Social

We envision a region where all Basin residents and communities experience social well-being. This means that everyone can meet their basic needs, participate fully in community life and obtain support through strong social sector organizations.

Our Social Advisory Committee provides strategic advice to guide our support for social well-being in the Basin.

What's New

Columbia Basin Trust Helps Communities Address Pandemic’s Impacts April 2, 2020 - People in the Columbia Basin are experiencing the broad and serious impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia Basin Trust is announcing $11.7 million in new funding to provide immediate support. “COVID-19 has created an unprecedented challenge for the Basin, and […]

Free Flights to Access Medical Care Far From Home February 13, 2020 - Many people in the Columbia Basin must travel far to obtain medical care. For help getting to these appointments, those in financial need often rely on Hope Air. Now, this important service will continue its work in the region with […]

New Affordable Housing in Creston January 26, 2020 - People living with disabilities now have access to nine new affordable rental units in Creston, thanks to a partnership between the Province, the Kootenay Region Association for Community Living (KRACL) and Columbia Basin Trust. The new units are located at […]

View all Social articles.

Funding and Other Support

If you have an idea that will strengthen social well-being and address social issues in communities, our Social Grants could help support it.
In September 2017, the Trust launched a three-year Child Care Support Program. This includes the Child Care Capital Grants program, which focuses on strengthening the quality of child care and creating new licensed child care spaces.
We have partnered with Kootenay Kids Society to provide advisory services to registered child care providers in the Basin. These advisory services will support, enhance and increase quality licensed child care spaces.
If you need support making your non-profit organization stronger, our Non-profit Advisors Program can help you increase capacity, become more sustainable and become more efficient.
We help Basin communities address literacy issues through our partnership with the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy.
In 2019, the Trust and the Kootenay Boundary Community Services Cooperative (KBCSC) renewed a partnership to address common goals including strengthening capacity of social sector non-profits and developing innovative approaches to address complex social needs in the Basin. Learn more about the KBCSC.

Strategy

Social Strategic Plan 2014–2021

Download this plan in pdf format.

Introduction

In summer 2013, the Trust began discussions with Basin residents, communities and social sector stakeholders regarding the renewal of the Social Strategic Plan. Input and ideas were generated through a broad public engagement that included online input, social sector round table conversations, community workshops and stakeholder interviews. The information collected was used to define the social priorities and shape the goals, objectives and activities of plan. The plan will guide the Trust’s roles, actions and funding in assisting communities to improve social well-being in the Basin region.

How we approach our work

Working Toward Social Well-being

Our commitment to supporting and improving the social well-being of Basin residents is guided by an integrated and collaborative approach that builds upon the strengths and assets of communities and social sector organizations. The Trust is dedicated to being flexible, responsive and action-oriented to meet the needs of Basin communities and their residents.

At the Trust, we envision a region where social well-being is experienced by all Basin residents and communities, where social well-being involves:

meeting the basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) of individuals, enabling all residents to work toward their potential.
inclusive, vibrant, resilient and connected communities throughout the Basin, enabling residents to participate, engage and experience belonging.
healthy and sustainable social sector organizations, enabling them to support residents in need and contribute to community.

Focusing on Social Issues and Priorities

We believe we can make the most progress toward social well-being by focusing on a few of the most critical social issues. Over the next five years, we will take focused steps to implement this plan and support the attainment of long-term positive change related to social priorities that include poverty, affordability, isolation and social sector sustainability. At the same time, flexibility has been built into the plan to ensure emerging social issues are identified and addressed.

Our public engagement process and input from Basin residents have shaped the development of the plan and will continue to guide the Trust’s support, action and allocation of resources. Working together with residents, communities and the social sector, we will leverage our collective efforts to create a substantial opportunity to improve the social well-being for all Basin residents, and their communities.

We recognize the connection and interdependence between the economy, the environment and our society. This is why we are committed to integrative and collaborative approaches that not only contribute to social well-being, but also to environmental and economic well-being.

Goals and objectives: Setting the stage for progress

Three overarching goals have emerged through our public engagement. These goals are presented as distinct areas of focus; however, they are interdependent and interconnected and must be considered together in order to make significant progress toward social well-being. Each goal is supported by a series of objectives, activities and desired outcomes that describe how the Trust will support progress toward the goals from 2014 to 2019.

Goal 1: Address systemic social issues

Work proactively with communities to address systemic social issues and strive toward long-term change and comprehensive solutions.

Why focus on systemic social issues?

Communities and the social sector prioritized poverty, affordability and isolation as common and widespread concerns that need to be addressed in the Basin. Complex social issues such as these require comprehensive and collective approaches to achieve positive long-term change and results. Working together with communities and the social sector, the Trust is committed to addressing systemic social issues by taking a proactive role to promote comprehensive change.

Objectives	Activities	Desired Outcomes
1. Undertake steps to understand and reduce poverty across the Basin.	Work with local governments, social sector organizations and other sectors to understand the nature and effect of poverty in Basin communities. Support Basin communities to work collaboratively and collectively across all sectors to develop poverty reduction plans and implement strategies. Work with Basin organizations and communities to develop a common approach to measuring and monitoring poverty across the Basin.	Increased awareness of the extent of poverty and its impact on well-being. Basin communities are engaged in efforts to reduce poverty. Poverty in the Basin is better understood and efforts to reduce poverty are being monitored and measured.
2. Support efforts to improve the affordability of and access to essential and basic needs.	Strengthen the ability of non-profit and community partners to deliver services and provide resources to individuals and families experiencing affordability and access issues (e.g. working families, seniors, individuals on disability pensions).This may include but not be limited to : early childhood development and childcare food security literacy affordable housing transportation training and education.	Communities and non-profit organizations have increased capacity to meet the basic and fundamental needs of Basin residents. Basin residents’ opportunities to meet basic needs are improved.
3. Explore opportunities to reduce social isolation in the Basin.	Work with all governments, community organizations and the social sector to reduce social isolation in the Basin, including understanding the population groups at risk, strengthen opportunities for inclusion and understanding its effect on social well-being. Strengthen social inclusion through new initiatives and by leveraging support to existing activities and opportunities in the Basin.	Basin communities are informed and able to take action to reduce social isolation for their residents. Basin residents have an improved experience of connection and belonging in their communities. Opportunities to improve social inclusion are increased and supported.
4. Help Basin communities to understand and act upon unaddressed issues that may impact the social well-being of Basin residents.	Continue to engage with communities and the social sector to fully understand and act on emerging issues.	Emerging social issues and trends are recognized and communities have the capacity to address issues.

Goal 2: Be responsive to community priorities and solutions

Support community efforts that identify and act on a diverse range of relevant social priorities.

Why focus on community priorities and solutions?

Basin communities are diverse, differing in population and environment. Our communities are also shaped by their assets, needs and challenges. Each community has unique resources and capabilities to respond to social priorities. Through planning and dialogue, communities are positioned to determine and act upon social priorities that are vital to their residents. The Trust’s role is to be responsive and flexible to social priorities that are identified by communities and to strengthen community abilities to effectively respond to these needs.

Objectives	Activities	Desired Outcomes
1. Actively support local and regional projects that positively impact the social well-being of Basin residents.	Continue to dedicate funds to support a social grants program that improves social well-being and addresses identified local and regional social priorities. Through the funding program, encourage innovation and collaboration within and across communities and the social sector.	Project funding has a positive impact on Basin residents’ social determinants of health and overall well-being. Social issues are being addressed in new ways that strengthen the capacity of communities and the social sector.
2. Work with communities to understand, address and monitor local social issues and priorities.	Support Basin communities and organizations to identify priorities, develop strategies and take action.	Communities and organizations are supported and resourced to effectively take action in addressing social priorities and monitor results.

Goal 3: Strengthen social sector capacity

Invest in the social sector to strengthen impact, effectiveness and ability to adapt to change.

Why focus on strengthening social sector capacity?

The social sector in the Basin is represented by dedicated, compassionate and skilled people who work for a variety of social service agencies, organizations and non-profit societies. In order to effectively address the Basin’s complex social challenges, investing in the social sector’s people and organizations is essential. Further capacity building will allow for greater social impact, innovation and sustainability for the future. The Basin’s social sector brings a history of collaborative practice and a strong desire to work together in new and different ways. The Trust is committed to helping the social sector to develop its resources and strengthen its abilities to meet the complex social issues of today and the future.

Objectives	Activities	Desired Outcomes
1. Support fundamental and innovative ways to build capacity in the Basin’s social sector.	Facilitate learning and training opportunities that build knowledge and skills as well as develop organizational effectiveness. Increase awareness of social sector activities by sharing impacts, outcomes, successes and learning. Work with the social sector to identify needs and establish ways to address operational and infrastructure priorities.	The effectiveness of the sector’s people and its organizations are strengthened through training and learning opportunities. The sector is enhanced and enriched through increased networking, information sharing and public awareness. Social sector organizations are sustainable and able to fulfill their goals more effectively.
2. Further advance the collaborative culture in the social sector by working in new and different ways.	Explore, facilitate and support partnerships, alliances, networks and potential opportunities for service integration. Explore new opportunities to work across all sectors to help advance social well-being.	Existing collaborations and partnerships are enhanced and thriving; new and innovative opportunities are created and progressing. Cross-sectoral approaches to address social issues have increased and may include participation from local government; business; education, health, social, environment, and arts and culture organizations; funders; and local community organizations.

Glossary

Affordable: Believed to be within one’s financial means.

Basin: The portion of the Columbia River system in Canada that the Trust calls the “Trust Region” and which is referenced in its mandate. Visit a map of the Basin at cbt.org/map.

Best Practices: Methods or techniques that have consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that are used as a benchmark.

Capacity Building: The process of strengthening an organization to improve its performance, impact and effectiveness.

Collaboration: When two or more stakeholders work together to address problems and seize opportunities through shared effort, contribution of resources, decision making and ownership of the final products or outcomes; can be thought of as a midpoint on the continuum of engagement between organizations, ranging from simple information sharing to fully integrated service delivery.

Collective Impact: The commitment of a group of actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem, using a structured form of collaboration.

Food Security: When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.

Poverty: When individuals and families lack the opportunity, financial and otherwise, to maintain a decent standard of living and to participate fully and with dignity in our community.

Service Integration: The most intense form of engagement between social service agencies. Although collaboration can lead to integration, integration is not necessary for collaborations to be successful. Integration typically includes stronger organizational and structural changes, merging agencies or duplicated services into a single system. The goal of integration is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of systems through both infrastructural reform and direct service reform, leading to a more equitable distribution of services.

Social Determinants of Health: The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels (source: World Health Organization). The primary factors that shape the health of Canadians are the living conditions they experience. These factors include:

income and income distribution	education	unemployment and job security
employment and working conditions	early childhood development	food insecurity
housing	social exclusion	social safety net
health services	race	disability
Aboriginal status	gender

Social Inclusion: A society in which all people feel valued, their differences are respected and their basic needs are met so they can live in dignity.

Social Isolation: A complete or near-complete lack of contact with people and society for members of a social species. It is usually involuntary, making it distinct from isolating tendencies or actions consciously undertaken by a person, all of which go by various other names.

Sustainability: The ability to be sustained, supported, upheld and confirmed.

Social Sector: One of several terms created as alternatives to non-profit sector and non-governmental sector. The latter are seen as putting an emphasis on what this sector is not, rather than calling attention to its focus on a social mission.

Strategic Plan: An organization’s process of defining its strategy or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy.

Systemic: Of or relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.

Well-being: The state of being happy, healthy or successful.

Contact

Patricia Keller
Program Assistant, Delivery of Benefits
pkeller@ourtrust.org
250.304.6049

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