Based on widespread input from Scarborough communities, SCAN has a mandate to focus on the equity issue of THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES through supporting civic engagement in the following ways:
1. INFORMATION-SHARING about how to have a voice in decision-making processes related to the roots of violence and conflict in underserved communities including:
- Regularly featuring information in SCAN’s monthly newsletter about individuals and groups in Scarborough advocating to address the roots of violence and conflict in underserved communities
- Resources to create safe communities (legal aid, audit tools, etc)
2. CAPACITY-BUILDING to enable Scarborough residents to learn about how to create safe communities through policies that will include:
- An online workshop series that targets youth that outlines examples of actions to make communities safer, how to organize actions and tools for engaging effectively with politicians about problems/concerns and influencing the policy process (use parallel issues/campaigns to illustrate like harm reduction, pedestrian safety, seatbelts, MADD, etc) and aims to empower youth
- Develop content with support from Toronto Youth Cabinet, SLYE, Zero Gun Violence, etc
- Work with community grassroots youth-oriented groups to hold workshops
- Work with safety groups/tables, initiatives, YOWs
3. CIVIC ACTION CAMPAIGNS that will focus on creating more safe places for youth including mental health supports and unstructured spaces including
- A community safety social media campaign with a focus on youth – example: “My vision for a safe community in Scarborough…” – collect ideas through social media campaign about:
- More funding of youth spaces in underserved communities
- More funding and availability of mental health supports for youth in underserved communities
- Youth employment opportunities
- Social services programs
- Recruit youth to provide ideas and implement
- Support campaign actions and group organizing
Priority communities for 2020-21 are
- the working poor
- racialized communities
- women
- residents in underserved neighbourhoods
- immigrants
- seniors
- using an intersectional lens: low income working racialized immigrant senior women living in underserved neighbourhoods
