Social Development Centre Waterloo Region

Our Decent Lives project reflects the guiding principles of the civil analytics, explained by Canada 2020 authors Don Lenihan and Thomas Pitfield: "While we agree that civil analytics will change the nature of policy discussion, we believe it will do so in ways that expand the opportunities for meaningful debate, dialogue and collaboration...  Getting the right mix of people around the table to sort through these issues is a critical condition for the success of civil analytics. These people won’t be just data scientists. Depending on the issue, the process will need experts of various kinds. Ordinary citizens are important too. In a democracy, they are the “experts” on values and priorities."  We are developing assessment tools with data collected and interpreted by many experts in our community. Be curious and get in touch with us to learn more. 

This year we invite everyone to take the Reach! Challenge, by designing neighbourhood gatherings in a way that breaks down invisible, but oh so real, barriers for people to participate. We know that sometimes there is a fine line between someone ‘wanting’ or ‘being interested’ in connecting with their neighbours and their not feeling comfortable, able or welcome to come out to neighbourhood gatherings. We are excited to be preparing a tool about how to be intentionally inclusive, accessible and welcoming based on our 24 year's long experience with Festival of Neighbourhoods. Read more in our March E-Neighbour. 

Social Development Centre has been a member of the Living Wage Waterloo Region Steering Committee since its inception. In 2015, we led the evaluation process to learn what employers who joined appreciated most about the initiative. In 2016, we conducted a survey to learn about employee experience working for living wage employers. This is a report that incites action. Learn more about the Living Wage Waterloo Region and the ways to get involved. 

2017 Pre-budget submission to the Ontario Ministry of Finance: "It is not necessary to undertake a complicated pilot project to prove people are better off with more income. This has already been proven time and again. We urge you to consider the ethics of this plan and to not delay increasing basic assistance to people who face real desperation. Increase or augment social assistance rates to at least 80% of the Low Income Measure and increase Discretionary Benefits to at $15 per person... It is important that the provincial budget reflect what is important for people in a coherent, integrated and understandable way. A piecemeal approach that offers small gains for various groups will not reflect a rational perspective of what is necessary and appropriate for the investment of shared tax dollars to benefit Ontarians individually and collectively."