Community MappingNorth Delta

Community:

• com·mu·ni·ty [kuh-myoo-ni-tee] • noun, plural com·mu·ni·ties.• A social group of any size whose members

reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

Map:• map (mp) n.• Something that suggests such a

representation, as in clarity of representation.

Community maps help to determine strengths and available resources in a community. When well researched, community maps hold valuable information with respect to specific aspects of the area involved.

Needs Based

• Some community maps are needs based...basically finding out what the community requires in order to improve themselves.

Asset Based

Whereas some community maps are asset based. These neighbourhoods attempt to determine and build upon the strengths of the individuals in the area. Asset based community mapping enhances societies as it supports sustainability through its residents.

Building Blocks

A community map is made up of three building blocks:

The Primary Building Block is the foundation of the community. This building block includes assets found in the community which are directly controlled by the neighbourhood.

The Secondary Building Block recognizes assets within the community which are mostly controlled by community outsiders.

The Other Building Block is controlled by community outsiders and is normally found outside of the area.

About Delta

Delta is made up of North Delta, East Delta, and South Delta. North Delta holds the highest population, the greatest percentage of a non-official language spoken at home, and the most robberies in 2013 than the rest of the Delta communities.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? That the community needs help? Or is the community not using its internal resources? Following is a comparison of NEEDS VS. ASSETS.

Primary Building Block –Needs Based

Primary Building Blocks in North Delta include:• Churches • Citizens Associations such as– Deltassist – Toastmasters – Rotary – Lions Club – Newcomers Club

Primary Building Block –Asset Based

• Sports Clubs • Skateboard Park • Markets • Family Festivals• Arts including Delta Arts

Council, garage bands, and Watershed Arts Works Gallery

• Home Based Businesses including psychics, estheticians, and daycares

• Citizens Associations such as the Burns Bog Conservation Society

Secondary Building Block-Needs Based

• Medical services including physiotherapy and the public health unit• Support Services such as the La Leche League and the Welcome

Wagon• Publicly Funded Programs through Education Institutions:

– Continuing Education– Settlement workers in school– Multicultural services– Homestay

• Schools– Preschool– Elementary– Secondary– Adult Learning

Secondary Building Block –Asset Based

• Sports Recreation Centres and Arenas• Public Library• Community Services such as the Boys and

Girls Club• Public Parks• North Delta Senior’s Bus

Other Building Block – Needs Based

• Unemployment • Job access – 76.6% of residents worked in a

different municipality then in their residence municipality

• Justice System– Laura Szendrei murder trial: date of death

26Sept2010

Other Building Block –Asset Based

• Connections through tragedies: Laura Szendrei

Recap – North DeltaNeeds Based Map

UnemploymentJob AccessibilityJustice System

Medical ServicesSupport ServicesPublicly Funded

Programs Through Educational Institutions

Schools

ChurchesCitizens Associations:

DeltassistToastmasters

RotaryLions Club

Newcomers Club

…and North Delta Asset Based Map

Connections through tragedies

Public LibrarySports Rec. Centres and

ArenasPublic Parks

North Delta Senior’s BusCommunity Services (Boys

& Girls Club)

Skateboard ParkSports Clubs

MarketsFamily FestivalsCommunity Arts

Home Based BusinessesCitizens Associations

North Delta is a diverse community with respect to culture, housing, income, age, and interests. North Delta’s key challenges involve education about multiculturalism and involvement of youth in the community. Interviews with teachers, residents, and volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club reveal language and racial differences with many of the locals. Similar to multiple communities, the strengths of its youth are not being utilized.

Food for thought

The popular graffiti-clad skateboard park is located next door to the Boys & Girls Club. Not once in the past three years has the Boys & Girls Club been damaged.

Not once.