Jesus Daniel Puerto’s Post

From the desk of Dr. Gerilyn Davis: Happy Thursday! I hope that you are having an enriching end to the week. I feel enriched when I think of the value inclusion has brought to my life. In Phase Four: Review Weekly of the SWORD Inclusion System for Mountain Towns, we recognize how our inclusive practices have already begun to shift the community. --- DECISION MAKING: By putting inclusion at the forefront, we reframe conflict as a means to clarify decisions.  --- PLANNING ALIGNMENT: We align better around planning because we have the community’s support. --- INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: When community members know their perspectives matter, they are more likely to engage in the community. There is something unique about the mountain town experience. I’ve always wanted to move closer to the mountains. You never know, I may be making my way to an inclusive mountain town. Enjoy the day! #joyofinclusion #inclusionexpansion #inclusionincludesyoutoo #InclusionontheSlopes #SWORDInclusionSystem #PhaseFourReviewWeekly #Inclusivemountaintowns

Radical Acceptance: Building Community in a Divided World. Join us in this enlightening discussion on radical acceptance as a powerful tool for community building and accountability. Discover how to embrace differences and foster a safe space for genuine connections, even amidst disagreements. It's time to bridge divides and create inclusive communities! #RadicalAcceptance #CommunityBuilding #InclusionMatters #SocialAccountability #UnderstandingDifferences #Neurodiversity #SafeSpaces #EmpathyInAction #BuildingBridges #MentalHealthAwareness

From the desk of Dr. Gerilyn Davis: Happy Thursday! I hope that you are having an enriching end to the week. I feel enriched when I think of the value inclusion has brought to my life. In Phase Four: Review Weekly of the SWORD Inclusion System for Mountain Towns, we recognize how our inclusive practices have already begun to shift the community. --- DECISION MAKING: By putting inclusion at the forefront, we reframe conflict as a means to clarify decisions.  --- PLANNING ALIGNMENT: We align better around planning because we have the community’s support. --- INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: When community members know their perspectives matter, they are more likely to engage in the community. There is something unique about the mountain town experience. I’ve always wanted to move closer to the mountains. You never know, I may be making my way to an inclusive mountain town. Enjoy the day! #joyofinclusion #inclusionexpansion #inclusionincludesyoutoo #InclusionontheSlopes #SWORDInclusionSystem #PhaseFourReviewWeekly #Inclusivemountaintowns

Top-down approaches to community engagement can be problematic for a number of reasons: ➡ They miss the opportunity for genuine insight or reform ➡ Selective participation excludes certain stakeholders ➡ Direction is often aligned with pre-determined outcomes, rendering efforts ineffective and outcomes harmful ➡ Inequalities are perpetuated

The last point about top down approaches perpetuating inequalities is the most important one to remember - Top-down approaches that use methods such as centralisation, reinforce existing power imbalances favouring those in positions of authority and/or granting power through selective participation. This further marginalises community members and creates inequity (noting that inequity refers to differences that are unnecessary and avoidable, unfair and unjust). At minimum, we should all be able to expect community engagement initiatives to do no harm.

Are you a state or local government looking to expand your community engagement? Dive into our latest article to explore three powerful strategies designed to increase inclusivity and strengthen connections within your community. Learn more at https://hubs.la/Q02wqvNv0. #CommunityEngagement #Inclusion PublicInput

Community listening involves assembling people to examine distinctive problems and facilitating dialogue. The objective is to understand diverse perspectives within the community, encourage mutual understanding, identify common ground, and inspire collaborative efforts. This approach improves community engagement, boosts shared values, and empowers citizens to collectively address challenges and contribute to local decision-making processes. #civility #civildiscourse #civildialogue #communitybuilding #community #activelistening #mutualunderstanding #commonground #dispute #disputeresolution

Increasingly we're finding folks can get overwhelmed with the volume of data we include in our "big" Vital Signs reports. This year we're trying something more manageable - a Roundup on Growth in the City. But not the kind of growth you might expect. In this case it's the growth of financial vulnerability, where 2.7 million of our neighbours say they are struggling to make ends meet (up 700k in a single year). That is nearly half the people in the metropolitan Toronto area. What does 'struggling' mean? Half of our residents are reporting income of $38,500 or less/year. These are our neighbors folks. This is half of our city. Let's use this as a reality check and take action: we need people connecting, volunteering, advocating and giving again.

I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to contribute to the 2024 Toronto #VitalSigns research report. It highlights significant poverty and vulnerability growth in Toronto, with close to half of the population earning below a living wage. Over 2.7 million people report struggling financially, up by 700,000 from last year. Rising living costs and low wages mean many residents can't access or afford nutritious food, increasing reliance on food banks, which are strained by high demand. Food sovereignty is critically impacted as low-income and racialized communities lack resources to grow or control their food systems, heightening vulnerability. There’s a call to support local food initiatives like Black Creek Community Farm that empower communities, prioritize affordability, and tackle food sovereignty through policy changes and sustainable practices.

🤝 What is the key to equity-centered community engagement? Our latest guide provides actionable strategies that can transform how governments interact with the communities they serve. It’s the roadmap you need to tackle challenges head-on and create more inclusive engagement. 🚀 Learn from our partnership with the State of Washington’s Office of Equity and see how these strategies have been successfully implemented! 🔗 Download your copy today and begin your journey to equitable engagement: https://hubs.ly/Q02XSMnT0 #PublicEngagement #EquityLeadership #CivicParticipation #GovernmentInnovation #CommunitySolutions #InclusionMatters #EquityForAll #TransformativeChange