Hi there,
I'm Ty and I work as a Team Lead in The Mustard Seed's Housing department in Calgary. I spend a lot of time in Transitional Housing on the third and fourth floors of our oldest building, 102 11 Ave SE.
It has been through many changes over the years of its existence, but after all of those, nothing has been cooler than what is happening now through community building. The residents are creating safe home for themselves, partly with the help of Resident Advisors (RA). Essentially, I'm talking here about peer leadership. I'm talking about residents in the midst of life recovery voted into a leadership role by their peers. One for each floor, and I'll tell you what - it's empowering. Why?
It is representative of the community you live with recognizing your gifts and talents, much like becoming a member of the board of a community association. The coolest thing was when one floor embraced a true campaign spirit! We saw posters, conversations, and a victory by only two ballots to achieve a majority as a slate of four candidates were whittled down to two and then one. I saw a great sense of fun, community and the importance of one’s voice when living in a healthy community.
The RA is there as a first point of support for their neighbours, to help brainstorm solutions, host social events, mentor new residents in the culture and welcome new residents, etc. Beginning this process was a powerful step, not just for our guests, but for our staff as well. It was a sign that we were throwing out the charitable model we know best, to simply say, this is our community: staff, volunteers and residents.
We're getting ready to live in the future of community. Are you?
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