Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours is a new regional initiative of the United Way of Greater Victoria that focuses on building healthy, resilient neighbourhoods and mobilizing community assets to address some of Greater Victoria’s most pressing issues.

This year, Neighbourhood Tables are being piloted in the communities of:

North Park

Oaklands

Tillicum

 

Neighbourhood Tables are small groups made up of diverse community members who care about their neighbourhood and where they live. Through a facilitated process, table members will come together monthly from October 2011 to March 2012 to explore local issues and assets and generate innovative strategies for building a healthy neighbourhood related to one or more of the United Way of Greater Victoria’s “Impact Areas”:

All that kids can be

From poverty to possibility

Healthy people, strong communities

 

With the assistance of graduate students from the University of Victoria’s Office of Community-Based Research, a neighbourhood survey and mapping process will take place to engage and empower neighbours to share neighbourhood assets, gaps, opportunities, visions and action ideas. Drawing on ideas generated by the community, the Neighbourhood Tables will develop an action plan for their neighbourhood and, with the support of United Way, will gather the resources needed to implement the plan.

The Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours initiative is being delivered in partnership by the United Way of Greater Victoria, BC Healthy Communities, and the University of Victoria’s Office of Community-Based Research.

For more information about the initiative, click here.

The Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Project: November Update.

The Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Project launched in October with the first set of neighbourhood meetings taking place in Oaklands, North Park and Gorge-Tillicum. Groups, ranging in size from 10 to 20 people, met one another and talked about what they loved about their neighbourhoods as well as what challenges they face. Across all three communities there was a remarkable shared sense of identity, each unique to its neighbourhood, and a desire to create more connected and caring places to live. People seem genuinely excited to work together.

Each of the tables has the support of a graduate intern from the University of Victoria who submitted these reflections after the first meeting:

This group is ready for action and it seems there is so much potential in small do-able projects that could enhance, possibly event transform the neighbourhood, or at least a part of a neighbourhood. Many of those who attended- we had 21 people come out!- had similar thoughts and visions regarding the community. Most have lived here from five to 20 years, understand the community and have watched the community change. All brought up the potential of the neighbourhood and all seemed totally invested in working together.
Barbara Smith, Graduate Student Intern for North Park Neighbourhood, MA Candidate, Adult Education and Leadership

Residents at the Tillicum Table were really excited about the possibility of improving their communities- and many there shared strikingly similar visions for what changes could help make the neighbourhood more cohesive and vibrant.
Lisa Willott Graduate Student Intern for Gorge-Tillicum, MA Candidate, Geography

I loved seeing the openness of those present. People really listened to one another when we were talking about what people valued in Oaklands and what types of changes might be possible. It’s a small group, but I see so much potential there.
Tara Todesco, Graduate Intern for Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Project, MA Candidate, The School of Environmental Studies

To view the community profiles, click on the links below:
Northpark
Oaklands
Tillicum