April 26, 2007

3.2. Important Factors Creating Issues………………….…4

4.1. What is working well in the community? ………………8

4.2   What do we need to improve or add that would make a difference? ………………………………………………9

-2-

1. Welcome & Introduction

2. Brief Review United Way of South Georgian & “Community Matters” project

3. Part 1: Issues – Turbo Brainstorming

• What are your communities’ most pressing issues?
• What are the most important factors creating these issues?

• What is working well
• What needs improvement

• Negative perception of youth.  Small percentage are in trouble of the law.
• Lack of activities both structured and unstructured
• Family Structure – more low income families, and in many cases 2 parents are working, therefore less structure at home.
• Fragmentation
• Transportation to recreational activities
• Money/Cost to participate
• Substance abuse

-4-

• Change in societal expectations
• Lack of respect for authority
• Lack of recreational programming

• Non-existant
• Costly
• Limited access for disabled community
• Senior widows who never drove, couples that won’t drive after dark, and widows that are too old to drive all feel very isolated.  It makes them dependant on family members, friends and neighbours.
• Red Cross Bus is only available from 8:30-4:30.  There is only the 1 bus available.  It needs to be more accessable to the public.
• Gas tax

• Lack of communication options
• Lack of sharing
• Connections to the right people
• Plurality of communities
• Various communities in Clearview township feel a disconnect.  They don’t have that sense of community and the feeling of “Community Spirit.”  It may take 1 more generation for the community feeling to be unified.
• Entrenched territories
• Lack of coordination of social resources
• Seniors are reluctant to reach out or rely on others
• Lack of networking opportunities
• Generational attitude that occurs in Clearview

• Abuse of volunteers, always the same people doing all the work
• Burnout
• Issue dependant
• Lack of awareness of the need for volunteers and volunteer opportunities
• Loyalty of the younger generation.  The 45 years of age and older population aren’t as loyal.
• Time constraints
• Volunteers need more recognition
• Different mindset
• Liability issues

• Non-existant
• Diplorable rentals – very poor conditions
• Lack of supportive housing
• Expensive
• Low rental stock
• Unsafe crowded living conditions
• Cost of home ownership has increased
• Changing demographics
• Lack of advocates for needs
• People travelling out to work
• People that live here don’t work here and vice versa
• Seniors can’t manage their homes

• Where is it?
• Non-existant

• Lack of Physicians and Specialists
• Lack of transportation
• Distance to the hospital
• Access to Emergency Services and Specialists especially in rural areas
• Insufficient training with doctors, and lack of personal skills 
• Poor treatment to seniors
• Lack of preventative measures
• Seniors hearing
• Lack of care giving

• Lack of funding
• Lack of integration
• Lack of diversified opportunities that are affordable and accessible
• Need for a swimming pool

• No daily newspaper – under serviced in publication
• Ward 6 (New Lowell) feels a disconnect with in the municipality

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Ranking Of Issues

Achieved through the dotmocracy process

• Youth                                                   oooooo                           
• Transportation/Seniors                          oooooo
• Networking                                       ooo
• Volunteerism                                      ooo
• Affordable Housing                              ooo
• Funding                                                         oo