Reflecting on Vibrant Communities (2002-2006)

Vibrant Communities is a Pan-Canadian initiative exploring promising local solutions for poverty reduction.  Beginning in the spring 2002, three national sponsors (the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement and the Caledon Institute of Social Policy) joined with 14 communities from across the country to explore and test five key themes: poverty reduction, comprehensive thinking and action, multisectoral collaboration, community asset-building, and community learning and change.  The initiative has now completed its first round of work.

This paper provides an overview of the Vibrant Communities experience to date.  Part One reviews the origin of the initiative, its goals and design, and major facets of the work undertaken over the past four years.  Part Two offers broad reflections on the poverty reduction efforts of six Trail Builder communities and the initiative overall.  Part Three considers challenges to be addressed in the next chapter of this evolving story.

ISBN – 1-55382-208-0