1. REGENT PARK PARENT CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS (SIIF)
The Regent Park Safety Network in collaboration with Mothers of Peace received funding from the Social Impact Investment Funds (SIIF) to host a variety of workshops. The workshops started in February 2020 and are continuing through 2021.
Since the last Stakeholders Table, three workshops have been held:
- March - What is Mental Health? & Covid-19 and Vaccines
- April - Anti-Black Racism
- May - Youth Gang Prevention Strategies
Past workshop titles include:
- Mental Health
- Overdose Prevention
- Anxiety in Youth Adults
- Know your Legal Rights
- Financial Literacy
- Back to Basic (Community Engagement)
- Grieving the Unspoken Journey
- Accessibility for the Visually Impaired
- Black History & the Noose
The next workshop will be Thursday, June 24th on Human Trafficking.
2. COMMUNITY SAFETY CERTIFICATE (500 K SDP CITY FUNDING)
The Regent Park Community Safety Certificate training series is underway with funding from the City’s SDP grants.
The first training, Speaking with Confidence, was developed in collaboration with George Brown running from May 18-June 22. Each class is 2 hours per session every Tuesday for 6 weeks over Zoom.
The second training, Chairing and Leading a Meeting, is scheduled for July 2021.
The remaining training (9 in total) in the Community Safety Certificate Training Series will be held throughout 2021 under the following themes: Resident Leadership, Resident Advocacy, and Mental Health and Crisis Training.
All training is free and food is provided. Technology support and childminding are provided as requested.
3. YOUTH EMPOWERING YOUTH (500 K SDP CITY FUNDING)
Youth Empower Youth is an asset mapping research project that seeks to align programming and support for youth in Regent Park as well as to connect youth workers.
April - June Updates
Focus Groups: YEY conducted focus groups to further identify the research findings from phase 1 of the research. Youth Researchers developed the questions for the focus groups and they were reviewed by George Brown College. Youth Researchers also engaged in these sessions.
- Facilitated and conducted 4 focus groups to follow up on previous YEY survey findings
- 40 youth from the Regent Park participated and were provided an honorarium for participation
- Created a final report to share with community agencies and stakeholders from findings
- Created an illustrated one-pager to share around as a summarized document of the findings
Crisis Care Fund: YEY will be launching a crisis care fund to support youth who are experiencing a crisis in the community. Youth Workers and Community Leaders will be able to apply for this fund to support youth in Regent Park experiencing Crisis.
- Consulted with community youth workers to create guidelines for the Crisis Care Fund
- Youth workers recruited youth to become advisory members for the Crisis Care Fund and develop an application form, process, and to review/approve applications
- The Crisis Care Fund will be launched by the end of June to support youth who are experiencing crisis
Asset Map: YEY has created an interactive asset map to highlight youth programming in Regent Park and identify what is needed for youth in the community. 211 has provided data on programs and agencies in Regent Park. YEY youth researchers have researched grassroots agencies in the community to add to this map.
- Four Youth Researchers from Regent Park created an asset map which has been turned into an interactive map highlighting youth-serving agencies in Regent Park
- The interactive map will be shared and advertised through different channels
- This map will be updated on an ongoing basis as YEY youth meet with agencies and learn more about different programs offered in the community
4. VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM (TCHC FUNDED)
Program Overview:
The Violence Reduction Program (VRP) is focused on improving safety and security for tenants through a reduction of violence in TCHC communities. The objectives of the enhanced VRP are below and will be achieved through interventions implemented by local integrated teams through the hubs in Downtown East including Regent Park.
- Connecting more tenants to supports;
- Improving service coordination and delivery;
- Engaging tenants in working towards safer communities; and
- Improving tenants’ perceptions of safety
VRP Staff Update:
Jermal Humphrey and Felicia Whyte have been hired as Community Service Coordinators to the Violence Reduction Program in the downtown East area. They will be supporting and leading a pilot on Housing unit takeovers as well enhancing the collaborations with various City Divisions and situation tables for pre and post-incidents. Our focus will be on substance use and mental health and how it impacts the safety of a community.
VRP Program Update:
Toronto Community Housing launched the VRP grants to help resident-led groups access up to $2500 to support community healing and/or violence prevention initiatives. More information can be found at Violence Reduction Project Grants.