New Act Will Fund Community Networks



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New Act Will Fund Community Networks Posted: March 1 , 2010 Source: SDOH New Act Will Fund Community Networks Published Friday February 26th, 2010 Sue Rickards Commentary On Feb. 19, the legislature gave unanimous approval for the first reading of the New Brunswick Economic and Social Inclusion Act, which creates the structure to guide and support the implementation of our plan called Overcoming Poverty Together. This is worth celebrating, as it points us in a whole new direction. Instead of treating people living in poverty as liabilities, it defines them as assets. They are no longer victims of misplaced institutional charity; now they will have opportunities to become engaged citizens. It is a return to our community roots, with a commitment from all sectors to support the goal of poverty reduction and socioeconomic inclusion. This Act ensures that there is a mechanism to help people live in health and safety, learn in a variety of settings, and belong as participating members of their communities. Assistance no longer takes the form of the hand-out; now it will be a hand-up. Programs and services will smooth the path out of poverty, rather than erect bureaucratic roadblocks to progress. The focus of action is the NB Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation. Operating at arms-length from government, it will have a 23-member Board of Directors drawn from the four partner sectors: government, business, non-profit organizations and people who have experienced poverty. It will also include ministers of relevant government departments. This board will administer the affairs of the corporation through a coordination unit, whose major responsibility will be to support and assist the community inclusion networks. These networks will be the hubs of interlocking services. At this point, 15 community inclusion networks are proposed to serve the entire province. They will consist of representatives of all sectors coming together at the community level to develop a plan for socioeconomic inclusion. They will determine local priorities for action which is consistent with Overcoming Poverty Together. It is expected that they will take different forms in different places, and that their priorities will vary. This structure allows communities to focus on what is important to them, rather than trying to fit some predetermined top-down programming. The funding for the networks will come from various sources, including the corporation and others external to government in other sectors. For the first five-year segment of the inclusion strategy, the government has established the Economic and Social Inclusion Fund to support a range of local initiatives, from community school projects in low-income neighbourhoods to the development of transportation services. Lack of transportation has been highlighted as a challenge that prevents people in poverty from accessing health services, education, employment and opportunities for other forms of community participation. Because mobility is so critical, especially in rural areas, funding has been allocated to this issue. There are many other government initiatives which feed into Overcoming Poverty Together, including the community schools and early learning programs, support for literacy, a major overhaul of the income assistance system, support for transition-to-work projects, development of a prescription drug program, and a comprehensive housing strategy. The Community Inclusion Networks have access to all government resources, as well as others which are based in the private and charitable sectors. Nobody knows yet exactly how the Community Inclusion Networks will work. We are breaking new ground. We do know, however, that they do not replicate the traditional government model, which off-loads responsibilities to communities without supportive resources. This structure was developed from input by all sectors through an engagement process lasting more than a year. It is an intersectoral agreement, designed to draw resources from every direction, reducing dependence on government and developing diverse assets to meet local needs. Not all communities have the capacity to establish a community inclusion network; some are more prepared than others with their own networks connecting various sectors. It is the intent of the plan to assist communities to regain their capacity for local action so that none is excluded from the opportunities provided by Overcoming Poverty Together. The new Act offers the flexibility to leverage and integrate resources in new ways. This grassroots approach is the essence of democracy. It may be clumsy, even tedious, but the results will be grounded in strong communities that value and include every one of their citizens. Sue Rickards is a member of the transition team, which is helping to move the inclusion plan from theory to practice.