Showing Up, Speaking Out is a chance to:

• meet with fellow citizens
• discuss and respond to issues that affect our community
• work together to communicate ideas in public spaces through art

The project is curated by Milena Placentile (aceartinc.) and partners include MAWA (our neighbours across the street), Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Art City, and many others.

Some details:

Most “flash artmaking” opportunities/workshops will be approximately 4 hours long, and will result in an artistic action presented in public space while other opportunities will develop over the course of the overall Showing Up, Speaking Out project.

This is a chance to get involved in community life and find new and creative ways of talking to each other about important issues.

All events are free and all people are welcome. No previous art making experinece is required.

You can visit the Get Involved page to . . . get involved.

Five Things You Might Not Know About The New United Way Space:

It will benefit the community

• The main floor is home to a community learning centre where groups can get together to work on the issues that are most important to the people of Winnipeg
• New not-for-profits and social entrepreneurs will have access to “incubation space” that will help them do innovative work until they’re ready to branch out on their own

It’s in a great location

• Thanks to many local organizations, the core area is in the midst of a revitalization and we’re excited to be part of it
• The Exchange is a unique and historic part of Winnipeg with great stores, restaurants and opportunities to experience music and art year-round!

No donor dollars were used for the project

• Construction was funded entirely through Province of Manitoba & Government of Canada stimulus grants – the City of Winnipeg supported the project, too
• What wasn’t covered by grants was made up for by a small group of long-time United Way supporters & committed Winnipeggers
• CentreVenture facilitated and contributed financially to the land acquisition

It’s more cost-efficient

• Owning our own space will save money compared to the cost of leasing

It’s environmentally friendly

• The new building was designed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standards – which means lower operating costs and a smaller carbon footprint.

If you have any questions about United Way’s new space, please call Eric Friesen at 924-4258. We’ll look forward to hearing from you!

In this issue, we will:

• Share the results from our most recent survey
• Highlight comments from Noelle DePape, a long-time Urban Exchange participant, and
• Tell you about a Boys and Girls Clubs program called Community Schools Investigators (CSI)

Click here to download the pdf version or read it online.

As always, please feel free to let us know what you think by emailing us or leaving a comment below.

For our most recent survey, Urban Exchange teamed up with Peg – a group of organizations who are developing a community indicators system that will track progress on social, economic, environmental and other issues here in Winnipeg.
To start with, Peg is focusing on indicators that it can use to measure poverty in Winnipeg.

What’s an indicator? Blood pressure and heart rate are basic indicators of your general health. Gas mileage and tire wear are basic indicators that show how your vehicle is doing. Indicators of poverty in a city might include things like average household income, unemployment rates, or the number of people who have access to affordable child care.

More than 500 people responded to our one question survey, which asked participants to pick seven indicators from a list of fourteen possible indicators of poverty. These are things that can be measured – and might help us understand how we’re doing to address poverty as a community.

What topped the list? Affordable housing and ability to afford the basics were at the top of most respondents’ minds, followed by income, education, employment and health measures. The chart below shows the breakdown of your responses:

The volunteers on the Urban Exchange Working Group would like to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who shared their thoughts on this topic.

You can expect Peg to be up and running this fall – check it out for yourself and follow the progress that we as a community are making in Winnipeg. We’ll be sure to post a link as soon as Peg is ready.

Peg is a community indicator system that will track progress on economic, environment, cultural, social and other priorities in Winnipeg. United Way in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Development, the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, Health in Common and approximately 60 other partners from diverse sectors are committed to the development of Peg.

Peg will show:
- the current state of the community,
- what course the community is on, and
- how far it is from its vision for the future with respect to the indicators

This information will be accessible to community members, stakeholders, government officials and other interested parties to be used as a report card on how well we, as a community, are doing our job to make Winnipeg a better place for everyone to live.

While there are many different types of issues that can be looked at in the city, initially Peg will focus on poverty in Winnipeg. Right now, Peg is in the process of narrowing its list of poverty indicators from over 300 in number to a set of ten or less.

Enter: Urban Exchange.

Urban Exchange is a dynamic, two-way conversation between United Way and Winnipeggers about topics that are important to the community. The partnership between Peg and Urban Exchange was a natural fit. In the past year Urban Exchange participants have been asked to respond to several surveys and questions related to their perceptions of poverty in Winnipeg.

The information that we collect from this survey will be combined with information from various areas of focus and used to narrow and confirm the set of indicators that will be used on Peg. You can expect to see the results of this consultation in Fall of 2010.

We hope that you will take the time to tell us what you think of the proposed list of indicators. How well do they measure poverty? The survey should take you less than five minutes. There are no right or wrong answers. Please remember that your responses will be kept separate from any identifying information to protect your confidentiality.

To take the survey, please click here

Interested in finding out more about Peg? Click here

But what is Peg all about? Why do we need it? When will it be launched?

You’ll find the answers to these and other important questions below.

Q: What is Peg?

A: Peg is Winnipeg’s community indicator system. Peg will track key indicators on the most important economic, environmental, social and cultural issues in our community. Individuals, groups, and organizations in all sectors can use the information to increase their knowledge, inform decisions, and guide action to achieve short- and long-term progress.

Q: Why do we need Peg?

A. Many people, organizations and government departments work very hard on issues that are important in our community. We work together on issues like poverty, the environment, and our business climate. But how do we know if we’re making progress as a community?

Peg puts a stake in the ground and tracks our progress over time on key indicators. When trends are not favourable or progress is slow, Peg encourages people and organizations to get involved to make a difference.

Q. Why is United Way interested in Peg?

A: When we work together, amazing things can happen. United Way is committed to working with volunteers, sector leaders and a wide range of partners toward positive social change in Winnipeg.
By tracking some key indicators on the issues most important to us, we can get a sense of whether or not we’re making progress as a community. We can celebrate our successes. And we can identify areas needing attention. In those areas, we can focus our collective efforts to turn things around. Peg will help inform decision making and will encourage collaboration on key issues.

Q: When will Peg be launched?

A: Peg will be launched this fall (2010).

Q: What exactly will be launched?

Peg is a pilot project and will be developed in phases. In the fall, we plan to launch the first phase – a system for the indicators and a first set of indicators. In the fall, you will see a website that will track indicators in 8 theme areas. And the website will include 7-10 indicators in the area of poverty. Over time, more indicators will be added to cover all dimensions of our community.

Q: What are the benefits of a community indicator system?

A: There are many community indicators system that exist in the USA. A study by United States Government General Accountability Office (2004) found that comprehensive key indicator systems:
• enhance collaboration to address public issues,
• provide tools to encourage progress,
• help inform decision making,
• improve research, and
• increase public knowledge about key economic,
environmental, and social and cultural issues

Over time, Peg will be a valuable and common resource for the community.

Q: Who is involved in Peg?

A: Since 2003, United Way has been working with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to make the Peg a reality. As partners, the two organizations contribute unique and complementary strengths.

IISD contributes an international reputation and the knowledge, skill, and experience it has gained working with community groups and governments on indicators systems in countries around the world. United Way contributes experience in bringing people together.
A wide range of groups are involved with Peg including, for example, all three levels of government, Health in Common, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, the Manitoba Center for Health Policy/University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, The Canadian Economic Development Network, the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council, along with participants from over 60 other groups and organizations.

Q: Who is funding Peg?

A: Peg is funded by several partners who all see the value of a community indicator system. The Provincial government, the City of Winnipeg, Health in Common and United Way have all contributed dollars to the first phase of the Peg.

Q: Why is it important to have Winnipegger’s engaged in Peg?

A: Peg currently has over 60 stakeholders engaged. These stakeholders form three committees:
1. The Steering Committee provides oversight of the entire pilot project.
2. The Engagement Group provides input into the development of the overall system and framework. This group is very large and brings perspectives from all aspects of our community.
3. The Indicators Working Group defines the indicators and identifies data sources for our first set of indicators – in the area of poverty.
All three committees meet regularly and provide important input to the project.

Q: How are indicators selected?

A: The Indicators Working Group developed a set of criteria to assist in selecting the indicators for the pilot – and beyond.

While initially the Working Group reviewed approximately 100 indicators, they were able to develop a short-list of about 36 indicators. We are now in the process of distilling these 36 possible indicators down to 7-10 pilot indicators.

To do that, we are seeking input and advice from a range of individuals and groups, including Urban Exchange panelists. We have talked with experts at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, among others. They have helped us define the actual measures and where we may get the data.

We are currently in the process of consulting with folks who live in poverty and with groups like the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council. We are also interested in the thoughts of UrbEx panelists.

With input from all of these sources, the Indicators Working Group will select a final set of 7-10 indicators in the area of poverty. Data will then be collected and analyzed.

Q: Who will use the information from Peg?

A: Peg will provide reliable, credible information on key indicators. The site will be used by a range of individuals and organizations. For example, students of all ages might use the site for research projects. Not-for-profit organizations might use the site to gather information to assist in applying for grants. Government departments might use the site to collect data about the community. Business owners might use the site to assess trends impacting their customers or to define where they may like to get involved. These are just a few examples of how Peg’s information can be used.

Click here to take the survey.

Check out the CBC website where they have posted:
- Stakeholder and anti-poverty activist perspectives on poverty
- An interactive game about the choices available to those with low incomes
- Information on low-income measures
- Profiles of people living in situations of poverty
- And interactive map of income and population in Winnipeg
- A list of links and resources

Click here to explore for yourself.

In addition, the CBC will be hosting a round-table discussion on poverty on Friday, March 26, 2010 at 1:00 pm. Check out their website to watch it online.

Emma (we have changed Emma’s name for confidentiality reasons) considers herself to have been affected by poverty at one time in her life. She is on disability and tells Urban Exchange that “a lot of times it’s check to check”. She has lived in various areas of Winnipeg and throughout the years she has accessed a variety of social programming offered in these areas.

To Emma “not enough money [and] low income is poverty. And all the rest of it would come from not having enough money and having a low income.” She goes on to say that a lack of income is at the root of many of the other ways that people identify poverty; inability to care for one’s family, hopelessness, isolation all stem from not having enough money. Throughout our conversation about poverty in Winnipeg Emma also brings up the need for food as relating closely to poverty. She says that “sometimes you do things that you don’t really want to do because you’re poor; I’ve panhandled in the past for food.” She explains that poverty forces people to make decisions to do things that they would never normally do – it’s a limiting of options due to a lack of income.

Emma agrees that poverty in Winnipeg is a serious issue and theorizes that people who don’t identify it as serious in their particular neighbourhood are just not seeing the poverty in their neighbourhood. She disagrees with the notion that poverty leads to crime, “I wouldn’t go steal a car. I don’t think that crime should be associated with poverty. Cause that’s a step further, that’s a whole different area.“

While Emma agrees with the statement that people in Winnipeg have access to opportunities for work, education and recreation, she goes on to say that she believes that the most significant thing that leads to poverty in Winnipeg is a lack of education. And does not see addictions as a cause of poverty, “I don’t agree with addiction [as a cause of poverty] because if you can afford to feed your addiction you’re not in poverty.” She sees education as the most important factor in poverty reduction and education in this instance means more to Emma than just a formal education with a degree at the end, she explains that people need to learn about life skills to manage their household, and employable skills as well – two skill sets that have helped her rise out of a situation of poverty.

Emma has learned about growing food and food storage which has helped her make food last longer, and she has gained valuable experience in food service through a local agency. Food to her has been key in freeing herself from poverty. She now buys food first and spends money on other things second. By eating better she has brought down her blood sugar level and feels that she can move through life better. This is why it is important to Emma that people who are living in poverty have access to small community gardens, “give people better food and when you eat better you can think better and sleep better and everything better” so this would affect people’s living situation, and their sense of themselves and how they feel about themselves.

Thank-you Emma for responding to this report in such a thoughtful and informative way.

What do you think of Emma’s comments? Have some comments of your own? Let us know.

Barry Hammond, who’s on the board of Agape Table, an inner-city soup kitchen, emailed to say that a large percentage of the people who access Agape Table’s services have or have had a mental and/or physical illness of some kind.  In Barry’s experience, this “contrasts significantly” with what Urban Exchange survey respondents said when we asked them about the most significant things that lead to poverty (4.6% of respondents listed physical/mental illness/disability).

Jonah Levine emailed with a link to a video and some questions of his own: “Does this man’s assessment reveal truth? Prescribe a more effective method of ending poverty in this world? Maybe?”

Watch the video – what do you think?

On this page, we’re linking to several sources of information about poverty and the work that’s being done to address the issue in Manitoba.

Please note: This is not an exhaustive list, so please feel free to add other information in the comments section.  Also note that Urban Exchange is providing these links as information only.

ALL Aboard: The Province of Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction Strategy(Province of Manitoba, 2009) – ALL Aboard is the provincial government’s poverty reduction strategy for everyone in Manitoba.  It outlines progress, partnerships, and next steps for poverty reduction in Manitoba based on safe, affordable housing, education, jobs and income support, strong, healthy families and accessible, co-ordinated services.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) – an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice. Recent publications include.  Recent publications include a report on violence and street gangs (pdf).

Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNET) Manitoba – CCEDNET believes in sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures.  Locally, the network is involved in organizing activities like the CD/CED Gathering, a community event that focuses on building fairer and stronger local economies, tackling poverty and homelessness, and investing in sustainable communities.

Make Poverty History – The Canadian Make Poverty History campaign was launched in February 2005 with the support of a wide cross-section of public interest and faith groups, trade unions, students, academics, literary, artistic and sports leaders.  A local coalition of organizations makes up Make Poverty History Manitoba.

Social Planning Council of Winnipeg reports page – SPCW has been doing social issues research for several decades and describes itself as “a vehicle for citizens to explore and assess controversial issues, bring new information into public debate and help form a public consensus around progressive solutions.”

Speak Up Winnipeg – A Key Path for Communities: Addressing Poverty – through an extensive outreach process that will contribute to OurWinnipeg, a new long-term plan for the city, Speak Up Winnipeg has gathered input and identified actions that can be completed by November 2011.

The view from here: how a living wage can reduce poverty in Manitoba – this report is the result of a collaborative process with the CCPA, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg (SPCW), Winnipeg Harvest, and United Way of Winnipeg. It provides an up to date and well researched analyses of how much income Manitoban families need to live at an acceptable, but modest, level and includes the role of government initiatives such as the Child Tax Credit.

The view from here: Manitobans call for a poverty reduction plan (pdf) – CCPA and Make Poverty History Manitoba collaborated on this outline of what they consider to be the critical elements of a meaningful poverty reduction plan. Among the dozens of recommendations made in the report are a series of targets and timelines for reducing poverty in Manitoba.

Winnipeg Harvest poverty information (pdf) -this sheet contains facts and figures pertaining to hunger and child poverty.

Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council – seeks to bring together community leaders from a variety of sectors to help support poverty reduction initiatives in our city and to develop new and innovative approaches.  The mission of the WPRC is to significantly reduce poverty in Winnipeg in hopes of creating A City Where Everyone Belongs.