About Vibrant Communities St. John's

Vibrant Communities – St. John’s is a multi-sector community based initiative which seeks to reduce poverty by working collaboratively with voluntary organizations, non profits, all levels of government, businesses and especially with people who live with low income/poverty. This initiative builds on successes happening in our community and works to connect partners and people to increase community engagement, capacity building and partnership development as we seek to assist at least 1500 households on the journey out of poverty by 2012. Through shared learning and dialogue, Vibrant Communities works collaboratively to develop programs, shape policies and seek solution-focused actions that are more effective and responsive to helping reduce poverty in our community.

Vibrant Communities Canada operates in 16 communities across the country and is expanding. Spearheaded by Tamarack – An Institute of Community Engagement, the initiative works closely with the Caledon Institute of Social Policy and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. Vibrant Communities’ local and national partners link through a 'Pan-Canadian Learning Community'.

The Vibrant Communities St. John's Goal and Key Areas of Focus

The overarching goal of Vibrant Communities St. John’s is to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in St. John’s. While there are many relevant areas of work related to poverty reduction, the following are the key areas of focus for our community action plan:

1. EASY-E: Enhancing and Supporting Youth Education by providing staffing and supports for YES! (Youth Educational Support) Program: This program will coordinate a holistic community’ approach to increasing high school completion rates for youth in low income neighbourhoods. This mentoring, encouragement and enhancement program will focus on targeting youth in grades 6 and up to support them in school and provide opportunities to enhance their educational and learning experiences.
2. Citizens' Voice: Facilitating a forum for people living with low income/poverty to meet regularly to share information, learn, support each other and seek opportunities to raise awareness and inform policy and decision making.
3. Network for Vibrant Neighbourhoods: To build capacity, spirit and engagement in low income neighbourhoods throughout the City, especially those that don’t have the infrastructure of a community centre, local program staff, etc.
4. Exploring access to affordable, high quality childcare: Access to good quality, affordable childcare is a very real barrier that contributes to poverty. Vibrant Communities facilitates a policy and action network around childcare and early learning to work more collaboratively around research, engaging parents, exploring innovative, community-based models for childcare, raising awareness and policy discussion.
5. ‘Makin’ it Work!’ Adult Education-to-Employment Initiative: A new approach to matching unemployed adults with employers who need to hire. This model is employer-focused, community and neighbourhood-based and client-centerd. Pilot project with Vibrant Communities, Community Centre Alliance and Fortis Properties and individuals in St. John’s proved to be quite successful.
6. ‘Reducing Barriers’ Policy Roundtable: Vibrant Communities St. John’s will engage partners from all sectors in a series of solution-focused dialogue around how we can reduce the barriers that exist for people trying to transition from income support to employment.

Vibrant Communities St. John’s Network

Here are just a few of the many organizations who are part of the Vibrant Communities St. John's collaboration: Rabbittown Community Centre, Eastern Health, Community Youth Network, Fortis Properties, RBC, Child and Family Connections, City of St. John's, Canadian Mental Health Association NL, MUN School of Social Work, various neighbourhood Tenants' Associations, and so many more...!

Funding for Vibrant Communities Canada is made available through long-term commitments from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and Human Resources and Social Development Canada. The national sponsors secure additional funds by working with other foundations, governments and donors, including RBC and the Maytree Foundation. This revenue supports the national initiative as well as work at the local level. All funds received from the national Vibrant Communities initiative must be matched by local contributions. Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador is the local convenor of Vibrant Communities – St. John’s. Vibrant Communities – St. John’s is fortunate to have funding from Community Sector Council, United Way of Avalon, RBC, Fortis Properties, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the City of St. John’s, these funding sources help us as we seek to secure funding for the continuation of this initiative.