Rural Development Network - Building Community Capacity

RDN set up Middlesex County for success by delivering quality website content and educational graphics for our homelessness communications plan. The content was provided in templates that were easy to use and adapt as our needs changed and revisions were needed. RDN also created branding for the project with a new logo, tagline and matching graphics. The communication plan outlined how to implement the communications through the various channels, including social media, to reach target audiences. The plan also provided evaluation metrics for our communications goals, so we could measure the success of our campaigns. We appreciated how RDN listened to our needs and delivered exactly what we needed and more.

Joe Winser, Director of Human Services, Middlesex County

Homelessness, Shared Services

We engaged RDN to complete a full review and update of our organizational policies at a time when we simply didn’t have the internal capacity to take it on. From start to finish, they were easy to work with, asked thoughtful and insightful questions, and delivered exactly what we needed—on time and on budget. Their expertise and efficiency made a complex process feel manageable, and we could not have done it without them. We would absolutely recommend RDN to any organization looking for knowledgeable, dependable, and professional support.

Stephanie Miller, Lloydminster Region Housing Group

Shared Services

The Shelter Pulse Database Project enabled rural and remote shelters to work together in providing trauma-informed policies and procedures for violence against women shelters in Canada. The experts from the field that gathered to share their knowledge to the Shelter Pulse Database make this new tool invaluable. Under the leadership of the Rural Development Network, many partner shelters contributed to the outcome.

Cindy Easton – Mountain Rose Women’s Shelter Association (MRWSA)

As a previous participant in the Enabling Housing Choice project with RDN, we are excited to be making progress on key recommendations outlined in RDN’s report – Attracting Diverse Housing Development in Mayerthorpe. This report has been critical to understanding our community’s diverse housing needs, and has equipped us with  community-informed insights on how to address these needs.

Karen St. Martin – Town of Mayerthorpe

Enabling Housing Choice, Housing

Understanding the significance of having people with lived experience and Indigenous people being at the tables of all conversations – especially those with decision making authority. The value of community, and looking after ourselves so we can serve others. That there is a community of people who I can learn from and share with in my work to serve my community.

Training Participant

National Coordinated Access

This training was so invigorating, refreshing and very much needed. The intimate setting, I feel, made a huge difference. We left the event with a deeper understanding and a strengthened network. We were reminded to focus on the capacity that we have, not necessarily all we would love to be able to do, and take it in steps. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Coordinated Access Training Participant

National Coordinated Access

Creating a sense of home is so much more than just a building and the Innovation Fund gave SHI and the YWCA creative space to think differently about our approach to design. Living in Banff National Park also strongly influenced our commitment to net zero targets. Belonging, security, connection, affordability, community pride-these are all factors that have influenced how we developed the Courtyard project.

Connie MacDonald- Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Banff

Housing

We are forever grateful to work together on this insight for our project. If not for the support from RDN on this we would not be where we are today! Our dream was to attain transitional, affordable and market housing in our community. This turned into a goal and now a reality. This housing continuum of care will be able to meet people’s needs while recognizing what their housing realities mean in a rural perspective. RDN has walked along with us and been able to connect and answer many questions, concerns and thoughts during this time.

Rebecca Wells – Executive Director, Wellspring Family Resource Center

Housing

We brainstormed and some said nature and multiculturalism because we are a multicultural building, with people from many different countries and ethnicities here. So we wanted something to represent that, and the mural will make us a landmark in the community as there i s alot of foot-traffic in the community.

St. Joachim Tenant on the Community Mural

Placemaking for Inclusion

There were people there who don’t normally show up to different functions. Everybody was doing something somewhere and were happy to participate and help others

St. Joachim Tenant on the Mural-Painting Event

Placemaking for Inclusion

The atmosphere was quite welcoming for everyone. One person said they had been here for 20 years and this was the best event they had seen. The busyness of the room encouraged cliques to break up and this increase mingling

St. Joachim Tenant on the Mural-Painting Event

Placemaking for Inclusion

It really brought the community together. Overall it was a great success. We also really enjoyed the painting, it was a great opportunity for those who had never painted before.

Senior Tenant, La Société des Manoirs Saint-Joachim

Placemaking for Inclusion