RPTV - SDP Stakeholders Meeting of November 27, 2024, on the SDP Strategic Plan

Report of the SPD Stakeholders Table Meeting on November 27th, 2024. On November 27th, 2024, the Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP) Stakeholders Table convened for its quarterly hybrid meeting at the Urban Pavilion in Regent Park. Over sixty members attended the meeting. The major item for the meeting was a presentation of the SDP strategic plan by the Strategic Planning Committee. Regent Park resident, Deany Peters, began the business of the meeting by presenting background information about 2024 SDP Strategic Plan, a process conducted by the Strategic Planning Committee of the SDP to involve the membership of the SDP in reviewing the SDP structures, directions and activities and to make recommendations for changes. Next grassroots agency member, Michael Rosenberg, explained that the goal of tonight’s Stakeholders Table meeting was to review the propose changes and to decide whether or not to approve them or revise them. Next, Regent Park resident and Co-chair of the Community Building Working Group, Elena Taghizadeh, presented the proposed new goals of the SDP – to engage in projects that create a sense of belonging, inclusion and cohesion to bring Regent Park together as one community and improve the social environment in Regent Park. The new goals of the SDP were unanimously passed by the Stakeholders Table. Next, Michael Rosenberg, presented on the new Strategic Directions, intended to provide guidance on what needs to be done across the SDP network, working groups, and committees. The four strategic directions are: 1) Create a sense of belonging inclusion, and cohesion that brings Regent Park together; 2) Improve the social environment in Regent Park; 3) Empower residents and resident’s groups to set priorities both within the SDP and for Regent Park; 4) Have equal numbers of TCHC and Market residents. The new Strategic Directions of SDP was unanimously passed by the Stakeholders Table. Adonis Huggins, an agency member and Co-chair of the Communications Committee, outlined the proposed changes around Decision Making. Since the Stakeholders Table only meets four times yearly, the proposed new change is that the weekly meeting of the Planning Committee should be the place where decisions should be made. Adonis also introduced changes to the voting membership of the Planning Committee. After some debate a decision was made to have both the Planning Committee and the Stakeholders Table be empowered to make decisions for the SDP. Resident Wailed Khogali Ali, followed with a presentation of new proposals related to expanding the Working Groups. According to new changes —any resident and organization that operates in Regent Park and are aligned with the SDP goals and procedures, can create a working group. The presented changes to the Working Groups were unanimously passed by the Stakeholders Table. The next section was about the SDP appointed co-chairs. This section was presented by Deany Peters. All the stakeholder organizations that are responsible for appointing co-chairs to the SDP (RPNA, TCHC and the ED Network) are required, according to the changes, to inform the planning committee of the procedures it uses to select SDP co-chairs and the SDP can only refuse to accept the co-chairs if the procedures were not followed. The changes to the Co-chairs were unanimously passed by the Stakeholders Table. Conflict resolution changes was presented by Michael Rosenberg. Michael informed members that the new proposal is to include the Shaping SDP Culture into the terms of reference and increase the network’s capacity to engage in conflict resolution, mediation and in responding to trauma. To ensure that violation and bullying complaints are not ignored, the SDP administrative assistant role will now be expanded to help members fill out incident reports and navigate the conflict resolution process. The changes to Conflict Resolution were unanimously passed by the Stakeholders Table. The Stakeholders Table of November 27, 2024, meeting concluded with announcements.