HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafe & Healthy - 2008-02-05SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
FEBRUARY 5, 200$ CITY OF KITCHENER
The Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee met this date, commencing at 4:00 p.m.
Present: Chair, Councillor B. Vrbanovic
T. Bender, P. Doherty, M. Haverla, M. Hogg, C. Schneider, R. Gould, S. Franzen
T. Beaulne and N. Cybulski
Staff: L. Palubeski, Manager of Program and Resource Services
M. Hildebrand, Interim Director of Community Programs & Services
A. Grafstein, Community & Corporate Planning Associate
L. Korabo, Committee Administrator
1. KITCHENER DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE STREET OUTREACH
WORKER PROGRAM -UPDATE AND FUNDING REQUEST
Mr. J. Mancini attended on behalf of the Downtown Street Outreach Worker Co-ordinating
Committee to provide an update on the Program and request 2008 funding from the Safe and
Healthy Community Advisory Committee.
A detailed report providing statistics and other information on the Program was attached to the
agenda. Mr. Mancini briefly reviewed the 4-year history of the Program noting that original
start-up funding came in the form of a 3-year grant from the Trillium Foundation and an annual
grant from this Committee. The Co-ordinating Committee has been looking for new sources of
ongoing funding with a view to lessening, and eventually eliminating, their annual request to
the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee.
Mr. Mancini advised that funding has been secured from Region of Waterloo Social Services
for an 18-month period. This funding allows for 2 full-time positions in Kitchener and for apart-
time Outreach Worker to be hired to work in the City of Waterloo. He also noted that the City of
Waterloo has contributed funds towards these costs.
With regard to the future of the Program, Mr. Mancini advised that he anticipates funding to be
received from the Trillium Foundation, the Local Housing Integration Network (CHIN) and the
Region of Waterloo. In fact, the Region has included money for this program as part of its
allocation for homelessness. Based on this information, Mr. Mancini advised that he is revising
his grant request downward to $15,000.
Mr. M. Hildebrand indicated that there may an opportunity, in the future, for this program to
apply to the City's annual grant process but this was not possible in 2008 for a variety of
reasons. It was confirmed that money is available in the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory
Committee's 2008 budget to accommodate this grant request.
Ms. M. Hogg noted concerns with the Committee's role as a funding body rather than being
solely an advisory /working committee. Councillor B. Vrbanovic clarified that money in the
Committee's budget has been used in many instances to support start-up operations that are
seen as beneficial to the community. The funds previously extended to the Outreach Worker
Program were granted in that vein. Mr. Hildebrand reiterated that staff is continuing
conversations with the Co-ordinating Committee around moving this annual request into the
general grant process.
A question was raised if funding this program was still a priority for the Committee given its
large workplan. Councillor Vrbanovic requested that the delegation submit an overall budget
for the Outreach Program for circulation to the Committee prior to a decision being made on
this funding request.
Councillor Vrbanovic then proposed that he and lay Co-chair, S. Franzen, draft a letter of
support on behalf of the Committee to both the Trillium Foundation and the CHIN concerning
the funding requests submitted to each by the Downtown Outreach Worker Program.
SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
FEBRUARY 5, 200$ - 4 - CITY OF KITCHENER
1. KITCHENER DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE STREET OUTREACH
WORKER PROGRAM -UPDATE AND FUNDING REQUEST tCONTD)
On motion by Ms. M. Hogg -
It was resolved:
"That the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee submit letters of support for
the Downtown Street Outreach Worker Program funding requests to the Trillium
Foundation and the Local Housing Integration Network; and further,
That Councillor B. Vrbanovic and Ms. S. Franzen, Co-chairs, sign these letters on
behalf of the Committee."
2. PRESENTATION -COMMUNITY SAFETY & CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL
Ms. Christiane Sadeler, Executive Director, presented an informational PowerPoint entitled
`Tools for Building Safer Communities' on the Community Safety & Crime Prevention Council
(CS&CPC) which may also highlight opportunities for collaboration with the Committee.
The presentation included the following:
• Vision and Mission;
• What is Crime Prevention;
• Why involve the local community;
• Effective prevention approaches;
• Fear of crime costs;
• Victimization;
• The role of the CS&CPC;
• Makeup of CS&CPC membership;
• Strategic directions;
• Various campaigns;
• Integrated model for crime prevention;
• Violence Prevention Plan and its recommendations;
• Tools; and,
• Developing an Action Plan.
Mr. C. Schneider enquired about how the CS&CPC is funded and Ms. Sadeler responded that
all funding is received from the Region of Waterloo. The organization has a small staff and
contributes many `in-kind' services to the community but does not give grants to organizations.
3. WORKPLAN -UPDATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Messrs. M. Haverla and C. Schneider reported on the area of focus `Community Engagement
on Green Strategies' as listed in the Committee's Workplan.
Three action items had been identified, being:
• Investigate mandates and function of existing City of Kitchener and Regional
Committees to determine possible collaborations;
• Develop incentive programs (for business and residents) to broaden acceptance
of `green' behaviour; and,
• Develop support programs for community groups to undertake initiative.
Mr. C. Schneider advised that they had met with Barbara Steiner, the City's Environmental
Planner, and had determined that these action items were all currently being addressed either
through her work, through the City's Environmental Committee or, by other community
organizations. Therefore it was being recommended that the action items listed on the
Committee's Workplan not require any further consideration as they were actually a duplication
of work being undertaken by others.
SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
FEBRUARY 5, 200$ - 5 - CITY OF KITCHENER
4. WORKPLAN -COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN
Ms. A. Grafstein advised that the sub-committee working on this workplan item listed under the
"Diversity" area of focus, has met twice. Information presented today includes what ethno-
cultural services are available in the community and the cultural demographic profile of
Kitchener. For the March Committee meeting, an informational presentation will be made on
the Advancing Cultural Diversity in Volunteer Management Initiative.
In order to facilitate the information gathering of the sub-committee, Ms. T. Beaulne had
provided various statistics on diversity in our community which she now shared with the entire
committee. She noted that Kitchener is experiencing the largest growth among all communities
in the Region of Waterloo. The Region's population is predicted to rise to 750,000 within 20-25
years with much of this increase to come through immigration. As might be expected,
Kitchener-Waterloo has the highest immigrant population in the Region standing at 81% of all
new comers to the area.
Information provided by the YMCA's Settlement Support Services show the top 5 languages
spoken in Kitchener-Waterloo as:
• Spanish;
• Romanian;
• Mandarin;
• Faeroese; and,
• Arabic.
5. UPDATE - `CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY CONFERENCE'
Ms. L. Palubeski circulated an update from the `Creating a Culture of Safety' Conference which
provided status reports and identified leads for: Neighbourhood Engagement and Ownership
Now; Downtown Safe Making Team; Diversity Lens Action Group; Intercultural Education
Exchange; Youth Safety Forum; Regulatory Review; Collaborators; Strategy on Poverty; and,
Abuse and Accountability.
Councillor B. Vrbanovic suggested that the Committee may wish to have some dialogue
regarding this six month update at its next meeting.
6. ADJOURNMENT
On motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Linda Korabo
Committee Administrator