About the Gathering
The Gathering is an annual pay-what-you-can event where Manitoba’s community builders connect, learn, and celebrate success.
It is open to all from staff of community organizations, to students, funders, civil servants, academics, or anyone interested in community development and community economic development.
Join us on October 20, 2023 at St. John’s High School in Winnipeg!
For 21 years, Manitoba community builders have gathered every fall to connect over a shared meal, to learn from one another’s work, and to celebrate the challenging but necessary practice of building stronger communities.
In community work, we are called to collaborate: with our colleagues, stakeholders, funders, community members, or across movements. The Gathering helps to facilitate, solidify, and forge greater collaboration between and among community builders.
It has been a privilege for us at the Canadian CED Network to host this event, and to hold the stories and history of our community sector. Thank you to every single person who has participated, volunteered, coordinated, presented, worked, sponsored, provided feedback or contributed energy to this event. It continues to exist because of you.
CCEDNet Manitoba is grateful to the leaders from our network who have devoted their time and expertise in guiding the 2023 Gathering:
- Justine Trinh, Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations
- Hope Switzer, Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation
- Lindsay Smith, RRC Polytech
- Brendan Reimer, Assiniboine Credit Union
- Laura Pelser, Fireweed Food Co-op
- Corinne Napper, Volunteer Manitoba
- Jennifer Mousseau, Ka Ni Kanichihk
- Debby McLeod, Manitoba League for Persons with Disabilities
- Mari Kozar, Portage la Prairie Community Renewal Corporation
- Jess Klassen, Manitoba Research Alliance/Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – MB
- Jordan Guiboche, Green Action Centre
- Michelle Chudd, United Way of Winnipeg
- Annetta Armstrong, Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre
NETWORK & INFORMATION SHARING: connecting community builders to share our stories and foster partnerships
MENTORSHIP & PEER LEARNING:
community-led learning focused on practices and strategies to build more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable communities and economies
ACTION & INNOVATION: creating a space for sharing successes, challenges, and questions for community building work
AGENDA SETTING: reinvigorating efforts for change in our communities organizations
Accessibility
Our vision of a future where there is “enough, for all, forever” really does mean for all. Increasing ease of access for people of every identity and ability and aligning our work with our values and vision of the future is at the heart of transforming our economy, systems, and practices. We acknowledge this is a practice we have to keep working at, so we might not get it all right, but at the Gathering, this is how we worked to support accessibility and align with our values.
- Offering a pay-what-you-can fee so financial access is less of a concern
- American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during the Opening Plenary and afternoon event
- The venue is wheelchair accessible, with an elevator and operators on site for ease of movement
- There is reserved seating at the front of the main gymnasium for those who experience hearing or mobility issues. Please see a staff person or volunteer to direct you.
- A quiet room will be available for those needing a quiet place
- The Gathering aims to be a scent-free event. Please refrain from using scented products, in recognition that some are sensitive to chemicals found in personal hygiene products and perfume
- Offering both Gender-neutral and gendered washrooms
- We’ve attempted to include food for a variety of dietary needs.
- In efforts to reduce our environmental impact, all dishware and cutlery on site are compostable. Please recycle or compost your waste correctly. Please use your own mug or water bottle if possible, or reuse your compostable cups. Signs are up to direct you to the correct place to dispose your waste.
- Childcare is available on site (please indicate spaces needed on registration or by emailing )
- In every decision possible, we purchase and contract with local suppliers, focusing on social enterprises and cooperatives creating job opportunities for local people.
Health & Safety Information
- We are asking all participants, presenters, staff and volunteers to attend the Gathering only if they are feeling healthy.
- Wearing a face mask that covers the nose and mouth is recommended. The event is a mask friendly space.
- Wearing a face mask can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses, especially when physical distancing is not possible. By wearing face masks, we can protect ourselves and others by reducing the spread of droplets, even if someone has no symptoms.
- There will be capacity limits for the overall conference and class room presentations.
If there is a barrier preventing you from fully joining the Gathering, we want to help!
Additional accessibility accommodations are available by advance request by contacting Genevieve Dack-Tittley at by October 6, 2023. After this date, please contact us and we will do our best!
Location
St. John’s High School is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Ininew, Oji-Cree, and Dakota people, and the homeland of the Métis nation, on Treaty 1 territory. The main doors are located at 401 Church Avenue in Winnipeg.
Check Winnipeg Transit for bus routes. Bike parking is first come, first site outside of the school.
Parking restrictions have been lifted for Church Ave between Charles St and Powers St from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on October 20, 2023. Please be advised that this does NOT allow for any vehicles to be parked in a Loading, No Parking, No Stopping (including rush hour and/or temporary no stopping), too close to a fire hydrant, stop sign or sidewalk.
Check out the maps of the first floor and the third floor of the venue.