Vibrant Lethbridge A Pro-Inclusion and Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy Thursday June 30, 2011 - 12:00 noon 1:00

00 p.m. Location: Meeting Room 333, City of Lethbridge

AGENDA
Welcome and Introductions 1.0 2.0 Approval of Agenda 2.1 2.2 Approval of Last Meeting Minutes May 12, 2011 Approval of Last Meetings Notes May 31, 2011

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New Business 3.1 Business Arising/Follow up 4.1 Workplan Review Updated to August 30, 2011 4.1.1 Liz Weaver follow up & next steps 4.1.2 David Stroh and John McGah (Systems thinking) postponed to September 4.1.3 City Council Presentation Date 4.1.4 Community Stakeholder Advisory messaging, target groups, networking 4.2 Blog committee member profiles? Other resources? 4.3 Communications Strategy 4.4 Review of the Action Plan and Next Steps Next Meeting Date 5.1 Thursday July 7 Review of report to City Council (deadline for July 15)

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VibrantLethbridgeCommittee
MinutesMay12,2011 12:00noon1:00p.m. Room3333rdFloorofCityHall
Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee Date: February 11, 2011 Secretary: Elley VandenBerg Present: Diane Randell, Renae Barlow, Alderman Jeff Carlson, Bob Campbell & Robert Cooney Regrets: Rohan Crown, Charles McKillop & Erin Pocai Absent:

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ApprovalofAgenda RenaeBarlowwelcomedmembersofthecommitteeandcalledthemeetingto orderat12:15pm.Theagendawasapprovedascirculated. CONSENSUS. ApprovalofLastMeetingMinutesApril28,2011 MeetingMinuteswereapprovedascirculated. CONSENSUS. NewBusiness 3.1 SocialEnterpriseDiscussionStevePederson Therearetwowonderfulnewarticlesontheblogwithsomegreatpointsfor Council.Weneedtodeterminewhatisrelevanttothecommitteestrategy. FromdiscussionswithSteve,lookingattheconnectionbetweencommunityand economicdevelopment,communityeconomicdevelopmentcanbeall encompassingandhavesocialopportunitiesaswell.SimonFraserhasvarious economicdevelopmentcourses;perhapswecouldconsidernewbranchesof socialeconomicdevelopment,suchasourCleanSweepProgram. ThereisanopportunitytobringaconferencetoLethbridgeaspartofour awarenessstrategy. BusinessArising/Followup
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TherewasaquiteabitofdiscussionaroundCommunityStakeholderAdvisor andpositioningourselvesappropriatelytogetthesupport,buyinandinterest inourinitiatives.Itwasfeltthatitwillbeimportanttodevelopa communicationsstrategysurroundinghowwewillimplementourprogramsand toobtaincommunityandpoliticalbuyin.Aspartofourcommunications strategy,wewillneedtodeterminethebestwaytomarketourselves. WiththemeetingwithLizWeaverofTamarack(May30th)andtheHousing Summit(June7&8),wefeelthesewillhelpusdevelopoursystemsapproach todealingwithhousingandwillhelpusoutlineandidentifyoutcomes,whichwill becrucialformeasuringsuccess.WemayalsobeabletoutilizeTamarackand itsconnectionstomaketheprogrammoreconnectedbetweenvariousAlberta Cities.PerhapsaVibrantCommunitiesNetworkwouldbevaluabletohelpall citiesfeelpartofalargerprojectandtoshareresources,informationandboth successesandpitfalls. AcomprehensivestrategyneedstobecompletebytheendofJuneoutliningour progressandwhereweareintheplan,ourcommunitysupportandwhatweve beenworkingon.Thiscanhelplaythegroundworkinthefutureifweneed additionalfundingforfutureinitiatives,whicharelikely. AdjournmentandNextMeeting Themeetingadjournedat12:58pm. NextMeeting:ThenextmeetingwillbeaspecialmeetingonMay30thwithLiz Weaverfrom4:006:00pmintheCulverCityRoominCityHall.Dinnerwillbe provided.

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LizWeaverMeetingNOTES CityofLethbridgeCulverCityRoomMay30th,20114:006:00p.m. InattendancewereRenaeBarlow,JacindaWeiss,StephenPedersen,BobCooney,DianeRandelland guestVarleyWeisman(MedicineHatMgrofSocialDevelopment) ThemeetingwithLizWeaverofTamarackInstituteonMondayMay30thwaswonderfulandvery informative.Lizwasengagingandhadlotsofideasforusaswemoveforwardwithourcommittee.Liz alsohadsomegreatexamplesofwhatothercommunitieshavedonetogetstarted. OverallConsiderations: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Initiativescantrulyhaveanimpact,especiallywhenwerecognizetheleveragepoints. Decreasesystemicfragmentation Longtermfocusbutshorttimeimpact Notservicefocused. Lookforpositionsofinterestandplayingtheirpositiontocontributeinameaningfulway.It changeshowpeoplelookatpoverty Understandhowwillweexplainthisinitiativetoincludethebiggerpictureplanandbeproactive toinformtheillinformed Reducingthecostofpovertyiscritical Alwaysincludepeoplewhohavelivedit Beopentocriticism Createanenvironmentwherewewillbesuccessful Understandtheroleofthemunicipality.community&socialdevelopment,relationshipswith thevoluntarysectorandsupporttheinitiativeinyourrole.

LizalsoexplainedhowVibrantCommunitiesgotitsstart(andtheresultingname!)Itbeganas Opportunities2000intheKitchener/Waterlooarea.Itbeganwithastrongintentiontoreframethe notionofpovertyreduction. InHamilton,aRoundtableonPovertyReductionwasformedtoopenthedoortoconversationsabout poverty.TheRoundtablewasmadeofa%ofthosewhowereliving(orlived)theexperienceofpoverty; %governmentandbusiness;and%agenciesassociatedwithpoverty.MembershipattheRoundtable eventuallyevolvedtoanapplicationprocessofwhowantedtobeatthetable.TheRoundtabledoesn't offerprogramsordirectservices;theirroleistobuildunderstandingabouttheneedtoinvestinpoverty reductiontocreateahealthier,inclusiveandmoreprosperousHamilton.Theyworklocally,provincially andnationallyonpolicyandsystemslevelchangetoachievelongtermsolutionstopoverty.Thegoals oftheirRoundtableare1)Changingattitudesaboutpoverty;2)addressincomedisparity;3)Includeall citizensincommunitylife;andpromoteinnovativewaystotackleconcentratedpovertyin neighbourhoods.Note:Youcanfindtheiractionplanhere.(itsaninterestingreadandmayprovide somefodderfordiscussionofourgoals)

Someotherinitiativesthatwereimplementedtogarnerpublicsupportandawarenesswasthe foodbankdiet.Youcanfindoneofthecommunityinitiatives(Durham/Oshawa)here.Aquotefrom thatwebpage:The'DotheMath'challengekicksoffMonday,Nov.1whenparticipantsrangingfrom faithleadersandmunicipalcouncillorstostafffromlocalsocialserviceagencieswillpickupatypical foodbankhamperfromFeedtheNeedinDurham.Andthat'stheonlyfoodtheywillhaveavailablefor thenextfivedays. Anotherapproachwastolaunchacampaignthataddressedthecostofpovertyandtheimpactithason ourcommunity.TheOntariosAssociationofFoodBanksrecentlypublishedareportThe

CostofPoverty.OneoftheprojectadvisorswasDonDrummond,SeniorVPandChiefEconomistofTD BankFinancialGroup.Essentiallythereportindicatesthatpovertydisproportionatelyaffectscertain populationsandhasacomplexmixofinstitutionalandindividualcauses;Povertyhasapricetagfor allOntarians;andthecostofpovertyisreflectedinremedial,intergenerationalandopportunity costs;andreducingpovertywithtargetedpoliciesandinvestmentsoverthelifecoursegeneratesan economicreturn.Thisreturnisequaltoaproportionoftheassessedcostofpoverty. AnotherpublicationofinterestmentionedbyLizwasTheCostofPoverty(2009)byJohnRookatthe NationalCentreonWelfare.TheNationalCouncilofWelfareisseeingagrowingnumberofreportsand articlesaddressingthecostsassociatedwithpovertyandwe'vesetouttofindwhathasbeendoneand whatittellsus.Whatwe'vediscoveredsofarisextensive.SeeTheCostofPovertyandtheValueof Investment:ComprehensiveBibliography, Otherideas:AnotherapproachistoInvestinPovertyReductionCampaignbyhighlightingwhatwe arealreadyinvestinginpovertyreductioninourcommunities.Thecampaignconsistedofallagencies andgroupssupportingthoseinpovertycreatedaposteroftheservicesprovidedtheamountof investmentmadeandthenumberofpeopleaffected.Thesewereputuparoundaroomforimpactand aforumheldonpovertyreductionconductedatthesametime.Itservedtohighlightwhatwasalready happeninginthecommunityandsparkeddiscussionofwhatotherscoulddotoreducethecostsof Poverty.Forexamplesomecitydepartmentstookitonasachallengetoseewheretheirprogramsand servicescouldmakeadifference.Thisforumcouldhavespeakersi.e.VPofScotiabankcametoone functiontotalkabouthowpovertydrivesawayinvestment! Otherideas:Whenapproachingcommunitymembersengageintheconversationofwherewecango together.Whatdoesitlooklike?Whatdowehavetoletgoof?Whatcanwedodifferenttodaythat willmakeadifferencetomorrow? Otherideas:Costofindividualpoverty.GreatexamplecitedwithMillionDollarMurraybyMalcolm Gladwell.ThepremiseofthestoryisWhyproblemslikehomelessnessmaybeeasiertosolvethanto manage. Otherideas:CommunityEngagementReportonaregularbasis(createacommunicationstrategy)on whatthecommunityisalreadyproducingforthefollowingresults. 1) Whatkindofdifferenceisbeingmadefortheindividual/family 2) Whatkindofdifferenceisbeingmadeincommunitycapacity 3) Whatkindofdifferenceisbeingmadeinpolicydevelopmentandimplementation AskthequestionofeveryoneinourcommunityWhatareyoudoinginyour department/business/agencytoreducethecostofpoverty? Feedthisinformationtoallourpartnersonaregularbasiscreateabuzz Market/communicatewhatshappeningandnewthingsthatarehappening CreateawebsitethathighlightshowallofLethbridgeandareaisinvestinginpoverty reduction

MovingForward: WewillbemeetingonJune9thtodiscusswhatkindofframeworkwewouldliketoputtogethertoget usstarted.