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Count Me In! Forums
Ajax - January 4, 2006
Agenda | Notes | Photos
Notes
Words from intro exercise (string exercise):
Connecting
Comfort
Everybody has a place
Togetherness
Empathy
Meeting the needs of communities
Culturally sensitive
Loving
Equity
Respecting others
Courage
Valuing each other’s gifts
Understanding
Welcoming
Diversity
Tolerance
Empowerment
Equality
Reflection: If inclusion is the answer, what are
the questions?
- How do we respect everyone’s definition of inclusion?
- How do go beyond the barriers that exist to promote inclusion while
respecting cultural and ethnic differences? How do we encourage
inclusion and healthy living if it’s in contrast to a group’s
cultural beliefs & values?
- How do we demonstrate inclusiveness in each of our agencies? What
do we do to show it?
- How does one recognize when inclusion is not occurring or it not successful? How
do you identify areas of weakness?
- What are the questions we have to ask to start with, to meet the needs
of those who are excluded? We start with our own assumptions. What
do [the excluded] require in order to be included? Assume it’s
different depending on whom you are addressing
- How do you work with those who are extremists, e.g. neo-Nazis and other
difficult groups?
- How does one get around the systemic barriers to inclusion? For
example, the inability to find a family doctor, which can be hard for
lifelong Canadians let alone new immigrants who may not speak English. There
is barrier upon barrier, creating a vicious circle of bad health. As
an individual you can feel very powerless to remove those systemic barriers
that face people. How do we influence the process so we can make positive
changes?
- What can we do to minimize or erase the insignificance or inferiority
that some groups in our society are continually made to feel?
- Inclusion starts with just one person. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed
worrying about government policies and the bigger picture and you forget
it starts with just one person who walks through your door: you
look at them as an individual and it’s that one first step to inclusion. If
people focus on the individual instead of the broad worldview, on how
you respond to that individual, if you work on that premise, then one
at a time, you’ve started down the path to inclusion.
- In a fragmented community & society, how do we get there?
- How do we collaborate as community agencies to help inclusion? Each
agency deals with one need and we all need to work together. How
do we work individually, as agencies and in partnerships?
- How do we get to where people are really valued as they sit at the table? Sometimes
people are there but are not truly valued.
- How do we approach those in our communities that are exhibiting behaviour
that doesn’t represent inclusivity at its best? Not racism
etc., but people who make it clear there’s “us” and “them” – who
think they’re doing something to contribute, but there’s a
line drawn. How do you deal with that effectively?
- How do we get through to those who exclude? Systematically or
on a minor level, like getting picked on a baseball team – that
counts too! It’s an interplay between the large stuff and
the small stuff.
- Low expectations of people because they’re hearing impaired/immigrant – these
things have nothing to do with what they can contribute. How do
you address that?
- Stereotyping – people seen as “less than” because
others haven’t taken the time to find out what they have to contribute
[and/or] they aren’t given the opportunity to express that.
- In my daytime work life I can be inclusive, but when I go home do I
still have to be inclusive? Who am I in all of this?
Current reality: the feeling and reality of belonging in Durham
In relation to your work in Durham, deliberate at each
table. Have a very specific conversation together using World/Conversation
Café so each person has a voice. Find something on your table
that is a talking object, and choose a table host/hostess to guide the process.
First round – take turns speaking one person at
a time, talking about where Durham is inclusive. It helps to be specific.
Some comments:
- The school system is doing a great job including immigrant & physically
disabled children
- Durham communities are separate, but inclusive within themselves (on
average! Except Pickering…)
- Need to put our money where our mouths are
- Media is crisis-focused – they don’t know what would be
helpful [information to convey]
- Service accessibility is theoretically high, but doesn’t necessarily
meet actual needs, although services strive to be inclusive
- Post-NAFTA older workers were surprised/excluded in the 80s by the need
for retraining [after factories closed]
- There are many different cultures – because of immigration, change
is happening – these groups’ culture and values need to be
understood. Adjustment can be an issue! But immigrant groups
need to work on integration too.
- Cultural diversity – younger people have fewer issues (less fear)
- [As a service provider,] balance between the daily work and strategic
direction can be difficult.
Where do you see inclusive aspects in Durham?
- How do we reach those who don’t think in terms of service all
the time – the GM workers, etc.? How to we promote inclusivity
to them?
- Durham is such a large geographic area – how do we link it to
feel like a community?
- Various groups are looking at co-locating domestic violence services – they’re
all talking together, meeting in contributed space (a church)
- Inclusivity is at its initial stages in Durham. Young people have
a more inclusive culture that will grow [through society] in time.
- Nobody’s looking outside their comfort zone to offer services
to other, currently invisible/underserved groups
- The experience of exclusion is not always visible, e.g. mental health.
Invisible exclusions can be even more difficult.
- We don’t know what communities need until we ask the questions
- Cultural groups are not taking leadership – would like to
see those groups have higher awareness.
- Too many silos.
Share back from tables:
- There are lots of wonderful things going on, but not all of us know
what’s going on. Each of us has to be involved as possible so
we can share information and help others feel like a part of the community
as well. It’s especially useful to help marginalized people be
aware of things that are available.
- We only think about needs, not assets and gifts people bring. How do
we categorize those gifts so [people] get invited where they can be appreciated?
- Inclusive environments in Durham schools – some are positive,
some are a concern. Geographical boundaries can be difficult – areas
in the east can be totally exclusive. Many agencies focus more on financial
aspect, less on inclusivity. Lots of talk about barriers.
- Barriers: poverty; different things that are invisible,
like mental health.
RLK - Some themes:
- institutions – not enough outreach/integration, although some
are making internal efforts (notable: school system, churches/religious,
police)
- cultural diversity – immigration – need for work on both
sides; some element of fear (not in the group, but in [parts of] the community)
- silos (geographic, agency, cultural)
- positive feeling about youth, that they are more inclusive and this
will change Durham over time
Share back – what are we sure about?:
- feeling of belonging – there are clubs, orgs, centres spread
over the region, and those who go to them feel a sense of belonging. Difficulty
is that if you’re not part of it, you’re on the outside. How
to encourage more people to get involved as per their liking?
- Culture of Peace committee – one person’s leadership, cross-sectoral/racial
group – good model
- Commissioner of social services believes a caring community begins in
the workplace, treat people like they are the experts in their own lives
- How do we build awareness in people in businesses (who have great opportunities
to include)?
- lots of good Durham initiatives e.g. cdn cancer society amalgamated
2 locations & Durham will have its very own cancer clinic, DRIVEN
(collaboration re domestic violence), regional transit involving multiple
agencies, culturally sensitive food and nutrition programmes. Also talked
about barriers e.g. housing (large houses being built are not suited to
young people, so they must leave). Lots of good things happening in Durham.
What are we not so sure about?
- when you’re not providing people with basic needs, programs
may not work (e.g. taking bus passes away from Ontario Works clients – they
can’t get there, so why bother having the program?)
- different levels of funding from different government branches (and
different focus) cause gaps in services (fragmentation)
- people are put in powerful administrative positions who know precious
little of the issues… it’s a concern
- lot of siloing of service. We’re not always aware of some
excellent thing because we’re not at the same table. When you’re
competing for funding, it’s not always in your interest to share
the “Cadbury’s secret”. So some things are an
afterthought based on funding decisions, and siloing is a systemic problem
that works against cooperation.
- Inclusion is great when they walk through the door, but it’s being
able to be part of the group REALLY and not just in name. Once you’re
in the door, then what?
How do people get the opportunity to define whether they’re
included and how they want to be included? How do we ask those questions? (refer
to workbook)
Sense of what we’ve done / how things are going?
- talked about what good things are happening, where we’re doing
things well and where there are gaps to bridge
- challenge is that everyone comes from such different perspectives, there
are assumptions of values etc. (going back to the iceberg) so it’s
hard to get definitive answers
Remembering the future: Durham 2011
Two sentences that for you describe the way things are in Durham 2011. What’s
the feeling & reality of belonging like? What does it look like? What’s
the environment like? What surprises are there? (Individual comments)
- Durham is taking a more productive approach to systematic barriers
- Working more closely with schools to target at-risk youth. Issues
of school bullying will be addessed through greater programming
- A model immigrant/newcomer centre assisting residents across the region
with satellites everywhere – housing, employment supports, other
govt services, all available. Volunteer-based agencies have a diverse
group of volunteers – culture, age, ability, etc.
- Durham is a place where the needs of even the most vulnerable citizens
are met through adequate infrastructure and adequate program funding.
celebrates unique gifts of all citizens
- Population increase will lead to environmental issues – garbage,
traffic affect everybody. Newcomers adapt as they become part of
education/church communities
- Durham is engaged in inclusivity dialogues. Agencies are collaborting
to address needs and break down systemic barriers.
- Conservation and environent drive the focus – because of
globalization etc., complex needs have emerged.
- We are marketing Durham through a regional statement that includes inclusivity. There
is a clear definition of what’s expected. Workplaces more
represenatative. We can identify and treat root causes [of exclusion]
- Durham has a strong regional image, rather than being community based
as it was in 2006. Services are now more fully integrated. The
new regional image is partly a result of the corridor being less of a
population base – northern/other communities in Durham will
continue to grow
- There is less finger pointing, name calling, racism
- I see green cars, green buildings, more mixed housing (seniors, young
people), better transporation – improved infrastructure is beginning
to reflect a maturing community
- Durham is a tolerant diverse community where everyone’s values
and rights are respected. There’s a very low rate of crime
and poverty.
- I am retired. I’m doing a lot of volunteering. New
social networks have sprung up, including an immigrant services centre
that’s received multi-year core funding.
- Durham is one community, not a region of individual communities. Services
and supports are region-wide. It is a safe cultural community, with cultures
respected throughout the region
- Durham is a caring compassionate community that celebrates the strengths
of diversity. It is a true community where all stakeholders share
strengths and weaknesses
- Durham has become a diverse community with dynamic needs and strengths. The
social service sector made great strides but new issues have arisen which
couldn’t have been predicted in 2006.
- United Way of Durham region [has united]. I see a group of people
of all cultures with different challenges working together, respecting
challenges, and there’s a sign on the wall: we did it together.
- Multicultural groups are working together. There are lots of cultural
festivals every month, with lots of people participating from all groups. Durham’s
population has now doubled compared to five years ago, but now you see
people from all cultures working together
Reminiscing: stay in 2011, reminisce about how you got
to where you are. Whatever it is you’re working on, how did
you get there? What steps did you take?
Vision & what made a difference [SEE FLIP CHARTS]
- newcomer centre – “no wrong door” everyone welcome.
Lots of satellite offices to make sure service available to everyone
(long list of services). Got here by:
- developing numerous community partnerships with service providers
from all areas
- using current research
- Durham is the place people want to move to because here they feel like
a valued member of the community in all aspects. Got here by:
- seeking cooperative efforts in social services
- using experiences and building on them to become more inclusive,
respectful, place that provides everything people need to feel valued/included
- steps:
- is strength in coalitions working with common voice to one
goal
- involve men, youth; engage all stakeholders
- mentors
- revised electoral process
Where was the place of critical choice?
- getting everyone to start to work together despite systematic issues
with funding supports, fragmentation, etc. (who is missing and how
do we invite them in [individuals, sectors]?)
- working with MCSS to alter funding models to prevent issues with people
holding their cards close because of funding
- we’re not just talking about funded programs – you’re
still part of the community even if you’re not part of social services – there
are resources in the community. If we had to do it without money,
how would we do it? (Moving out of a service model.) Step
out of the mindset that if this works, we’re out of a job – that
is what we SHOULD be aiming for, that people wouldn’t need our services! We
tend to forget how we treat people when because of their circumstances
we get paid every day.
What’s been helpful and where do you need more support
in this work?
- helpful – positive reinforcement that work is going down the
right path. Feel sometimes like a salesperson, constantly selling
a vision, so it’s been nice to be with others thinking similarly.
- would be useful: develop a more sophisticated toolbox of tools
and techniques that can be used in community development. Really
concrete things you can use to engage people from really different groups,
GM or a different culture or whatever is outside your area of comfort – how
do you do that complex piece of work [specific to inclusion]?
- helpful – validated current project, helping with awareness of
who’s missing and how to engage them
- useful – how do I get the right question? How do I know
what I’m looking for? How do I know specifically what I need?
- helpful – nice to have collective reassurance that your work is
in the same realm with others, that challenges aren’t unique (you’re
not alone) and others are struggling with the same types of issues
- support – in breaking down systematic barriers. That’s
the biggest thing – agencies can work together but unless
there’s something is done structurally [to change] it makes it more
difficult for people to work together
- helpful – interaction
- useful – planning for the future and where do we go from here
(after everyone leaves today) – keeping momentum
- helpful – all of us come together to share, help, mentor each
other.
- support – engaging those who shrug it off as “it’s
not my issue” – easier said than done! Sooner or later
everyone will see it as their issue, so why not do it right from the beginning?
- Durham advisory committee on homelessness has reps from all kinds of
sectors – isn’t it interesting that we can all unite so well
around an issue when we see something needs to be done? It’s
been going for just about five years and part of the function is to advise
the region and streamline the plan on homelessness. No houses built,
but getting there. Just an observation – we do that really
well.
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