Medicine Hat College offered two of its employees to the poverty reduction leadership committee, the PRLC, which operated as a cornerstone to make Thrive a reality. As a team, along with the consultant Dr. Alina Turner, whom you heard from earlier, the PRLC engaged in multiple community consultations whereby Medicine Hatters had the opportunity to discuss the ways in which they were personally impacted by poverty, how they defined poverty, and the degree to which they saw poverty influencing their community. These discussions included individuals experiencing poverty, individuals engaging in community planning, and concerned citizens wishing to offer their thoughts on poverty in Medicine Hat.
As a result, a comprehensive picture of poverty in Medicine Hat that included lived-experience perspectives of poverty was created. These cross-sector meetings allowed for citizens to offer input into the development of the poverty reduction plan. MHC encouraged student volunteers to be a part of these community consultations as recorders to allow facilitators the ability to concentrate on facilitation instead of record-keeping. In doing so, the college encouraged students to expand their practical lived experience and become part of the solution for this important social movement in our community.
Additionally, Dr. Turner designed a survey, distributed through Medicine Hat, that received many responses that demonstrated and reflected on poverty, thereby increasing the scope of the consultations and enabling the PRLC to further generalize its findings and information. Consequently, Thrive draws on a multi-faceted definition and understanding of poverty that then drives community action in 13 different priority areas, including leadership and systems change, community system planning, income security, business innovation, energy poverty, affordable housing, homelessness, food security, transportation, health and wellness, learning and literacy, resilient families, and community safety. Each of the areas was identified in the community consultations, and each has activities associated with its founding on evidence-based practices.
At its core, Thrive endeavours to end poverty in Medicine Hat by 2030. In doing so, Thrive will bolster the well-being of all Medicine Hatters and will make Medicine Hat a resilient community where all can access the resources they need to thrive.
Thrive was first presented to the City of Medicine Hat in December of 2016 at Medicine Hat College Eresman Theatre, a space donated by Medicine Hat College for this important initiative. Audience members included members of the Medicine Hat College community. Medicine Hat College further demonstrated its commitment to Thrive through the introductory address, where I was given an opportunity to share about growing up in a reservation community and growing up in poverty.
Medicine Hat College strives to continue to champion Thrive through maintained community partnerships with stakeholders across our city. Going forward, we aim to offer advocacy, space, community service, and faculty and staff researchers to ensure that Thrive is successful. While Medicine Hat College's involvement in the development of a poverty reduction plan was important, Medicine Hat College's continued commitment to the full implementation of Thrive is even more so.
Thank you.