RAFF IT UP! - April/May, 2001

Community Building and Finding Work -
The Economic Outcomes

Are RAFF, Community Building and finding jobs related? ... YES!
Many times we have seen Community Building lead to jobs and to new career choices. The relationships and actions that are an integral part of Community Building form the links and the building blocks where people acquire the confidence and the connections necessary to find the opportunities and to make valuable career and job choices. CBR is in partnership with the Jasper Place Gateway Foundation (JPGF) and the University of Alberta Center for Health Promotion Studies on a piece of research that we hope will begin to show this relationship, "Community Development in Population Health". The community-based research team - RIFF RAFF - is looking at the impact of asset focused community building on the economic and social dimensions of the lives of people in the community. We have speculated that the impact of the asset focus, RAFF, and the creation of an open, 'third place' like environment, all set the stage. People get to know, to like, and to care and begin to see the connections that will help then move ahead in their lives, including finding careers and the jobs to match.

CBR is going to be part of a TV show through ACCESS TV to talk about this connection and the impact community building has on the job and career side of the lives of people involved. We will let you know when this will be aired.

Also, check out the work of the RIFF RAFF team on the CBR website under 'research and evaluation', 'what we have accomplished' so far and also see the 'notes' from the gatherings. This whole research project has been a wonderful learning experience for the RIFF RAFF team, CBR and JPGF. We are pleased to have been accepted to share our findings and experiences in June at the Community Research and Action Conference in Atlanta Georgia - USA, and at the Alberta Public Health Conference in Red Deer, Alberta - Canada.

What stories do you have about the positive connections between community building and jobs? Send us your stories and we will post them on our web site.

Happy Spring 2001 and all the best !

Want to see past RAFF It Up! ideas???....click here.

http://www.cbr-aimhigh.com