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United Way of Thunder Bay - Community Impact - Focus Areas - Kids - Partnerships & Initiatives

Partnerships & Initiatives

It takes a whole community working together to change social conditions.

The United Way of Thunder Bay is working with local partners to build a strong community and improve the quality of live for all. Community Impact is not a new concept for the United Way. Throughout our history we have been committed to improving and strengthening community.

We continue to engage and mobilize the community, addressing underlying causes to community issues, strengthening the network of services and influencing public attitudes and systems. Our goal is for our community to be measurably better off as a result of the work of the United Way and partners.

For more information please contact the Director of Community Impact, Sandra Albertson at salbertson(at)uwaytbay.ca or 626-1766

These are some examples of the United Way's many partnerships and initiatives.

Poverty

At United Way, we work with all areas of the community ...

Kids

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Community

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The Beginning Of The United Way's Work With Youth

In 2007, United Way became one of five communities in Canada to undertake a project called YouthScape (YS). YS worked with a diverse cross-section of youth and youth at risk.

The emphasis of the project was to provide opportunities and engage youth to take on the leadership role in carrying out community development projects in Thunder Bay. YS helped implement 35 youth-led projects over 3 years and involved over 400 youth from our community. From this project the United Way learned the many benefits of involving youth in a meaningful way.

Building The Capacity Of A Neighbourhood

In 2004, the United Way of Thunder Bay became one of five United Ways from across Canada to undertake a neighbourhood capacity building project: Action for Neighbourhood Change (ANC). The United Way worked in collaboration with the Simpson/Ogden neighbourhood from 2005 to 2009. The key consideration from the outset of the project was the need to engage and build a trusting working relationship with the area residents.

The project worked closely at the ground level to engage a wide range of residents, including those who have been long-standing members of the neighbourhood as well as newcomers. Representatives from a range of services and organizations (e.g. health, addictions, food security, recreation, arts were actively involved.

ANC brought together neighbourhood residents and representatives from area organizations and businesses to become the advisory committee to the project. Over several years of developmental processes the United Way assisted this group to evolve into the Simpson/Ogden neighbourhood association: Evergreen: A United Neighbourhood. Evergreen is now operating as a charitable organization that offers a range of programs and services in the neighbourhood. The United Way continues to provide support to Evergreen and their neighbourhood building programs.

Building Community Capacity Through Youth Engagement

The United Way believes it is important to engage young people in local decision-making processes because it develops and draws upon their knowledge, skills, values, and in doing so, helps to create a more vibrant community.

The Development Of An Access To Information System

In August 2001, the United Way facilitated the first meeting of community partners to discuss the potential of bringing 211 to Thunder Bay. This resulted in a collaborative effort over several years that planned, developed and implemented the 211 program in Thunder Bay and area.

211 is an easy-to-remember three-digit phone number providing free, confidential, multilingual access to information about the full range of community, social, health and government services. Today, the 211 service is delivered by the Lakehead Social Planning Council and continues to be supported by United Way.

Development of a Food Distribution Network

In 1998, the United Way conducted a needs assessment to identify gaps in service delivery. This resulted in a collaboration with the Thunder Bay Health Unit, Lakehead Social Planning Council, Food Banks and Shelters around the development of what is now known as the Regional Food Distribution Association.

The RFDA operates today as the hub for food distribution to all local food banks. In any given month RFDA's food banks and feeding programs will provide for the needs of over 8700 people. Over 26,000 meals are also provided. The United Way continues to support this program.

Development Of A Youth Strategy

From the work of YouthScape, the United Way determined there was a need to bring youth and youth service organizations together to work plan for the future. The Thunder Bay Youth Strategy is led by a youth/adult Steering Committee who is working with the youth service system in Thunder Bay to create positive change and opportunities in the youth community.

Phones for Families

This program provides free telephone service to qualified parents/guardians of children enrolled in elementary and high schools in Thunder Bay. The United Way facilitated the planning, development, and implementation of the project with partners: Tbaytel, Lakehead Social Planning Council, District Social Service Administration Board, Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board and the Lakehead District School Board.

Currently, there are over 100 families using the program that did not have telephones prior to being in the program. This program has provided the opportunity for the schools to contact the families and they have reported that attendance of children has improved. Participating families also reported they were able to more easily access needed social, recreational, medical and employment services.

Poverty Elimination Strategy

From 2007 to 2012, the United Way worked with Poverty Free Thunder Bay. In this time the United Way, along with several other community members, assisted in the formation of the Poverty Elimination Planning Committee.

Together with the Lakehead Social Planning Council, this group helped secure funding to carry out the development of a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Thunder Bay. In 2013, the committee released the document: Building a Better Thunder Bay for All: A Community Action Strategy to Reduce Poverty. UW continues to work with the Steering Committee of this initiative and lead partners: LSPC, Poverty Free Thunder Bay and the City of Thunder Bay.

Quality of Life Network (QOLN)

The United Way and 30 Funded Agencies have come together to form the QOLN. The QOLN are collaborating to provide services; share assets; committed to mutual education and to engage the community in finding positive solutions.

The network focuses on identifying and working within areas of community priority that are relevant to RESPECT and to continue to improve the quality of life in Thunder Bay.

Thunder Bay Counts

The United Way, along with Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre and other partners are embarked on a new initiative, Thunder Bay Counts. This project addressed barriers to well-being and is helping to determine what priority areas we should work on together, what outcomes we would like to achieve in these priority areas and develop indicators that will help us measure and report on our progress along the way.

Working With Our Nishwaaswi Committee

In 2009, building bridges with our Aboriginal Community was identified as an important part of the United Way's role of working with our community. Today, the United Way Nishwaaswi Committee has been established. The committee has a working Terms of Reference and begun developing their role and activities of how they will work with the community.

Youth Philanthropy: The Youth 4 Community Program

This is a United Way led initiative that raises and distributes funding to registered charitable organizations who would like to carry out a youth orientated program, service or project. Youth 4 Community funds are raised by local high school students yearly through this initiative. All funds raised are granted out to local charitable organizations that provide youth programs and services. Granting decisions are carried out through the United Way Youth Granting Committee, with the assistance of an adult representative from the United Way Allocation Committee. All funding applications are reviewed by the Youth Granting Committee who then makes the difficult decision of how funding will be allocated to community youth programs.

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United Way of Thunder Bay

United Way of Thunder Bay is leading the way to a better community by improving the quality of life for all local people. By collaborating with community partners, we are leading the way to addressing social issues in our community and investing in three critical areas: Poverty, Kids and Strong Communities. Donations to the United Way are strategically invested across Thunder Bay to many vital programs and initiatives in these areas, creating a social safety net that works to achieve lasting change for our neighbours, families and friends.