Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Network presents Needs Assessment

Two years ago, a group called the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Network was founded in Red Deer.

On Monday, its co-chairs presented the 2016 Needs Assessment report to city council.

Andrea Lacoursiere says while things have improved during her lifetime in this city, there’s a temperature rising around hate groups.

“We saw three weeks ago at Lindsay Thurber. We have to address it and we have to look at our leadership for that mechanism to address it,” she says.

The report identifies three key areas of focus: Indigenous people, people with complex needs, and a lack of access to resources which would be helpful in combatting incidents of discrimination.

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“I can walk around downtown Red Deer and I can see that there are gaps that aren’t being addressed,” Lacoursiere said. “I’ve seen an increase in IV drug use significantly. [In 2012], we were handing out a lot of needles. I know that it’s since doubled. The opioid crisis is becoming an epidemic that we aren’t equipped to handle and I don’t want to lose anybody, so let’s just make sure that doesn’t happen.”

What she hopes will happen now is an increased dialogue with the City’s social planning department.

Ultimately, they’re the City department that receives FCSS funding. What we’ve done with this needs assessment is identified some gaps and so what we want to do is make sure those gaps are being addressed in the best way possible,” she says “We’re a network of community agencies and community members and we don’t have funding, so there’s not a lot of things we can do apart from using our voice.”

Lacoursiere adds it’s tried and true that organizations make more progress on their goals and aspirations if they are collaborating as opposed to competing for funds. She says funders need to take a more holistic approach to deciding where dollars go.

“A couple of things,” says Mayor Tara Veer, “we’ve prioritized building an accessible and welcoming community at the City of Red Deer recognizing our role as one of Red Deer’s major employers, but also in terms of our responsibility to build community.”

The WIC Network meets from 9 to 11 a.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery. The final meeting before a summer break is on July 20.

The full needs assessment report can be found at RedDeer.ca.