Informing The Future
Building a better future meant building a new playbook.
If there's a silver lining to be found in the pandemic, it's the resilience of our community, the ingenuity of our social sector, and the commitment of fellow Calgarians to building a better future for all.
Putting a spotlight on food insecurity
19%
of Calgarians experienced financial difficulty in purchasing food
Learning of this, we decided to do something about it — beginning with a Disrupt-ATHON. Organized by The Social Impact Lab, this multi-day virtual event helped us develop new ideas for addressing future food insecurity throughout Calgary and the province.
Building a better tomorrow for Calgary’s seniors
In May 2020, United Way helped launch Healthy Aging Collaborative Online Resources and Education (CORE) Alberta, a platform to support seniors-serving organizations working to enhance the well-being of seniors during the pandemic and beyond. CORE Alberta is part of a larger community-led initiative aimed at coordinating and enhancing community-based services that support older adults to age in their own homes and thrive in communities across Alberta.
Being well, getting help, and staying safe
In March 2021, Calgary’s city council unanimously passed the city-wide Mental Health and Addiction Community Strategy and Action Plan. The strategy highlights the importance of being a community where people can talk about their mental health and feel comfortable to ask for help from friends, family, and professionals. The first of its kind in Canada, the strategy’s goal is to create hope, strengthen support, and improve the quality of life for people, families, and communities living with mental health issues and addictions. As a member of the stewardship group, United Way is working with community partners to test and pilot new ideas to help Calgarians access the right help at the right time—today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
Natural Supports 2.0
To help promote a sense of belonging and connectedness in children and youth, the Natural Supports YYC simulation is an interactive experience that helps adults build confidence and skills to be a natural support for the kids in their lives. The online tool helps adults actively listen, validate emotions, and remove stigma by encouraging supportive conversations with children and youth. After the success of Natural Supports YYC simulation 1.0, launched in September 2019, United Way and The Social Impact Lab teams developed the second version of the simulation, which offers an enhanced, more personalized approach.
Successes to date:
84%
of respondents increased their awareness of the natural support role
82%
of respondents increased their awareness of how to support a youth experiencing a mental health concern
80%
of respondents are more aware of the skills required to support a youth experiencing a mental health concern
Visit Natural Supports YYC to support the kids in your life.
The blueprint to a better future begins today
The pandemic provided a unique opportunity to reimagine how we address systemic social issues and inequalities experienced by people living on a low income, ethno-cultural communities, and other marginalized groups. Working with partner agencies, our recovery strategy takes these issues into account, ensuring that we build a more equitable and inclusive future for all. This includes investing resources in social innovation and directing additional focus to key recovery areas:
Socio-economic well-being Mental health Healthy relationships Social inclusion
Better, together
The COVID-19 pandemic proved our ability to respond quickly, assess critical situations, and ultimately ensure that no one was left behind. Throughout it all, we were able to do what we do best: help people overcome complex challenges and look ahead to recovery.
Join us, as we embark on a new path to resiliency—a path that encircles individuals, families, and Indigenous communities with the level of support they need. To achieve this, it'll take all of us working together, to make our future a brighter, stronger, and better place for all.
