Developmental Asset-building is happening all over Saskatchewan, in the past four years, workshops and information sessions have been delivered to well over 4,000 people in the province. Most recently, the Ministry of Health has hosted a training of trainers in the Essentials of Asset Building. As a result, Population Health employees throughout the province are beginning to utilize the model within their regions to improve the lives of citizens of Saskatchewan. The Ministry of Education will soon sponsor Developmental Asset training sessions for school communities across the province.
Currently, work is being done to form a provincial Alliance of Asset Champions to better connect the strong initiatives and Developmental Asset-building efforts across Saskatchewan.
HC•HY Regina
The Alliance of Asset Champions, coordinated by Doug Pederson, has been busy spreading the word about Developmental Assets since 2004. The key charge of the Alliance has been to inform and involve organizations and community sectors through trainings, workshops and marketing campaigns.
The efforts of Alliance have resulted in the mobilization of an incredible network. Both the local public and separate school boards are promoting Developmental Assets. All schools in the Catholic school system make asset-building proposals to the Catholic School Board and can receive up to $500 per year to enhance their asset-building initiatives. The Regina Police Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, provincial and national government departments, faith communities, and numerous community-based organizations are involved and engaged with the Alliance of Asset Champions.
The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region is involved in using the Developmental Assets to improve the Social Determinants of Health as well as to engage sectors in publicity and social marketing projects led by Doug Ramsay, the regional Health Promotion Coordinator.
One of the projects undertaken by the Region is the development of public service announcements for TV, radio, and newspapers to educate and engage the community. Youth and adults have been working together in focus groups, writing scripts, and videotaping scenarios. They have partnered with a Canadian television to do the announcements, with the hope that the Public Service Announcement initiative will be implemented within the next few months.
Yorkton Alliance of Asset Champions
In the HC•HY community of Yorkton, the Yorkton Alliance of Asset Champions engages twenty-five organizations to create a community where young people thrive. The Yorkton Alliance is led by the Executive, a group of youth and adults that have been nominated and elected to be officers of the Yorkton Alliance. The group develops agendas, leads meetings, sits on subcommittees, makes all decisions by consensus, and acts as a liaison to the community, organizations, and the city council.
The coordinator of the Alliance, Andrew Sedley, is the Health Promotion Coordinator for the Sunrise Health Region. The Health Region has played an active role in the formation and implementation of the Alliance. The Regional Health Authority Board has recommended that the asset-building approach be used in all communities in the Sunrise Health Region to promote positive behaviors and attitudes in communities. There is also a dedicated position through the Mental Health and Addictions division of the department of Public Health, which focuses on building the capacity of asset-building in communities. The Sunrise Health Region is just one of many organizations within the Yorkton Alliance that is using the asset-building approach to create an environment where all young people can thrive.
In Yorkton and La Ronge, another Saskatchewan community, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will soon be undertaking a Positive Ticketing initiative to build relationships with young people. The officers will be attending the Everyone’s an Asset Builder workshop as well as a session on asset-building and Positive Ticketing. This event will be co-facilitated by Andrew Sedley and two officers who have used this approach in Richmond, British Columbia. A three–year study that was recently completed showed a 41% decrease in youth crime over three years in the city of Richmond. Relationship building was seen as a major factor in this decrease.
The Alliance also works in Partnership with Yorkton This Week, a local newspaper, providing weekly articles focused on the Developmental Assets.
Other communities in Saskatchewan that are engaged in building the Developmental Assets are HC•HY Fort Qu’Appelle, HC•HY Langenburg/Churchbridge, Swift Current, and Esterhazy.
The Saskatchewan Connection: Andrew Sedley of HCHY Yorkton, Doug Ramsay & Doug Pederson of HCHY Regina and Wayne Yee (formerly of Saskatchewan) now building assets in Richmond, B.C.
To HCHY Regina initiative page
back to November 2008 Asset Champion
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