction to identification of Superintendent Bordeleau. 

4.      MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING: 

Terms of Reference

Draft was presented to the Steering Committee, focusing on the purpose, functions, membership, reporting relationship and decision making of the Steering Committee. The terms of reference were approved.  

Membership

      Organizations identified as potential partners in this project at the last meeting were contacted, provided background information, and invited to this meeting. Follow-up will take place for those who were unable to attend this meeting.  

Project Update

Abid Jan presented a project update. The major activity since the last meeting has been regular consultations with the community, the Community House and the Youth Safety Council about priorities and strategies for achieving the objectives of the main components of the project.  

Members of the Tenants Association, the Community House Director and a representative of Youth Services Bureau shared their perspectives on priority needs and made recommendations to the Steering Committee with regard to possible activities and how these activities would help to achieve objectives of the Project. These views were also detailed in a document distributed to members of the Steering Committee following a community consultation. Tenants’ Association representatives also shared their personal experiences relating to witnessing criminal activities and enduring threats to their personal safety. They also expressed the community’s lack of confidence in possibilities for lasting improvements to their quality of community life, and that residents who come forward for leadership roles are often targeted as informants and their children terrorized.  

Following, the document entitled Project Activities was reviewed in detail to identify activities for action. 

For Community Mobilisation, the Committee supported the community’s identified need for a women’s exercise club (partners’ resources: SEOCHC, Banff Community House, City of Ottawa Recreation Services) and evening sewing classes as an opportunity for parents to get together on regular basis, ease isolation, and link to other resources. Additionally, regular monthly meetings of the Tenant’s Association will be scheduled and the community will be informed and invited to attend. (partners’ resources: Tenants’ Association)

Issues also arose relating to maintenance and safety, but further discussion was deferred in the absence of representation from Ottawa Community Housing. 

The Steering Committee also agreed to the idea of organising community events, including the sharing of meals, to launch  the No Community Left Behind project (partner’s resources: SEOCHC project funding, Banff Avenue Community House, and project partners as required for presentations/workshops tied to the supper activity).  

For Law Enforcement and Community Policing,: Superintendent Bordeleau took a keen interest in the community’s concerns about safety and security, and informed the Steering Committee that he will develop a process for building trust and confidence with the community, to include the following elements:

  • education on effective, safe procedures for community members to share information, report crimes, and make complaints;
  • assigning dedicated staff to the community and to this project; and
  • ensuring access to resources available through the community police station.  

For Prevention and Empowerment, after school activities for youth are the main focus of this component of the project. The community is concerned that youth who are 13 and older have limited access to after school tutoring, and that this age group is at greatest risk for dropping out of school. The Community House requires more resources and support for homework help.  The Committee understood that curricula for this age group requires specialized tutors. Further work is required to arrive at concrete suggestions as to how this gap can be addressed within the available resources (partners’ resources: YSB Youth Council, Ridgemont HS Homework Club). 

The possibility of supporting and engaging the Youth Council with the Tenants Association to initiate other community activities was discussed. One of the major activities identified in this regard was to support youth to develop initiatives promoting a positive image of the youth in this community, in opposition to the media stereotyping of gang activity and violence.  This will be discussed in the upcoming activity planning phase. 

For Neighborhood Restoration,  the main activities identified are producing a community newsletter to inform tenants about the progress of the Tenants’ Association and Community House activities; planning activities for reflecting positive image of the community; and undertaking activities for on the job training, job search, job readiness, and resume development (partners’ resources: Community House). 

For activities against anti-social behavior, it was suggested that instead of formal workshops on diversity and multiculturalism, it would be more effective if the community is involved in informal activities for information sharing and sensitization about cultural diversity and other topics relating to building a healthy community. Similar to strategies recommended for Community Mobilization, the Committee supported the idea of organising regular community events, including the sharing of a meal, to include informal presentations on these key themes (partner’s resources: SEOCHC project funding, Banff Avenue Community House, and project partners as required for presentations/workshops tied to the supper activity).  

Next Steps – Other:

  • A Resource Inventory will be compiled from information provided to Catherine listing
  • All programs and resources available to the community (all partners participating).
  • Representatives from the Debra Dynes community will be invited to the next Steering Committee meeting to share their experience in dealing with similar problems.
  • Budgets required for community activities (ex. exercise sessions, thematic suppers) will be prepared (Community House Coordinator, SEOCHC)

 

Next Meeting:
Tuesday, 1- 3 PM, October 25, 2005.
Location: Banff Community House

© 2005-15 South - East Ottawa Community Health Centre
Centre de Sante Communautaire du Sud Est D'Ottawa

Contact: Abid Jan Tel./ Tél: (613) 737-5115 Ext. 2403  Fax/Télé: (613) 739-8199

NCLB matters because neighbourhoods matter