Humility and Audacity:

Vivre Saint-Michel en Santé

Brianne PetersJean Panet-RaymondEve-Isabelle Chevrier

Where?

Quebec’s history of social movements Sovereignty movements Animation Sociale Laws against poverty and social

exclusion Decentralized governments Social economy

St. Michel: from 6000-60 000 in 20 years

What was the problem?

Poverty Transient population Street gangs Lack of urban planning Quarries becomes public dumps and

snow removal The landfill should become a large

park…but

When?

2003-2013

Timing is the essence: Right people at the right time

What did we do ?

Audacity to tackle and transform complex issues (poverty, integration, housing)

Humility to listen, learn, and support citizen initiatives and work with numerous partners

A poll, a forum of citizens, community organizations, political and economic leaders.

What emerged from the forum in 2005?

A vision 3 priorities: employment, housing,

access to services (commercial, cultural, sports & leisure)

2 strategies: > working on many issues simultaneously,

in concerted roundtables and forum (VSMS) > empowerment: individual, organizational,

community, through citizen participation

VSMS vision

St. Michel: a pleasant neighbourhood within which to live, supportive of family life and multicultural exchanges, an active and unified community, which takes charge of its affairs and also contributes to the vigour of Montreal.

How: citizen participation (mobilization)

Create citizen «spaces» 1. Outreach in isolated poor sectors of 300-

1000 households: door to door, festive events (pot luck, music, dance, thatre, outdoor cinema…)

2.Collective information: cultural, political, formal, informal, participatory, fun….

3. Support collective citizen initiatives to improve the neighborhood

4. Support citizen leadership….

1. Outreach: The beginning of the ‘I’

2. Collective information: The beginning of the ‘Us’

Light events: Coffees, neighbourhood parties, evening discussions, conferences

Culture was often used as a medium (music, drama, cinema, etc.) for relaying information and expressing opinions.

3. Support collective citizen initiatives: The beginning of the ‘We’ Housing coops

Tenants associations

Citizens committee to improve safety, traffic, parks, sports venues, cleanliness, public transportation

4. Support, coach citizen leadership Creation of citizen leadership laboratory

and recognition ceremonies

March 8th: recognizing achievements of women in neighbourhood

Coaching to address political democratic structures: borough council, city council, MNA, MP

…and bring them (slowly)

To address broader (whole neighbourhood) issues with others: the vision, the issues (composting factory) and the events (Festival of Nations)

The beginning of ‘Together’

The ‘theory’ behind the mobilization Push of the problem

Pull of the hope of change: ‘yes we can’…

The quality of the organization: open, learning, participatory, fun, well-supported, and democratic

Before and after: Levels of Satisfaction

2004 2012Proximity of day cares and schools

75% 82%

Recreational activities for children and youth

49% 61.9%

Recreational activities for adults

29% 52.1%

% of people who felt unsafe to go out at night

47% 38%

Primary reason for residing in Saint-Michel

Low cost of rent, availability of housing

Ease of integration, family connections, availability of services

Intention to relocate 37% 32%

Intention to relocate outside of St. Michel

77% 56.5%

What is the innovation?

“Yes, it’s hard to mobilize a diverse group of immigrants, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a group who wants a better life and who wants to integrate more. Immigrants are on the move and they want life to improve as fast as possible.

“I”

“Us”

“We”

“Together”

What is the innovation?

“Maybe it’s really the people who are the innovation. We are actually doing what everyone in the development sector talks about.”

What were the key success factors? Finding like-minded champions willing to ‘pay for process’:

“Is this work hard to explain to others? Absolutely. To get this project passed was hard. Yes, it is interesting, but how do we come up with indicators concretely?”

Taking the time: It takes time for people to realize they have rights…but you have to take this time…even if you don’t have it.”

The environment: “VSMS is a product of its time.”

What were the key challenges?

Professionalization: “Political leadership has to be citizen-appropriated so I can take on a more technical leadership. I will fill in the logistical and organizational gaps inasmuch as I am not doing everything myself. There has to be enough political leadership at the organizational and citizen level so what I do does not jeopardize the will of those citizens.”

What were the challenges?

Compromising Collaboration: “Yes we stage friendly demonstrations. These don’t stir up big problems with funders or partners, but this also helps to explain the success of Saint-Michel…and it has led to some trade-offs over the years.”

What were the pathways to systemic change?

Compromising Collaboration: “In another time and place, I would have called my colleague a neo-fascist. He would have called me a terrorist. (Joke). But we’ve been there, done that. There is a certain political maturity here. Now we talk.”

“For certain, it’s easier to work with Saint-Michel’s citizens. Participation is important to them. It’s a neighbourhood with a very developed movement. VSMS is unique and multi-disciplinary – sports, women, culture, housing – a sort of ‘everything’ type of organization.”

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.1158058