A new initiative aimed at building stronger, more resilient neighbourhoods is launching across Windsor-Essex.
Pathway to Potential is launching the Neighbourhoods Program which looks at the region's poverty reduction strategy and aims to build stronger neighbourhoods in areas experiencing economic hardship and impacts to quality of life.
At the heart of the program is the Connected Community Approach (CCA). Through this approach, residents are placed at the forefront of change-making, supported by community organizations - known as neighbourhood leads - who are responsible for implementing the program in their designated areas.
United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County is a neighbourhood lead within ward 2 in west Windsor as well as ward 4 in downtown Windsor on the east side of Ouellette Avenue. Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative is the neighbourhood lead for ward 3 in downtown Windsor on the west side of Ouellette.
The launch of the initiative will take place in each neighbourhood over the coming weeks.
Stephen Lynn, the city's manager of social policy and planning, says the neighbourhoods were identified through the quality of life index that was created.
"It's essentially a mapping tool that helped us to have an initial understanding of disparities between neighbourhoods. And so this tool was developed with City of Windsor staff, as well as we sought input from residents, and local experts, and practitioners, we identified some of those top neighbourhoods that would be benefiting from this investment."
He says they have three objectives they are working towards.
"These are neighbourhood based organizations that are going to be working with residents on improving the quality of life for the residents living in these neighbourhoods. We have three objectives, we're going to be activating resources, generating social capital which to say it a different way is building relationships between residents, and empowering residents."
Lynn says this will be a partnership between residents and the neighbourhood leads.
"One of the major initiatives that these neighbourhood leads are going to be working with residents on is creating a neighbourhood action plan. So they're going to be co-creating an action plan for the next few years so that residents can work together with these neighbourhood leads to really make change, improve the quality of life, and to activate resources."
The new poverty reduction strategy was adopted by the City of Windsor and the County of Essex in 2024 where goal one of the strategy was to strengthen priority neighbourhoods.
Over the coming weeks, residents will be able to connect with their neighbourhood leads and learn how they can get involved in shaping the future of their communities.
The Neighbourhoods Program also considers North Leamington as a priority neighbourhood.
-with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides