Aboriginal Involvement in Community Development: The Case of Winnipeg’s Spence Neighbourhood

ORGANIZATION:
Manitoba Research Alliance on CED in the New Economy,

Author +
Jim Silver with Joan Hay and Peter Gorzen

Year: 2005

This report explores two central questions: first, whether, to what extent, and in what ways the rapidly growing numbers of Aboriginal people in Winnipeg’s inner-city Spence neighbourhood are participating in community development initiatives; and second, how Aboriginal people themselves define community development, what they would like to see happening to improve Spence neighbourhood, and what they believe they and other Aboriginal people in the neighbourhood might contribute to neighbourhood revitalization. The report concludes that Aboriginal community members should form their own Aboriginal Residents Group, where they can become involved, can identify their own issues, make their own decisions, and be in charge of their own affairs. The result is likely to be a greater involvement by Aboriginal people, and a process of capacity building.

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