A progress report being presented to city council on June 9 shows that more action items are being launched, more community partners are involved, and momentum is growing as the Community Safety Plan (CSP) heads into its final two years.
Launched in 2021, the CSP is a five-year roadmap to help make Kelowna a safer, more inclusive place to live. It was built with input from nearly 900 people and more than 30 local organizations, and endorsed by council in 2022.
乌鸦传媒淭he CSP is a pragmatic five-year action plan which provides a strategic framework through which diverse agencies collaborate and coordinate their efforts to reduce risk, vulnerability, and harm,乌鸦传媒� the report states.
Several complex issues are being tackled by the CSP乌鸦传媒檚 Stewardship Team, which includes senior representatives from the city, RCMP, Interior Health, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Okanagan College, School District 23, and KCR Community Resources. They乌鸦传媒檙e supported by operational Action Teams that do the hands-on work of implementing ideas.
Of the $250,000 allocated in 2022 for the plan乌鸦传媒檚 five-year roll-out, 29 per cent ($72,600) has been spent, 18 per cent ($45,000) is earmarked for ongoing work, 53 per cent ($138,000) remains for the final two years.
Notable initiatives:
Initiated 乌鸦传媒� Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence led by the Ministry of Children and Family Development:
- Expanding programs that teach healthy relationships and parenting;
- Creating campaigns to help people recognize and report IPV;
- Pushing for more funding for wraparound services that help people transition out of shelters.
Planning 乌鸦传媒� Peer-Led Safety Projects
- An action item focused on peer involvement in community safety is in the works. The city乌鸦传媒檚 social development team is working with Downtown Kelowna Association, Uptown Rutland Business Association, PEOPLE Lived Experience Society and the Lived Experience Circle on Homelessness.
Executing 乌鸦传媒� Strong Neighbourhoods Program
- This initiative has grown significantly. So far, 84 neighbourhoods have established 乌鸦传媒淏lock Connectors,乌鸦传媒� a promotional video was released, and an asset-based community development workshop was held.
The city has launched a new CSP dashboard, available on its website. The goal is to increase transparency and highlight the work of more than 55 project partners.
The report says the CSP has not only produced real action but also changed how local agencies work together.
乌鸦传媒淢ore importantly it has changed how we work in the community safety space,乌鸦传媒� the report states. 乌鸦传媒淚t has shown the importance of a collaborative, strategic approach among partners versus isolated efforts which sometimes duplicated the work and created competition for resources.乌鸦传媒�
