Community Capacity Building Initiatives
What is Capacity Building
This is a fancy name for groups and individuals acting like old-fashioned neighbours. People in an area come together to create community. By actively participating in community activities, the people feel good about themselves, lend others a helping hand and learn about the concerns and solutions for their particular community. Then, they are likely to branch out and help other communities in turn. This creates a well-connected and healthy community that is more resilient to adversity.
Port Haney
The CEED Centre Neighbourhood House is located in Port Haney, once the hub of activity in what has become the City of Maple Ridge, B.C. The Port Haney neighbourhood has undergone many transitions in the last 150 years and is currently being redeveloped as part of an urban core. It has some great urban attributes and some typical urban woes. On the good side, it is close to everything in the downtown core and it has its own great restaurants and stores, a museum, some neighbourhood pubs, and a few community centres and non-profit institutions, as well as some heritage houses and newer condos with lots of residents. On the "could be better" side, some of the housing stock is run down, the effects of trauma, poverty and homelessness have been highly visible in the area for a period of time, and
This is a fancy name for groups and individuals acting like old-fashioned neighbours. People in an area come together to create community. By actively participating in community activities, the people feel good about themselves, lend others a helping hand and learn about the concerns and solutions for their particular community. Then, they are likely to branch out and help other communities in turn. This creates a well-connected and healthy community that is more resilient to adversity.
Port Haney
The CEED Centre Neighbourhood House is located in Port Haney, once the hub of activity in what has become the City of Maple Ridge, B.C. The Port Haney neighbourhood has undergone many transitions in the last 150 years and is currently being redeveloped as part of an urban core. It has some great urban attributes and some typical urban woes. On the good side, it is close to everything in the downtown core and it has its own great restaurants and stores, a museum, some neighbourhood pubs, and a few community centres and non-profit institutions, as well as some heritage houses and newer condos with lots of residents. On the "could be better" side, some of the housing stock is run down, the effects of trauma, poverty and homelessness have been highly visible in the area for a period of time, and
there are issues related to on-street parking, security and traffic safety. This is an extremely simplistic representation of this community and falls short of its full reality and potential. The CEED Centre would like to work with the community to realize more of its potential. We like the asset based community development approach of John McKnight and Jody Kretzmann, which focuses on "building communities from the inside out." In other words, building on the existing strengths of the local people, associations and institutions rather than seeking solutions to impose from the outside. Grassroots rather than top down.
Call to Action
We have some great ideas we'd love to implement, such as a Block College (peer-to-peer educational system) and community restoration projects. So we are looking for residents, community partners and funders to put these ideas into action. Please come and visit us, call us (604-463-2229) or drop us a line to share your ideas and aspirations.
Call to Action
We have some great ideas we'd love to implement, such as a Block College (peer-to-peer educational system) and community restoration projects. So we are looking for residents, community partners and funders to put these ideas into action. Please come and visit us, call us (604-463-2229) or drop us a line to share your ideas and aspirations.