Join Our Team!

May 5 2017

Join the Social Development Centre team by joining our Board of Directors or the Community Social Planning Council! Help sustain the Centre as a champion for social justice and citizen participation. We are seeking Board of Director candidates who reflect the diversity of the community and who have previous board experience and/or expertise in the areas of law, advocacy, accounting, social enterprise, and public relations. All Board members are members of the Community Social Planning Council. 

Measuring Responsive Leadership

May 2 2017

Responsive Leadership ForumMeaningful input into decisions where we live is important. Join a community discussion to explore how responsive leaders contribute to neighbourhoods being stronger and able to support people to live a decent life. Get an update on the Strong Neighbourhoods for Decent Lives Project and come review results from Neighbourhood Leader Surveys (local municipal councillors and neighbourhood associations from across Waterloo Region).  How would you measure responsive leadership?

Transit Service as a Basic Human Right

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Apr 29 2017

Alive Blog PhotoSocial Development Centre is pleased to be an ally for Awareness of Low Income Voices. We hosted our first meeting with them, the topic for the meeting was the GRT new fare boxes and Easy Go Card. Gethyn Beniston, project manager for electronic fare systems for the Region of Waterloo, provided information and heard much from ALIVE(e) members. The group was vocal regarding the needs of low-income and persons with disabilities during the transition to the new fare systems.

Replacement of the Traynor Park

Apr 21 2017

Traynor Park Open HouseTraynor Park was a close by playground for the families along Traynor, Vanier, Siebert and Woodhaven Road until December 2013 when the construction started to support installation of the ION tracks. Since then, KW Tenant Group and the Social Development Centre have been asking the City of Kitchener to find another suitable location for the park once the construction is over. With the support of the Ward Councillor John Gazzola and the City of Kitchener staff, Traynor Park consultation kicks off on April 24th, 5:30pm at St Phillip's Lutheran Church. Residents would be sharing their feedback on the location chosen for the project and their input on what activities should be sustained in the neighbourhood with the new park space. The project will fit nicely with the future community trail to be reintroduced along the ION tracks as well as the potential pedestrian crossing over the tracks.

Rent Control Coming to Ontario

Apr 20 2017

RENT (Renters Educating & Networking Together) in Waterloo Region has been advocating for rent control since the 2000s. Ontario 2017 Budget recognizes the hardship that the rent control exemptions have put on renters: ...the [Ontario] government will bring all tenants under the province's existing rent control system, ending the exemption that currently allows unlimited rent increases in units built after 1991. (CBC, April 20 2017). Congratulations to RENT and all tenants' rights advocates in Ontario for bringing this change to the private rental housing market. Together with the other affordable housing provisions in the 2017 Ontario Budget we can expect more development and protection of the rental housing. 

Advocacy Training and Action

Apr 6 2017
Disabilities and Human Rights Group logoNext meeting of the Disabilities and Human Rights Group is coming up next Wednesday, April 12 from 1:30-3:30 pm at 74 Frederick St. in Kitchener. There is always some parking spots available at the Trinity United Church parking lot between Queen and Duke, but you can join us through a teleconference - either through your computer or phone. Call 519-579-3800 to get connection information. Exciting points on the agenda: Awareness of Low Income Voices ALIV(e) has joined Social Development Centre's civic engagement support program, advocacy training for peer groups and gearing up for a forum on May 17 Measuring Responsive Leadership. 

Civic Analytics for Decent Lives

Apr 4 2017

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. 

Tenants Rights Enforcement Information Sheet

Mar 29 2017

Tenants Rights Enforcement videoStaying Housed and keeping a home is becoming more challenging with the persisting lack of available, adequate and affordable rental units.  Renter's Toolkit: Finding and Keeping a Home is a new resource for renters produced by the Region of Waterloo Community Services in collaboration with organizations and agencies providing housing supports in the region. Our contribution to the initiative grew out of the community engagement work in neighbourhoods with tenants and property standards enforcement agencies. Tenants' Rights Enforcement Information Sheet is a product of collaboration with Kitchener ByLaw and Fire Safety, Waterloo Region Community Legal Services and Police Services, R.E.N.T. and KW Tenant Group to assist renters primarily in Kitchener how to navigate multiple systems of support.

2017 Inclusion Challenge

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Mar 11 2017

2016 FON Clothes LineThis 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. 

Cherry Park Neighbourhood Connection

Mar 7 2017

Unleash the Power of NeighboursMessage from Cherry Park: Unleash the Power of Neighbours! on March 24 at St Mark’s Lutheran Church. Cherry Park Neighbourhood Association and Social Development Centre are hosting gathering to explore what drives people’s action in their neighbourhood. They have been working together to create buzz around a special engagement process thanks to the Neighbourhood Connection Award won at the 2015/2016 Festival of Neighbourhoods Finale. We will support the current leaders and volunteers to connect with interested neighbours who want to explore what excites and inspires people to get involved and how to best nurture future engagement.