Community Connections

Belonging in Community

What we do

Community Connections (or Community Participation Services and Supports – CPSS) is the umbrella for many initiatives and iterations of action research including the Adult Literacy Centre (est. 1999), Fitness Friends and Art Partners (both est. 2006), the Arts Hub (est. 2010) and Rhizome (est. 2014).

The common thread between all the initiatives in Community Connections is belonging in community, and we believe the path to experience belonging is through gifts. So, while initiative names and physical spaces may shift in and out of focus, we are always working alongside folks in discovering gifts and connecting with opportunities for those gifts to be received in community.

Program Overview

In Community Connections, we work to orchestrate belonging by bringing gifts and welcoming to the forefront in our community. We understand that a sense of belonging is integral to people and that gifts are a powerful tool in cultivating belonging. Our team fosters moments of shared experience that lead to strengthened relationships with self, community, and the land we call home. 

Colourful sculpture art in the shape of a large fish
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How we help

There are endless areas of interest that can be used as a point of connection. The team at Community Connections works to ensure that each individual’s gifts are seen and received by others and that in turn each person has a sense of contribution and belonging in a way that is valued by community. 

Adult Learning and Literacy

We support individuals to identify and pursue learning goals that lead to a sense of belonging and purpose. Learning is self-directed and reflects each learner’s personal goals and dreams. Learning topics are diverse and some examples are accessing and sharing information, effective communication using a range of styles and strategies, completion of high school or college courses, studying to obtain a driver’s license, or enrolling in community-based workshops.

Technology

Communication is ever changing and adapting to our digital world. We offer many of our events and supports both in person and online in order to meet folks where they are comfortable. We have ongoing events built around video gaming and technology and have supported individuals to explore digital design and graphics. Equipment is available to explore photography, musical and video recording, and podcasting.

Creative Explorations

We have found that being vulnerable together can create a strong sense of belonging and connection. Exploring creativity and expression alongside others is a wonderful opportunity to access courage and find commonality. We host a variety of gatherings around the arts, whether it is in our dedicated community space the ‘Arts Hub’ on Second Street, online gatherings using technology, or alongside community partners in local parks and venues or other gathering spaces. To us, the ‘S’ in Arts is important, as creativity encompasses many modes of exploration; visual arts, music, theatre, movement, culinary art, graphics, and design, just to name a few.

Wellness

We connect people to areas of interest that contribute to their sense of wellness. Offerings range from regularly scheduled community-based yoga and mindfulness initiatives which are open to the whole community, to individual or small group explorations of fitness and recreational activities. We have forged partnerships with local community groups to offer workshops and presentations about growing, processing, and enjoying healthy, local food and have helped people to find connections to cultural activities. We believe that wellness is holistic and is defined individually, so supports are built around each person’s gifts and interestsz

The Community Connections Team Signature Gift

“Our signature gift is connecting people to someone or something that can reflect to them their best selves. 

We bring it by using creativity and innovation to spark connection and delight; fostering opportunities to build relationships and celebrate each other; and creating space for expression, integration and autonomy.”

Art's Hub Schedule

Land Acknowledgement

The Board and Employees of KACL gratefully acknowledge that we live, work, enjoy the richness of and play on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe people of Treaty 3, and on the homeland of the Metis. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Metis ancestors of this place and reaffirm that the historic and current relationship that exists between us is defined by Treaty.

We commit to work to create the conditions for belonging and social justice so that each person can live fully in the unique identity that matters to them, in a community that accepts and welcomes. We recognize that our work must be in the service of Reconciliation. Our work must be at the level of the individual and the community, so that our collective identity as a community lives up to the values we want for ourselves and our children. A community where equity, peace, and respect for cultural differences are respected and nourished; and a community that acknowledges that the early Anishinaabe people of these lands saw we were strangers, welcomed us as guests, and invited us to stay as neighbours.