Headwaters Communities in Action Building A Better Quality of Life Together.

Headwaters Communities in Action

Building A Better Quality of Life Together

What is Social Prosperity?

Social Prosperity is a community’s ability to:

Maintain a high quality of life and a good standard of living for its citizens.

Provide access to employment opportunities, community services, health care, adequate housing and education.

Social Prosperity Makes Good Sense

One of “the most important magnets in attracting and keeping investment and business” in today’s global economy is a community’s ability to bring people together to:

define the common good, create joint plans; and, identify strategies that benefit a wide range of

people and organizations,

Harvard Business Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter

The Opportunity

This project offers residents of the Headwaters region the opportunity to:

create a strong, shared vision for the future;

work collectively towards it; and ensure that our communities remain

strong and vibrant

The Goal

The fundamental goal of Headwaters Communities in Action is to strengthen our region’s ability to foster a culture of engagement, inclusion and collaboration – its social prosperity. This cultural shift is the determining factor behind our community’s quality-of-life

Our Vision

Vision for Social Prosperity

Our communities will speak with one voice as we establish an integrated mechanism for social, economic and

environmental planning in a way that respects historic continuity, maintains and protects the natural

environment, coordinates and promotes services and establishes a sense of community for the residents in

the Headwaters area, so that we can enhance and celebrate the prosperity, health and well-being of the

diverse citizens of our communities.

Our Values

Inclusion and Accessibility - We recognize the intrinsic value of all people and are committed to engaging all citizens in building social prosperity

Multi-sector Collaboration - We recognize that collaborating across various sectors in new ways is key to addressing complex community issues

Sustainability - We are committed to building upon existing community strengths and designing sustainable initiatives

Innovation - We will model and nurture creativity and innovation throughout the Headwaters area

Effectiveness - We will monitor our progress, continuously learn and apply and share our learnings to ensure we are maximizing our resources

The History of The Headwaters Communities in Action Project

Headwaters Linkages Committee – A group of health and social service providers from across Dufferin County

2002: A Broader Perspective – Recognized the need to mobilize a broader cross-section of perspectives from across the community to plan together for the future

2006: Re-Branding – In order to more clearly and simply state what we are trying to do, and reflect our commitment to be inclusive, our project has chosen a new name: Headwaters Communities in Action

Our Formal Beginnings

Project initiated background research and an environmental scan highlighting trends in Dufferin County

Held 1st Community Forum with 54 community leaders in November 2004

What We Have Done Already?

Made presentations to Dufferin County Council and at the 8 Local Councils

Hosted public meetings throughout the community reaching more than 150 people across Dufferin County to test and ultimately affirm our Vision

Secured “seed funding” for our Project through a number of committed community organizations within Dufferin County.

What We Have Done Already?

Used feedback from community meetings to identify strategic directions, goals and values to shape the Community Plan for achieving our vision

Established 3 Working Groups to create a volunteer infrastructure to move our project forward

Recently secured grants from both The Ontario Trillium Foundation and ServiceCanada which together provide a solid base of funding for our work in the coming year

What We Have Learned So Far:Our Assets

Our region has many assets including: An impressive array of services for a region of

its size A small-town feel but close to urban centres

– the best of both worlds A high quality hospital and health services A history of successful collaborations within

many sectors

What We Have Learned So Far:Our Challenges

Our region’s challenges include: Having one of the fastest population growth

rates in Ontario and many of the social pressures associated with larger cities

No overall regional plan Becoming a “bedroom community” as

residential growth outpaces industrial growth and local job creation.

Needing a health and social services infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing, aging and changing population

What We Have Learned So Far:A New Approach is Needed

Our region’s most complex issues and challenges cannot be solved with “quick-fix” solutions.

No one sector can be effective addressing these issues in isolation. Fragmented thinking and action will only produce fragmented, partial solutions

To have the kind of strategic impact we need on our region’s quality-of-life we need to find new, innovative and comprehensive ways of working together

Sustainable Communities

Economic Prosperity

Environmental Viability

Community Health

Best Quality of Life

Strategic Focuses

Community Health

Environmental Well-being

Economic Prosperity

Strategic Focus

Community Health:

Strengthening our health and social services to reflect our communities’ changing needs

Strategic Focus

Environmental Well being:

Protecting and responsibly growing the use of our environmental assets

Strategic Focus

Economic Prosperity:

Ensuring a vibrant economy that offers sustainable wages and the opportunity for everyone to reach his or her potential

Imagine…

A Community that comes together across sectors to identify issues and generate solutions

A shared plan for the future of this region that identifies: The industries we want to attract The services we need; and, The natural assets we want to protect

A Community Foundation that provides funding and information to support needed local projects that enhance economic prosperity, community health & well-being and environmental viability

Imagine…

A regional network of recreational trails that is used by residents and draws tourists to the area

A youth summit that engages young people in identifying issues, creating solutions and sharing their vision for the future of the region

Adequate and affordable housing being available to each and every individual and or family.

Citizens being aware of and engaged in discussions about key issues related to economic, social and environmental well being or the Headwaters area.

What Next?

Incorporate new ideas from focused conversations into draft community plan

Host and continue conversations as needed

Build partnership commitment to the draft community plan

Launch and implement the plan in Fall 2006