By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Northumberland County’s consultant helping to establish a Community Liaison Committee for optimal integration of its new shelter at 310 Division St. into the Cobourg community struggled with a loss for words when Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland asked him why he hadn’t included anyone on the committee who is opposed to shelter services in general.
Senior Associate Chris Gorman of OrgCode Consulting was describing the very specific make-up of the committee at this week’s meeting of county council’s Social Services Committee when Mayor Lucas Cleveland (not a committee member but sitting in) wondered if they had brought on board “anyone who isn’t fully supportive of shelter services? People who are critical of providing any shelter services? How diverse did we get, or did we get diversity among people who are supportive of Transition House?”
Gorman replied that they obviously could only form a board from those who responded to their open call for expressions of interest.
“Everybody that applied – the common denominator clearly was that they wanted to see better outcomes moving forward,” he said.
“Not everybody who was selected share the same opinions about the shelter, about homelessness. I would say there are definitely people on the committee who have a much more…”
Gorman paused as he searched for the right word.
“…focused lens on what’s not working. And I think that was honestly a big piece of this – trying to make sure we are being as honest as possible.”
On balance, Gorman was enthusiastic about the committee that has formed.
“We are working diligently with a very good group of community members who are very committed to navigating for a successful integration of 310 into the community.”
The call for expressions of interest resulted in a “large number of very great applicants committed and wanting to find a way to contribute.”
While not everyone could be a part of the committee, he said, they hope to create opportunities for each of them to play a role in the committee’s success.
“It makes no sense to leave that amount of talent on the table,” he stated.
He summed up the committee’s purpose as a focus on fostering collaboration between Transition House’s shelter and the broader community, serving as an on-going means of two-way communication in support of the shelter’s integration into the surrounding neighbourhood.
What they cannot do is make decisions for Transition House, nor undertake direct interactions with its clients or its operations.
“It’s promoting a better understanding of what the shelter does and how it impacts the community around it,” Gorman said.
For example, while the shelter emphatically is not a safe-consumption hub and, in fact, does not tolerate drug use, that means that those determined to use drugs will be banned and will be using drugs in the community.
This leads to one thing that comes up repeatedly, he said – misunderstandings and misconceptions about homelessness, the work that the shelter does. It is hoped that the work of the committee will go some distance toward providing some clarity.
The process of the committee as it stands today began with that open call for expressions of interest.
These applications were invited to an in-person training session, after which “an incredible number of people were still interested.” An interview process ensued, based on what the individuals had to offer and the needs of the committee to ensure certain areas of representation – neighbours of 310 Division Street, the faith community, mental health and local businesses, for example.
Final decisions were made, and the first meeting was held in November.
Community members are Hillary Allen, Beth Bellaire, Chloe Craig, Kim Gay, Liz Greaves, Rob James, Erisa Katona, Bob LeDrew, Kendra Simmons, Sheri Syer, Catherine White and Brenda Whitehead.
Members acting as delegates for other organizations are Jennifer Bogart for the Downtown Business Improvement Area, Chris Challenger of the Town of Cobourg, Daniel Gaito of Trinity United Church, Meaghan Macdonald (Board Chair) and Ike Nwibe (Executive Director) on behalf of Transition House, Janice MacDonald of Cobourg Police Services, Carol Rutherford for Community Health Centres of Northumberland, Emma Taylor of Northumberland Hills Hospital Community Mental Health and Kim Wilkinson of Community Paramedics.
Carman and Smith attend as county representatives.
“I am unbelievably impressed with everybody who is on the CLC, and everybody who applied. It was remarkably difficult to do some of that selection work,” Gorman commented.
He will continue to work with them for their first several meetings to ensure the committee is on a strong and productive footing.
So far, initial areas of focus include education and awareness, establishing a communications framework that includes avenues for community feedback, and developing community-safety strategies for staff, shelter occupants and members of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Cleveland, who was sitting in on the meeting, pointed out that the committee only included two nearby residents and one nearby business, making up only about 13% of its membership.
Associate Director for Housing and Homelessness Rebecca Carman pointed out that the DBIA member would also undoubtedly be an advocate for nearby businesses. She added that proximity to the shelter had been a priority when interviewing committee members.
Gorman added that each of these four members came with their own networks, whose concerns they would be representing and conveying.
In answer to another question from Cleveland, she assured him that minutes of these meeting will be available, brought before the Social Services Committee as they are available.
