Our Community Leaders program enriches peoples’ lives and helps meet basic needs by equipping program participants in Moss Park with skills to build and lead community programming and advocacy. They also receive valuable professional development training at no cost, and are provided with a monthly honorarium. Specifically they learn:
- Collective strategizing and impact through enhanced leadership and peer advocacy.
- Practical skills that encourage cultural bonding, agency and gaining experience that can support future employment goals .
- Being an active participant in their neighborhood while increasing trust and purpose.
Program content is community-driven and peer-led, and we prioritize program participants that are economically disadvantaged including newcomers, unhoused or precariously housed, and those living at or below the poverty level. The workshops offered to the community reflect our pillars – food, urban agriculture and community building.
A peer-led approach fosters genuine engagement, as people are more likely to participate in and benefit from initiatives that reflect their needs, values, and cultural contexts.
As each cohort of Community Leaders is trained and graduated, another cohort will begin. We amplify the impact as each trained leader can mentor others, creating a ripple effect of knowledge and support. The program also directly benefits the wider community by providing fresh meals, produce, and essential resources each month, alleviating food insecurity and fostering a sense of belonging.
