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What is The Social Planning Council?

Activities:

o Monthly Meetings: Attend meetings with guest speakers from within the community &/or presentations at each meeting. We currently meet the fourth Monday of every month (excluding summer) at City Hall with light lunch by donation.

o Facebook & Email Group: Utilize the network on Facebook. Start discussions, learn about & share upcoming community events, projects and meetings. If you don’t use Facebook, then join the email network instead.

o Inform City Council: The SPC provides reports to City Council regularly and the City keeps the SPC informed. Use the network and have your voices heard.



Strategic Direction of the Social Planning Council of Williams Lake & Area:

o Poverty Reduction and the local Living Wage Campaign.

o Community Collaboration and Networking.

o Retention and Succession of residents within the Area.



Community Social Planning:

o Supports communities in building an integrated approach to complex problems that take into account social, economic, and environmental concerns.

o Maximizes the effectiveness of often scarce resources by working to reduce duplication, overlap and competition.

o Provides an ongoing forum for communication, coordination and conflict resolution.



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Three Highlights from our November 12, 2009 Monthly Meeting

1) To address the great need to enhance the accessibility of programs and services available to residents has lead to a partnership with the United Way for an online Community Resource Directory for the Williams Lake Area.

This partnership includes grant funding from United Way which will cover the costs of developing the website as well as hosting and maintenance fees for a five year period.

More updates will be posted as this project continues.

2) The City of Williams Lake "Imagine our Future" project (http://www.imagineourfuture.ca/) is seeking community members feedback and discussion in ten areas of focus in cluding social well being. Please contact City Planner Liliana Dragowska at 250-392-1770 or ldragowska@williamslake.ca

3) CTC Update: a) A successfull Community Board Meeting was held recently which mapped out the project for the next few months, b) Community Assessment Report is in draft form and scheduled to be released to the public in January. Prior to then it will be presented to the Key Leaders Group at their December meeting, c) Community Action Plan training in Williams Lake begins Dec 8, d) In Anahim Lake the project is in the same stages and has the valuable assistance from UNBC Social Work Practicum student.

October 19, 2009 Annual General Meeting Summary

AGM business included Chair Report from Monica Johnson, Financial Report from Anne Smith, Williams Lake Food Policy Council update from Tatjana Bates, Communities that Care presentation update from Anne Burrill, and the Election of Officers.

New Board of Directors includes: Diana French, Monica Johnson, Anne Smith, Jay Goddard and Rosanna McGregor.

At 7:00 pm Keynote Speaker Seth Klein gave a compelling overview of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) "A Poverty Reduction Plan for BC". This report (summary, full report and video slideshow can be found online at the following web page address: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/ or email us directly.

We are taking membership renewals - please email spc-coordinator@xplornet.com for a registration form.

Contact Us

The Social Planning Council is made up of volunteers from the community. Many of us work in social services agencies or also volunteer for other organizations.

Our Mailing Address is Box 20045, Williams Lake BC V2G 4R1

To reach the Society Coordinator Jessica Dunn please email spc-coordinator@xplornet.com or call 250-243-2126

To reach the Communities that Care Project Facilitator Barb Jones please email communitiesthatcare.wl@gmail.com or call 250-305-4838

To reach the THRIVE Williams Lake Project Manager Anne Burrill please email annelburrill@gmail.com or call 250-267-7211

To reach the current SPC Chair Larry Stranberg please email happytrails@cfdccariboo.com or call 250-392-3626