Wakefield “Quality of Life” Results to be Presented

Residents Invited to June 5th Meeting to Vote on Actions
from Community Vitality Initiative (CVI)

Wakefield, Quebec - Citizens of Wakefield will have an opportunity on Monday, June 5th at 7:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall to find out what their fellow citizens think of the state of the community and help design and vote on actions to enhance “community vitality” in the community.

Twelve weeks ago, 55 residents of Wakefield responded to a unique questionnaire and focus groups process about everything from the region’s economic state to its environmental health to its support for the arts. The 102-question survey also asked about such things as safety, learning, heritage and culture, leadership, physical space, sense of community, and entrepreneurship in the community.

The project is part of the Canadian pilot of the Community Vitality Initiative (CVI), a process designed to boost economic and social development opportunities in communities. Locally, it was organized by Wakefield Ensemble.

“Some people think quality of life is determined by the employment rate and income,” says Mike Stolte, who, with input from communities in Quebec and experts from across Canada, designed the initiative with his B.C.-based non-profit organization, the Centre for Innovative and Entrepreneurial Leadership (CIEL – www.theCIEL.com). “Some believe outdoor recreation is the key. Others say it’s about the arts, or safety, or healthcare. We found it’s about all those things and more.”

The CVI questionnaire asks provocative questions across a wide range of community life. “We’re measuring whether the community has a good enough over-all quality of life to attract new citizens with varying interests, retain its existing citizens, and inspire them all,” said Stolte.

For example, the questionnaire asks whether young adults, age 25-34, find the community a desirable place to live. “We ask that one because that’s the age group that is more likely to plant roots in the community, buy real estate, and start families and businesses,” says Stolte, “and to a large extent the vitality of a community depends on whether or not young adults find it an attractive place to be.”

The CVI is being conducted in three communities or regions in Quebec: Haut St-Laurent region, and the communities of Mansonville and Wakefield.

Stolte describes the CVI as an “assessment and action” process. The assessment is contained in a 70-page report prepared by CIEL, based on the questionnaire and focus groups results. The report suggests possible short-term and long-term actions based on input from participants. A two page summary report will be available next week on-line at www.wakefieldensemble.org and www.theCIEL.com in both English and French.

“The exciting action part starts on June 5th,” says Stolte, who will be animating the June 55h meeting, open to all interested residents. “We’ll help the community look at the results and focus on 3-4 actions that can be taken to boost vitality across the community.”

At the three hour meeting Stolte will share the results, citizens will be asked for other possible actions, and then will vote on the actions that they think are important. At the end of the night, action groups will be formed. More than 18 communities have used a similar process successfully in BC to “business friendly” communities using the Business Vitality Initiative (BVI), also designed by CIEL.

The CVI process was originally designed to build the capacity of the English language community but has become a larger process.

The CVI is financially supported by Canada Economic Development for the Quebec Regions, Bell Canada, the national Community Economic Development Technical Assistance Program (CEDTAP) and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. In addition, the Quebec-based Community Table and regional Canadian Economic Development and Employability Committees (CEDECs), as well as Resort to Work (part of the CIEL team), have played a key role in making the project a reality.

Visit www.theCIEL.com and wakefieldensemble.org for more information.

For more information contact:

David Nobbs – CIEL and Wakefield Ensemble 819-459-1600
Mike Stolte – CIEL – 1-250-352-1933 x106

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