Nurture the Future Project
Overview
 Nurture
the Future is a multi-sectoral community capacity building project
focused on identifying assets and capacities that can be mobilized to
address community needs. The project is based on the premise that a healthy
society requires three vital sectors: a public sector of effective
government, a private sector of effective businesses and a social
sector of effective community organizations. Based on a strong belief
that collaboration is the key to success, the project has been guided
by key learnings from Peter F. Drucker, (the father of modern management),
John McKnight (Asset Based Community Development Institute at Northwestern
University) and Julie White (former Executive Director of the Ontario
Trillium Foundation). Members of the Chatham-Kent Community Capacity Builders
(formed in the fall of 1997) have initiated and/or supported the development
of various community projects designed to build a stronger, safer, more
caring community. With the United Way of Chatham-Kent acting as lead organization,
the Community Capacity Builders are committed to engaging local citizens
in a process of cultural transformation and do so by coming together,
on a quarterly basis throughout the year, to dialogue about issues pertinent
to the work of building community.
The Nurture the Future project evolved from such a discussion
at one of these Community Capacity Builders gatherings and was supported
through a subsequent strategic planning process (Summer 1998) by the local
United Way. Using the Peter F. Drucker Self-Assessment Tool, the local
not-for-profit organization was encouraged by its constituents to develop
a leadership role in community capacity building and development, to develop
and nurture partnerships with other organizations and to broaden the volunteer
base in Chatham-Kent with a special emphasis on youth.
A presentation was subsequently made to Municipal Council (September
1998) where representatives of the business, government and voluntary
sectors of the community introduced the concept of "community capacity
building", focused on the significance of the voluntary sector to
bring about positive change and encouraged local elected officials to
retain the "community" portfolio within the Economic Development
Department.
A funding proposal was subsequently submitted to H.R.D.C. that fall to
begin the work of Nurture the Future.
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