The Community Building Now project will engage people with and without disability to work together to research and identify civic issues that can be addressed to build a better community through action influencing positive civic change in Salmon Arm and area.
This will be accomplished using Participatory Action Research to bring together a diverse group of participants to co-research what they and other community members would like to see change in their community to better meet the needs of a broad community.
The project team will work collaboratively to develop methodologies to survey the community of Salmon Arm utilizing Photovoice, written surveys and interviews to gather data related to community development possibilities and analyze the results to develop actions to promote change to support the needs of a diverse community.
Participants in the project will develop their personal and collective capacities by working together exchanging mentorship to increase personal capacities to effect ongoing change in their community that positively impacts the quality of life in our community.
The project will create long lasting mutually beneficial social relationships; build essential community building skills and valuable roles & working partnerships that include people with intellectual & other disabilities sustaining long term, ongoing influence leaving a legacy of an inclusive community that embraces diversity, quality of life and full civic engagement for all citizens.
Steering Committee: Dr. Rachelle Hole and Dr. Tim Stainton UBC Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship; Brian Erickson, President of the Shuswap Connexions; Caroline C. Chartier, Aboriginal Transitions Planner, Okanagan College Shuswap Settlement Services; Marty Bootsma, President of the Board Shuswap Association for Community Living [SACL] and former Mayor of Salmon Arm; Gary Arbuckle, SACL Services Manager.
Funded by: The Vancouver Foundation