Meeting the Needs of Youth-at-Risk in Canada: Learnings from a National Community Development Project

Appendix B

Developing Partnerships for Sustainability: A Manitoba / Saskatchewan Regional Workshop

Appendix B1

A Summary of the Workshop

In summer 1995, the issue of sustainability became a pressing concern in the Manitoba/Saskatchewan region. Funding for some of the youth projects in the region was scheduled to end in March 1996. All of the partners involved in the region agreed that the projects had played a significant role in youth empowerment and community change, and discussions began regarding how the projects could sustain themselves in the years to come.

At the same time, the national community development project was also exploring issues of sustainability. As such, a survey was conducted across the five sites of the project to determine whether a national workshop was required to address these issues. The overall response from the various partners indicated that some type of effort was required. However, the project participants said that they preferred to handle the issue of sustainability in their own way at the regional and local levels.

Since no national effort was required, the Manitoba/Saskatchewan region decided to hold its own workshop on sustainability in January 1996. It agreed, however, that representatives from other sites would be invited to attend. The region convened a planning committee to discuss the agenda and the format for the workshop. The planning committee comprised youth, provincial government representatives, national steering committee members (from the national project), local project coordinators and Health Canada regional program consultants. The committee was responsible for planning the content of the workshop as well as other issues related to logistics and venue. It was decided that the issue of sustainability would be addressed using a problem-solving approach based on the development of community partnerships. A facilitator and workshop planner were hired.

The workshop was held from January 17 to 20, 1996, in Russell, Manitoba. Approximately 55 participants attended, representing 11 projects in the Manitoba/Saskatchewan region, presenters, representatives from provincial/territorial governments, and three representatives from the Yukon site of the national community development project. The letter of invitation sent to the chairpersons of the local project steering committees asked that the projects be represented by members of the steering committee, key stakeholders in the community, project coordinators and one youth representative.

Based on the suggestions provided in the national survey and the input of the planning committee, the agenda was developed around a 10-step process leading to partnership development and project sustainability (see Appendix B2). The overall objective of the workshop was to have each of the projects develop a community-based sustainability plan. In preparation for the workshop, reading materials were circulated. The participants were also asked to have a meeting in their communities prior to the workshop to discuss the issue of sustainability and to identify potential partners.

The workshop was divided into seven segments:

1. Identifying and approaching potential partners
2. Building a coalition around a youth issue
3. Building a communications plan
4. Creating effective relations with the media
5. Organizing to solve youth issues in the community
6. Resourcing the partnership
7. Involving the corporate community

Each of the seven sections included a brief presentation on theory followed by one or two case examples of success from the participating projects. The projects were then encouraged to spend a considerable amount of time in smaller groups developing their own sustainability plans. The projects were provided with worksheets (see Appendix B3). After each session, feedback and a question and answer period was held to do problem solving.

As the groups completed their worksheets for each session, a secretary transferred the information into a written report which was aggregated with the work of the other projects and given back to the projects at the end of the day. All of the groups were provided with a complete summary of the information they had prepared on their own project prior to leaving the workshop. Each group was also given a list of participants with addresses and phone numbers.

The last morning of the workshop was spent with each of the groups recapping what had been learned from the workshop. The participants were then encouraged to participate in a circle in which they made parting comments about their own feelings regarding the workshop.

Although no formal evaluation was completed, the feedback from the workshop participants indicated a high degree of success and a feeling of accomplishment that they had learned about sustainability and developed their own strategies.

Appendix: B2
Agenda

Sustainability Workshop : January 17 - 20 , 1996 Russell Inn , Russell , Manitoba

Agenda

Wednesday ( p . m . )
12:00-1:00	Registration
1:15	Opening, Introductions and Workshop Objectives Identifying Youth Issues in the Community Identifying Potential Partners
Thursday
9:00-12:00	Building the Coalition around Different Kinds of Issues
Lunch
1:15-5:00	Building a Communications Plan Working with the Media
Friday
9:00-12:00	Organizing to Solve Youth Issues
Lunch
1:15-5:00	Resourcing the Partnership Involving the Corporate Community
Saturday
9:00-12:00	Sharing Ideas from the Project Sustainability Plans Workshop Closure
Lunch	Take Away or Stay

Appendix: B3
Worksheets

Identifying Community Partners

Group

What partners might be interested in working on this solution?

What community youth issues might get people to the table to discuss solutions?

Identify some benefits for them to become involved:

Identify some key points in your strategy to approach them:

Strategies For Building The Coalition

Map out ideas about what your project has to do to form or strengthen coalitions with "friendly" partners in the community. (Remember: the best partners are those that have problems with youth.)

Strategies:

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________

Building A Communications Plan

What do we want to say?

Who do we want to say it to?

What is our plan for getting this message to our target group:

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________

Organizing To Solve Youth Issues

Group

Who is affected by this issue and how?

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________

What are the ways in which the issue demonstrates itself (what are the symptoms)?

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________

What might be some of the causes for this issue?

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________

Who is responsible for solving this issue?

When and where are the effects of the issue most obvious?

What are some of the barriers to solving the issue?

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________

What approach to solving the issue do you think might be useful?

Steps

1.______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________

Resourcing The Partnership

Group:

Develop a list of potential partners and resources that can contribute to your project's coalition(s).