The Southeast Advocates for Employment (SAFE) held a Vital Community Conversation in Estevan’s Spruce Ridge School on March 5.
The community discussion was organized with the help of a grant received from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation (SSCF) as a part of the organization’s 50th anniversary.
Over 30 people attended SAfE’s information service advisor Benjamin Idoko to talk about the Estevan’s community needs.
“This program was actually (made) to hear from the community, to know their challenges, their needs, to see where they can actually utilize more of their (SSCF‘s) resources,” said Idoko in the interview with Lifestyles.
Both newcomers and Canadians were encouraged to participate. This way the organizers tried to bring different groups of population closer together and help them understand each other, thus aiming at building a stronger community.
People who dedicated their time to attend the meeting started off talking about what community means to them and trying to find common points, which characterize it.
“We were looking at the demographics, the population of our community, we were looking at the various facilities that we have. We were looking at the health sector, the leisure centre that we have, the transportation, how easy it is for us to move around in our community. We were looking at how we feel belonging or being a part of the community. We were looking at the income level in the community, the sense of belonging for our seniors and also our youth,” said Idoko.
Conversation participants addressed various problems that they were aware of. For example, they brought up some concerns about health care.
“Some of them actually said that when they go to the hospital here most times doctors usually don’t examine them, they just ask questions and then recommend medications. And they don’t think that is right, (they believe) sometimes you need to be examined before you can actually be prescribed of medication,” Idoko recalled.
People present touched on a need for some kind of transportation and also talked about sidewalks, which in some places don’t exist at all and in other places every so often are impassible due to snow or other problems.
Some participants also recalled former library programs that were helpful for the community but don’t exist anymore due to funding cuts.
“We also looked at emerging issues in our community. We talked about the carbon tax... which is affecting a lot of things like the price of goods, the price of gas. This is going to affect the community as a whole,” Idoko said.
Participants also discussed the increase of crime, looked at the lack of jobs, drug abuse among youth and impaired driving problems.
The group tried to come up with the list of the key needs and priorities. They outlined the need for more job opportunities, advanced health care and attraction of specialists, public transportation and development of more recreational parks. They also talked about a need for university-level education to become available in Estevan and a need for more scholarships for low-income students.
The problems associated with the mine closure and changes at SaskPower, as well as the general economic development were also a concern of those present at the Vital Conversation. They suggested that the support for entrepreneurs should be provided both financially and through legal incentives.
“We also looked at what kind of community they wish to have… We talked about safe community, united community. We also talked about sports facilities, because sport attracts people from various places to come together,” Idoko said.
Idoko hosted a similar meeting in Weyburn on Feb. 28. Another conversation will take place in Oxbow on March 19. After all conversations are over Idoko will report the results and suggestions to the SSFC.
“They will take all suggestions, all views and opinions. This conversation is organized within southern Saskatchewan, so they will put all these conversations together using their expertise and it will come out as a newsletter in October this year,” said Idoko.
The suggestions will be used to best utilize the available funding in the future to meet the needs of southern Saskatchewan’s communities.
