Community Space Proposal
Downtown Kitchener Coalition of Social Justice
DATE
Table of Contents
Cover Page Pg.
Table of Contents Pg.
Summary Pg.
Objectives Pg.
Organization and History Pg.
Background Pg.
Project Description Pg.
Community Space Proposal
I. Summary
We propose a new community drop in space in Downtown Kitchener that will help to fill shelter service gaps, build bridges between the various stakeholders in the area, and develop another community space, one that will give all members the right to participate in agency decision making. The City of Kitchener has access to many properties especially those that are derelict, an eyesore, or otherwise vacant, and we would like access to two houses side by side; one serving as a drop-in space, the other functioning as a community enterprise: a consignment shop. Additionally, the second floors of both of these houses will function as emergency/low income housing units.
II. Objectives
To maintain additional access to essential services and resources to members of the Downtown Kitchener community
To participate in public and community education and outreach surrounding social justice and community based issues
To build and maintain a community run drop in space and community enterprise
To provide the Downtown Kitchener community with a space that aims to empower community members through equality and respect
To contribute to cross cultural experiences by spearheading community cultural exchanges and supporting the development of multi-cultural relationships.
To provide space to engage with Indigenious Folx on a Nation to Nation basis
To provide front line support to those transitioning out of instutions such as the prison system and the mental health system.
To treat drugs as a social issue and implement intentional harm reduction strategies that benefits all community members.
III. Organization Description and History
The Downtown Kitchener Social Justice Coalition or DTK SJC is a coalition of many groups and projects currently working out of Downtown Kitchener. They include the Tent City Organizing Committee, Drugs as a Social Issue, the Anti-Colonial Working group, and the Southwestern Ontario branch of the 32CSM. The coalition meets to determine project steering and individual organization commitment. Individually these organizations have worked to build sustainable campaigns, for example Tent City has at least a decade long history in Victoria park; the development of information capital via participatory action research, which lead to a multi-page spread in the paper when Drugs as a Social Issue worked closely with The Record; and the raising of community awareness and education around various social issues, such as the Anti-Racist organizing that the 32CSM has been working on in the wake of the recent political climate.
The DTK SJC is committed to this project because as members of Downtown Kitchener Community, we see the need for greater access to essential services and we’ve analysed the services that already exist Downtown to fill in gaps when services are less or not available, for instance when drop-in’s have closed, but shelters have yet to open. With the further gentrification of downtown Kitchener, we see a growing divide between those who benefit from the upgrades and those who don’t, such as those displaced by landlords doing renovations. We see a growing need to develop spaces that are accessible to all the members of the Downtown Kitchener community and that are holistic and participatory in nature.
IV. Background
We know that additional shelter beds are not what this community needs, however service limitations do exist for those who need to access the shelter system. The closure of the Out of Cold program has created a situation where the motel overflow program is utilized at huge capacities every night, which is not sustainable. There are gaps every night during which service users must wait outside in the cold while they wait to see who has room for them to sleep. Additionally, those with immovable service restrictions are forced to choose between sleeping on the street or sleeping in jail cells. We know that there are folks who do not feel safe in the shelter system, but sleep in tents yearlong instead, which creates multitudes of health and safety issues. There is a noticeable tension between the street and poor community of Downtown Kitchener and the up and coming community. Creating a new community hub will serve to build bridges between different stakeholders in the community. Theoretically, service provision is understood to be the most effective when service users actively participate in making the decisions that affect them. There are already community spaces that allow various levels of community participation, however none of them rely on community decision making at their core. Though Waterloo Region’s Housing First Strategy is to close ineffective shelters and house people instead, the only update that has occurred is a lack of shelter beds. The wait list for housing is still five years long.
V. Project Description
The Tri-cities currently has many service providers who offer various essential and community based services. This collective aims to compliment the services that already exist in this community and fill in the cracks of service delivery
1. Goal: To create more access to community lead services, resources, and tools through a drop in community space.
We plan to provide a space for community to gather and have access to resources like phone charging, wifi, computers, OW, ODSP, and CAS casework support, Court support, bus tickets, and access to clothes and other essential items. We plan to provide these services and other programs via a collaborative model in which all community members are welcome to become decision making members. We aim to give community members, with a specific focus on youth, the skills to learn and teach others how to organize themselves around issues like court support, OW casework, and other vital situations. We will encourage and empower community members to take leadership positions.
2. Goal: To fill service gaps.
We plan to fill service gaps by primarily by filling the space left by lacking services, as identified by community members. For example there is currently no free food serving in Downtown Kitchener, so the 32 CSM has started a campaign to provide food during that time. In addition we plan to maintain open hours during the “in-between” times when folks would otherwise be forced to stay outside. These times include evenings for those who face service restrictions and those who must wait on the shelter system to find them a bed. Our drop in centre would provide a temperature controlled place for folks to wait.
3. Goal: To build and showcase Downtown Kitchener’s skills through a consignment shop community enterprise.
We plan to build a framework that centers on a collaborative, empowering model because we know that all community members are capable and willing to do the work. All community members will be invited to participate in decision making, which has proven to increase community engagement in other projects.
We would like to build fundraising efforts by making space for the unique skills of all community members. We plan to maintain a consignment shop that would provide a place for community members to showcase their talents and receive compensation for the work they do.
4. Goal: To build bridges between community stakeholders; such as small businesses, people that live and work in Downtown Kitchener, folks who access service in the Downtown core, and the various people who use Downtown generally.
We plan to build bridges via active outreach in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
5. Goal: To provide additional low income housing units in the Downtown Kitchener core.
Downtown Kitchener needs more low income housing units if we’re ever going to see the housing first strategy bear fruits. We plan to use the space above the drop in and consignment shop as an emergency and low income housing. Based on size we plan to provide at least 2, hopefully 4 units.
6. Goal: To prevent overdoses by having a place with a nurse where drug users can be open about their addictions and use in a safe space. To streamline recovery options, reduce the strain on emergency personnel and keep downtown safe from criminality.
VI. Project Timeline/Budget Timeline
Secure Space
Space Start up
Open for drop – in
Outreach Start Up
Outreach Open
Upstairs housing Start Up
Consignment Start Up
Consignment Open
Housing Open
VII. Budget
Example:
Expenditure Category
Fund Request
Funds from other sources
Total
Salaries
One Full time staff
One Full time Nurse.
5 volunteer staff
3 Volunteer Nurses
$10 000
per month
Equipment
Office supplies and start up, basic medical supplies
Computers, furniture,
$15 000
Building/Space
119 Joseph Street
derelict properties
Hugo and Lorne
Scott and Weber, or shared space with other agencies
In kind repairs
Utils
Central air, heat hydro,
$300 per month
Phone/Internet
Land Line
Wifi
$200 per month
Totals
$10 500 Per Month
Start up $ 15 000
Building cost: TBA