Agenda Item

Action

Follow-Up

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Approval of previous minutes:  Motion for approval moved by Euphrasie Emedi, seconded by Leonard Poole for approval of the minutes of July 29, 2009 meeting.

3. Overview of the purpose and goals of the Table:  To keep new members around the table up to speed, Leslie McDiarmid and Clara Freire provided a quick overview about how this Table can help all partners and the communities move forward together. Leslie emphasized that we were still at the early stages of the CDF unfolding processes. However, the CDF Community Table has a crucial role to play between the communities and other system level support mechanisms, mainly around information sharing, identification of common issues and concerns and provide concrete recommendations to support what the work at the grassroots level.

Clara added that the CDF Community Table was to promote a common neighbourhood-based approach to identifying system level supports that enable effective delivery of programs and services to address neighborhood needs and priorities.

One of the key objectives of the Table was to increase capacity of residents, community leaders and front-line staff to engage neighbourhoods and support them in reaching their objectives. 

4. PROGRESS OVERVIEW
 
4.1 Feedback from CDF Forum: Clara Freire updated the members about the September 14-15 CDF Learning Forum and shared feedback from the 181 out of 343 participants of the Forum. The feedback from the forum had been grouped in four thematic areas, namely:

• Communication and marketing
• Research and development
• Accountability
• Celebration and recognition

4.2 Progress Update from the Neighbourhood Level: CDers and representatives from the CDF Steering Tables shared progress on the community engagement process.

a. Somerset West: The initial community assessment survey process was completed with 31% response rate from the residents. The SWCHC staff conducted some meetings with residents and youth as part of the community assessment process.
In the prioritization and planning phase, results from the survey were shared with the CDF Steering Committee on October 5th and with residents on December 2nd. Forty adult and 16 youth  participated in the session to further discuss the results and look for answers and solutions.
The next phase of the action planning process - meetings with stakeholders about action items - was being planned to finalize the community action plan.

b. Overbrook Forbes: The first three phases of the community action process - Community Assessment, prioritization and planning, and finalizing the action plans - were completed successfully with active participation of residents and the partner agencies. The community Action Plan was due to be shared with the CDF Steering Committee on December the 8th.  Interestingly, OCH has already provided full support to some of the action items and residents have undertaken steps towards forming a tenants' association.

c. Bayshore: The Hand in Hand Bayshore committee was playing a key role in outreach to residents for the community surveys. Due to the scale of neighbourhood with 2465 residential units, using the survey tool as part of the community assessment process took more than expected time. However, during the process some valuable lessons were learnt and key community leaders were identified, which would facilitate completion of the first cycle of the community engagement process and build a good foundation for the next.
A series of prioritization and planning meetings were scheduled for December 09 and January 2010. Flip Chart Kits were developed to be used in these meeting. The Community Action Plan is expected to be finalized by mid February.

d. Carlington. Greg Killough informed the members that the community assessment phase was completed and results from the initial assessment survey were shared with the CDF Steering Committee. Prioritization and planning meetings with residents were scheduled for  December the 8th and 10th.
Councilor Maria McRae had meetings with residents regarding residents' concerns about the Shepherds of Good Hope. A representative from the Shepherds of Good Hope was invited to join the CDF-Steering Committee in Carlington.

e. Lower Town: Vilma Luna represented the Service providers table in Lower Town area.
Vilma informed the members that eEleven agencies were represented at the Lowertown Safety and Security Committee. The group was very active since 2006 and undertook several initiative to provide services to the at-risk neighbourhoods in a collaborative and integrated manner. The key challenges faced by the committee were community engagement and lack of resources.

f. South East Ottawa: Euphrasie Emedi  reported that the survey is still underway and the planning and prioritization meetings in the five neighbourhoods will be held early in 2010.

 The CDF team is working on the proposed actions for the four key areas and will share details actions with all the partners in due time.

Action Planning with residents and stakeholders.

Monitor implementation of the Action Plan

Action Planning with residents and stakeholders.

Action Planning with residents and stakeholders.

CDF Team

Emilie Hayes
Somerset West CDF_Steering Table.

Armand Kayolo
Overbrook Steering Table

Larisa Williams
Hand in Hand Bayshore and PQ-CDF Steering Table

Geg Killough

5.  Discussion on Common Themes from the neighbourhood surveys.
Community Developers shared the best things and top most concerns by residents in the four CDF neighbourhoods, five South East Ottawa neighbourhoods and the Lower Town neighbourhoods.
The top priority issues in all the neighoburhoods fall under the following three broad categories:

1. Community safety: Concerns about Crime and Safety
2. Physical: Issues related to built environment - the physical features, infrastructure, facilities, and housing conditions of a community that influence the health of residents.
3. Community engagement: Capacity building and civic engagement challenges.

 A sub-group of the CDF-community Table is already working on the civic engagement and capacity building.
Two sub-group meetings of the key-stakeholders will be called early 2010 to discuss issues related to housing standards and community safety and make strategic decisions and concrete recommendations for action.

Abid Jan/Clara Freire

Next Steps:

• The Community Table meetings will be convened  quarterly.
  
  
• The three afore-mentioned sub-groups will meet before the Community Table meetings to look into the structural and systemic issues coming out of  intensive community engagement and thorough community assessments.
  
  The subgroups will report to the larger table on what they can do as a group of organizations to maximize the impact of their services and increase the return on their investment by working in a coordinated and collaborative way. - Meeting of the Capacity Building and Civic Engagement group will be convened in January 2009.
  
  
• - Keeping in mind the busy schedules of all partners and the workload involved, Community Table members are requested to please suggest meeting of which of the other two sub-groups - Community Safety or Physical issues  -   meeting needs to be convened before the next Community Table meeting.
  

All Community Table members

Abid

Next meeting date:

Members will be consulted about the possible future date via e-mail.

Abid