Kitchen Table Talks Continue in September

Sep 2 2015

"A city is only as strong as its weakest neighbourhood". The Kitchen Table Talks are providing lively and wide ranging discussions on how our neighbourhoods can support everyone to live a decent life. We continue seeking voices less heard in public meetings and forums. One participant shared a write up she did on a kitchen table talk she attended. The initerested is still there and there is still time if you wish to host a Kitchen Table Talk in your neighbourhood this September. Contact us to find out how. 

August Community Update 2015

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Aug 22 2015

Our August Community Update brings some important updates regarding our new initiative and renewed interest to create a resident led Community Social Planning Council. We continue learning from inspiring neighbourhood stories and are currently scheduling the Decent Lives Kitchen Table Talks. How do federal election issues resonate with our day to day lives? Take a good look at our Federal Election Gateway webpage, read about the issues worth voting for and call us to be a part of a conversation: a kitchen table talk or an all-candidates session!  

Directory of Community Services Waterloo Region 2015

Aug 22 2015

Blue Book 2015

The 33rd edition of the Blue Book Directory of Community Services for 2015 is available now! Order your copy today:  Download the order form.

The Blue Book Directory of Community Services in Waterloo Region is the trusted source of community information and has been for more than 40 years. The Blue Book is comprehensive, listing local human services provided by social agencies, community organizations and governments, and features cross-referenced Name and Subject Indexes for quick access to agency information.  

The Blue Book is produced by the Community Information Centre of Waterloo Region, operated by the Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo.

Exclusive Offer to Our Member Organizations

Aug 14 2015

On behalf of our member organizations, we have negotiated special rates with ASSOCIUM/GAIN, a buyers group for non profits.  We have been a member of ASSOCIUM/GAIN for many years and have saved significantly on office supplies and other operational costs, including employee benefits.

Find out how much you could save on your own office supplies and support systems. Contact: Jenn Poirier - Director of Operations, ASSOCIUM, jpoirier@associum.com; Tel: 416.867.9350 ext. 243 | Toll: 888.761.1164.
Link here for more information.

VisitAble Housing Article in The Record

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Jul 21 2015

Building a home anybody would be pleased to visit vh

The journey home can be stopped by a single set of stairs. Even just a few steps can amount to an insurmountable barrier for a new parent juggling groceries with a stroller, the athlete recovering from an ankle injury, or the grandparent wanting to visit family.

Enter: VisitAble Housing.

To read the article in full, see attached PDF or click here.

Neighbours Talk - July E-Neighbour

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Jul 20 2015

Mension GardenNeighbourhood Activity Guide has come online! You can find a print copy of the guide at your community centre. Browse it and copy the pages you would need. It is a pilot project and we hope to work with your feedback, add more suggestions about how to organize neighbourhood activities and grow the collection. Read more about the 3rd Early Bird prize winner in the July E-Neighbour and join the Neighbours Talk online and off line! See the results of our first Neighbours Talk survey and find a 10 x 10 canopy in the Neighbourhood Activity Trunk! 

Host a Kitchen Table Talk this Summer

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Jun 30 2015

Kitchen Table Talks 2015We are inviting people to host, record and facilitate kitchen table talks this July and August in Kitchener-Waterloo. We continue exploration of the ways in which we can support decent living for everyone right there where we live and work. Kitchen Table Talks are small groups of friends, family, peers and neighbours, brought together in a familiar location and taking part in an exciting conversation. For information about the kitchen table talks and how you can get involved contact Trudy Beaulne at spckw@waterlooregion.org. Take a look at the Kitchen Table Talk Flyer and Hosts' Kit!

Welcoming Applications for the Community Social Planning Council

Jun 25 2015

48 AGM PresentationsOn June 22, we hosted our 48th Annual General Meeting. An exciting announcement was made at this year’s AGM. We are launching a new Community Council to help provide a citizen foundation to assist SPC achieve its social development mandate. The Board is seeking 10 members to join the Board on the Council by September 2015. For more information see Community Social Planning Council Membership and Purpose and Application Form. 

48th Annual General Meeting

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Jun 8 2015

Join us to hear compelling stories of community action on June 22, 2015 during the 48th Annual General Meeting of the Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo. Continue the Decent Lives discussion to weave what is being done in the community into a deeper understanding of why community action and planning is important to our local landscape.

Stories will be shared by the Good Hearted Women Singers, an Indigenous and non-Indigenous women's drum circle, Crossing Borders, a youth group of refugees and Canadians who want to raise awareness and encourage social justice, Poverty Free Kitchener-Waterloo action group for poverty elimination, and Disabilities and Human Rights Group, a group for those who care about making our community more accessible to everyone

Consultation: Labour Law Changes

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Jun 5 2015

Ontario has launched public consultations on the Labour Laws Reform: The Changing Workplace Review. Input from communities and groups will be collected until September 18th. The list of public input sessions will be updated at the Ministry of Labour website. 

The consultation will consider how the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and Employment Standards Act, 2000 could be updated to best protect workers while supporting businesses in the changing economy.

Join the ongoing conversation in your community or start conversations with people around you!