The United Way and the Canadian Labour Congress signed a formal partnership over 20 years ago. Labour, management and United Way share many of the same goals. We all want to ensure that our community thrives and the people who live here have access to the services and programs they need to live happy, healthy and productive lives. By working together to conduct a joint union-management United Way campaign in your workplace, you can help strengthen our community and improve individual lives.

Community Door is a group of like-minded service providers who are dedicated to co-locating service agencies under one roof and creating a shared-space, social services hub.

Initially, United Way of Peel Region brought the concept of a “Human Services Centre” to Peel Region. The concept of a shared-space social services location was already in operation in various Canadian cities, to great success, but had not yet flourished in Southern Ontario. Over a period of 18 months, 22 member not-for-profit agencies pledged to support the concept, and Community Door became a reality. The Community door opened in 2011. There are currently locations in Mississauga and Brampton. Plans for a Community Door in Caledon are underway. Fore more information, visit www.communitydoor.ca.

The Fair Share for Peel Task Force is a broadly based coalition seeking to reform social and community health services funding so every child and family in Ontario has equal access to services they need. There are over 70 supporting agencies including boards of trade, chambers of commerce, boards of education, hospitals, Peel Regional Police, United Way of Peel Region and innumerable community agencies. The Task Force is also working with other high-growth areas in the province to carry a collaborative message about the need for social and community health services funding reform.

Find out more at www.fairsharetaskforce.ca.

The Consortium of Peel Funders is an association of funding organizations/bodies that share a commitment to promote a healthy community for Peel residents.  Its goals are to:

1. Enhance communication amongst Funders.
2. Share information and learning around funding practices and processes.
3. Strengthen awareness of community needs and issues.
4. Build knowledge of social, economic and health trends in the Region of Peel.
5. Identify strategic approaches for responding to community needs and issues.
6. Identify and strengthening community capacity and leadership including the promotion of stronger linkages amongst community organizations.
7. Explore opportunities for collaboration among funders, both funding and non-funding.

United Way is a member organization of the Healthy City Stewardship Centre (HCSC) which was created in 2004 and whose mandate is to work proactively and collaboratively toward the betterment of the health of the people of Mississauga. The development of a health plan is the first priority of the Stewardship Centre; the health plan would outline priority local health concerns which the HCSC member organizations would proactively and collectively work to better over the next 5 years (2006 - 2010).

The vision of the HCSC is that

• Mississauga will be a healthy city of people with optimal physical, mental and spiritual health.

The goals of the HCSC are that:

• All people in Mississauga will value and strive for optimal health.
• All people in Mississauga will feel safe in their communities.
• All people in Mississauga will have equal access to information and services.
• All people in Mississauga will live in and contribute to a clean and sustainable environment.
• All people in Mississauga will feel part of a larger community and will know that they will be cared for in times of need.

For more information, visit http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/stewardship.

The Mississauga Summit is a collaborative between leaders from government, business, education, health, residents and non-profit to ensure that Mississauga remains a vibrant city where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive. This shared approach to strategic planning is more critical than ever as Mississauga faces the challenges of the current economic climate. Five taskforces have been formed to develop one big idea that addresses the following: Building Mississauga’s human services infrastructure, creating a post-secondary education strategy to complement our economic and human capital development, Waterfront development and environmental sustainability, Cultivating Mississauga as a Centre of Excellence for diversity and immigration, Creating quality jobs for the short and long term. United Way of Peel Region co-chairs this initiative.

For more information, visit www.mississaugasummit.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation has provided funding for several United Way of Peel Region initiatives including:

• Peel Counts 2011
  United Way of Peel Region and Region of Peel engaged community agencies, service providers, businesses and residents around the demand for human services and the most impactful data to measure community wide-positive change. The results from those stakeholder sessions helped inform the community data and actions outlined in the Peel Counts report.
  Local community funders – including United Way of Peel Region – were asked by community stakeholders to assist the non-profit sector in community wide planning that would result in greater collective impact for the community and residents. With the support of an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant these two lead organizations have used the RBA framework with the community to develop outcomes for each of the nine priorities identified by the community.
• Chinese Advisory Council
  Established in 2006, the Chinese Advisory Council, assists United Way in understanding the needs and challenges of Peel’s Chinese community and in building strong community relationships. The formation of the Chinese Advisory Council is part of a broader United Way initiative to foster and build relationships within ethno-specific communities in Peel.
• South Asian Community Advisory Council
  Established in 2009, the South Asian Community Advisory Council, assists United Way in understanding the needs and challenges of Peel’s South Asian community and in building strong community relationships. The formation of the South Asian Community Advisory Council is part of a broader United Way initiative to foster and build relationships within ethno-specific communities in Peel.
• Black Community Advisory Council
  Established in 2010, the Black Community Advisory Council, assists United Way in understanding the needs and challenges of Peel’s Black community and in building strong community relationships. The formation of the Black Advisory Council is part of a broader United Way initiative to foster and build relationships within ethno-specific communities in Peel.

http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/

The Peel Children and Youth Initiative (PCYI) is a back-bone organization collaborating with more than 100 community partners to develop a comprehensive approach to planning and capacity building through practice, system and policy changes that improve services and outcomes for children and youth (0-24) living in Peel.

For more information, visit www.successby6peel.ca  and www.pcyi.org. 

Founded in 1984, Peel Committee Against Woman Abuse (PCAWA) is a group of individuals representing various agencies with a mandate to promote a comprehensive and effective response to woman abuse in Peel. United Way of Peel Region provides funding to this collaborative.

Established in 2003, the Peel Elder Abuse Prevention Network (PEAPN)  is a collaborative of over 45 community organizations that have come together to stop and prevent the abuse of older adults in our communities. Its objectives are to increase awareness about the issues and dynamics of the abuse of older persons in our communities; to increase community awareness of the supports and services available to victims of elder abuse, and how to access help; and to advocate for services to address identified gaps. United Way of Peel Region is an active member of this collaborative and has also provided funding to develop the strategy.

United Way is an active partner in the Peel Leadership Centre (PLC). PLC is a community collaborative, whose mission is to cultivate, enhance and support leadership and capacity of the non-profit sector in Peel. The mandate of the PLC is to provide and facilitate learning opportunities for non-profit leaders and organizations, through programs, services, resources and events that are local, formal and encourage community engagement. PLC is funded by the Region of Peel and the Ontario Trillium Foundation (supporter of the CLiC program)

For more information and to access resources, please visit www.peelleadershipcentre.org or contact Michelle Martinez, Manager at 905-602-3636 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Peel Newcomer Strategy Group is a new organization designed to develop a coordinated and integrated settlement services model to ensure the successful settlement and integration of immigrants into all aspects of community life in the Region of Peel.  Operating as a collaborative, PNSG is comprised of key stakeholders representing all tiers of government as well as the business, non-profit and education sectors. United Way of Peel Region is the founder of this initiative and currently co-chairs this collaborative.

For more information on this initiative, please visit www.peelnewcomer.org.

The Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee was established in 2009 to provide the provincial government with information about the incidence of poverty in Peel and its impact on individuals, families and society; make recommendations to government to reduce poverty in Peel and in the province and to develop a poverty reduction strategy for Peel. Partners include representatives from the government, labour, non-profit sector and those with lived experience, who are working collaboratively on this strategy.  

The Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO) research group will look at how unstable, poorly paid (i.e., precarious) employment affects families and communities in different communities in Southern Ontario. This project focuses on detailed studies of six neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto Area (two in the City of Toronto; two in the City of Hamilton and two in Peel Region). Selected study areas in Peel include Cooksville in Mississauga, and Springdale in Brampton. The project will undertake in-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with residents, self-employed/small business owners and community activists/representatives.

The project will also utilize Photovoice which is an arts-based participatory action research process by which people can identify, represent and convey specific issues happening in their neighbourhoods through pictures. Research findings will be disseminated in 2013/2014.

It’s More than Poverty, was prepared by the Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO) research group, a joint university-community initiative. This report was published in February 2013 and is one component of a larger PEPSO research program.

www.pepso.ca

The Region of Peel and United Way of Peel Region were partners in the development and implementation of our joint investment strategy, Investing For Resilience.

The Region of Peel Region and United Way of Peel Region are partnered and jointly invest in the following:

• Neighbourhood Development
• Strengthening Organizational Effectiveness Fund
• Youth in Action
• Social Purpose Enterprise
• Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
• Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee

The Region of Peel runs the largest employee workplace campaign in support of United Way of Peel Region. In 2011, they raised over $500,000 for the community.

http://www.peelregion.ca/

Regional Diversity Roundtable is a network of organizations and institutions committed to building inclusion and diversity competence that results in the institutionalization of equity in their core values, structures, workforce, policies and services.

Mission Statement
Regional Diversity Roundtable is committed to being a leader in supporting organizations and institutions to be diverse and equitable in order to provide services that are fair, inclusive, respectful and culturally competent

Vision
Tto promote respect and equity within organizations and institutions for an inclusive and harmonious community

Contact
Marisa Fortune, Coordinator at 905-457-7288 X 258 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Strong Communities Coalition is an alliance of the United Ways in Peel, York, Durham and Halton, and the GTA/905 Health Care Alliance. It was created in 2005 to speak out about the need to improve local and timely access to health and social services for the three million residents living in the 905 area code region of the GTA. The Coalition is advocating that the provincial government provide growth funding for health and social services in the GTA/905 and revise the way provincial funds are allocated so that funds are distributed on the basis of population size, demographics and growth.

The University of Toronto Mississauga received a grant from United Way of Peel Region to develop a Neighbourhood Environment Survey Tool (NEST) to assist researchers, community partners and residents in identifying and addressing priority needs and service gaps in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga neighbourhoods. NEST builds on earlier research UTM graduate students conducted in 14 Peel neighbourhoods to help United Way gain a deeper understanding of neighbourhoods in Peel. A research advisory committee comprised of key community stakeholders provides support and direction to this research project.

United Way and the Region of Peel are members of this Network. The Vision of this Network is to build Vibrant Communities by significantly reducing the cost of poverty for Canadian cities. The mission is to align poverty reduction strategies across Canada at the city, provincial and national levels.

United Way of Peel Region recognizes that issues that affect youth are complex, requiring action in different areas. United Way of Peel Region is an active member in community collaborations focusing on addressing and advocating for children and youth. United Way is a partner in the Youth Violence Prevention Network which includes more than 40 agencies and service providers committed to the reduction and prevention of youth violence in the Region of Peel.