By Lethbridge Herald on June 12, 2024.
Alexandra Noad
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
The City of Lethbridge has updated its Community Well-being and Safety Strategy.
The CWSS identifies community needs, gaps in service provision, priority populations and other strategic actions. The CWSS is utilized most directly by the City of Lethbridge to inform the funding disbursements from Federal Reaching Home (RH) and Provincial Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) funding sources.
Andrew Malcolm, General Manager of Community Social Development, says this strategy will help community partners help reach the goal of helping those in need.
“This strategy looks at a different approach where we’re looking for community partners to contribute in their own way towards the same goal,” said Malcolm Tuesday at City Hall.
One of the changes is a new Community Well-being Advisory Board. Malcolm hopes this will improve transparency for where the funds are distributed.
“City council has agreed to take a step back from their role in approving all the funding disbursements, giving that responsibility to a Community well-being Advisory Board, which will be established part of a big next step for us. We hope that we can improve transparency on where funds are going in the community,” said Malcolm.
The City confirmed there will be designated spots on the board for Indigenous members to have their perspectives heard.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says just because some organizations received funding previously, doesn’t mean they’ll continue to receive it.
“Those that have always received it may not receive it if they don’t prove that they’re in need of the funds. So again it’s cutting some of the red tape speeding up the process and just making it a little smoother going forward,” said Hyggen.
Malcolm hopes the updated strategy will help the city advocate for the resources it needs.
“It also is a tool for us to advocate for resources that we might not currently have in our community. Understanding what our gaps are and not just necessarily going to where other communities are are drawing their funds,” said Malcolm.
Malcolm also stated that the City is looking to non-profit organizations advocate how they can help the community.
“We’re encouraging all nonprofit and businesses with a social lens to put forward proposals on what they think they can do for our community. The Community Well-being Advisory Board will be reviewing all those and hopefully for the benefit of the community,” said Malcolm.
Hyggen says he has great faith in the board to make the right decisions for the community.
“I’m confident that they’ve really crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s and make sure that this is a process that will work going forward,” said Hyggen.
More information about the Community Well-being Advisory Board will be provided later this week.
18
My real time work with facebook Im making over $2000 a month operating low maintenance. I continued hearing distinctive people divulge to me how an lousy lot cash they can make on line so I selected to research it. All topics considered, it become all legitimate and has without a doubt changed my life. For more statistics……………………..𝕨𝕨𝕨.𝕓𝕚𝕘.𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕪𝟟.𝕔𝕠𝕞