Update your Cookie Settings to use this feature.
Click 'Allow All' or just activate the 'Targeting Cookies'
By continuing you accept Avaaz's Privacy Policy which explains how your data can be used and how it is secured.
Got it
We use cookies to analyse how visitors use this website and to help us provide you the best possible experience. View our Cookie Policy .
OK
This petition is closed
Multi-year core funding for U-Time Community Cafés with Parents

Multi-year core funding for U-Time Community Cafés with Parents

This petition is closed
50 Supporters

Carina C.
started this petition to
The Columbia Basin Trust (CBT)
Paper petition has 100 names to date.
Isolation is a risk . As you know, isolation is a widespread consequence of poverty for parents lacking the economic means to participate in community (i.e. go out for coffee or join in an event or activity). Isolated parents are more likely to be overwhelmed by the challenges of providing for themselves and their children. Overwhelmed parents tend to isolate further rather than reaching out for community services and connections. This has potentially negative consequences for children who may also become isolated under these circumstances.
The Community Café strategy entails providing caring community, connection to information, creative outlets, quality childminding, cash and cash-like benefits to low-income parent participants where trust, understanding, and mutually supportive relationships can develop. The Café Coordinator designs parent-informed programming and activities to support connection between parent-participants and opportunities available in the wider community through a paced format offering alternating windows to Chill-Gather-Co-Create-Learn-Co-Mentor & Earn.

FAST FACTS
Project duration:
November 2018 to November 2019. Six months in, we have proof of momentum that we cannot afford to loose!
Projected end time: June 2019: ahead of schedule in terms of deliverables (25 cafés), however, there is so much more that could be achieved!
SNAPSHOT: 1 year, 25 cafés with an average of 12 adult participants and 10 children thus far. Year to Date: 168 adult parents served and 140 children. More than $3000.00 in cash and cash-like benefits have been distributed directly so far which includes: food, honoraria, materials, wellness passes, transit passes and quality child-minding.

If the current trend is maintained:
An adjusted potential of 350 adult individuals and 250 children will enjoy more connectedness in less than 8 months. We’ve completed 15 cafés so far and have another 10 unfolding every Wednesday until June 19th at Rosemont Elementary School.

As we endeavour to re-weave the fabric of community in the Rosemont area of Nelson, parent-participants have been encouraged to take advantage of funding for upgrading skills (we’ve trained 16 parents in industry standard emergency childcare first aide),  we've provided parents of high need children respite with an additional dedicated childminder (on two pilot occasions).  The project is implementing ideas participants believe in (based on needs, experience and desires) to improve their quality of life indicators and further the larger goal of ending poverty. Nothing about us without us! These small projects will support parent-participants in a variety of adaptive ways while providing a small but potentially impactful social and income supplementation including work experience for a capable parent living in poverty .

An earlier pilot of this approach found it to be a participant-led idea generator for a variety of helpful initiatives that the End Poverty Initiative, Nelson at its Best and the wider community could support and act upon. Until a respectable Canadian Basic Income inevitably arrives, the ultimate goal of the U-Time with Parents Conversation cafés project is to compensate for Human Rights negating systemic and economic gaps. The Cafés aim to be locally responsive, intelligent yet scaleable; in short, a model to be shared with other communities. For full project description please consult: https://www.bestnelson.org/project/end-poverty-initiative/

By signing this petition, you offer your support in this effort to build community capacity and the necessary coordination and oversight continuity to respond by design, nimbly, to tangible parent-community needs in Nelson, BC. With your engagement, this proven approach can continue to provide opportunities for families to shine and connect. Please add your timely and invaluable voice to the choir in turning up the dial, for the better, on quality of life in our rural communities.


Posted (Updated )