MultiSectoral Collaboration A Medicine Hat Example

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Multi-Sectoral Collaboration A Medicine Hat
Example
The Southlands Affordable Housing Project
Medicine Hat REALTORS Charitable Foundation
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Southlands Affordable Housing Project

• Need Drives Action

• An Issue Demands Action

• Inadequate number of affordable housing rentals
• An ever-increasing number of citizens unable to
  access affordable housing a very basic
  fundamental need
• Need to increase the quantity of affordable
  housing in the city.

• Investigate opportunities, create a plan, find
  resources, build housing!
• Seek out and capitalize on opportunities for
  affordable housing projects.
• Foster strategic partnerships that support the
  coordinated and collaborative efforts of
  stakeholders and interested parties.

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The Value of Partners

• Usually, we cant resolve the issue on our ownwe
  need help. This is especially true in community
  development initiatives!
• Even opportunities can pose problems that need to
  be resolved.
• So it is important to
• Identify those organizations or agencies best
  positioned to address the issue
• Recognize the strengths ( limitations) of each
  of your partners
• Try not to do the job another partner may be
  better positioned to handle

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Example of Initial Problem
Problem Government of Alberta announced funds
for municipalities. City of Medicine Hat had
approximately 1 month to submit application to
access these funds ANDits Summer Vacation time!
Resolution City approached MHCHS to determine
our capacity to develop the grant funding
proposal by the deadlineWe Agreed!
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Howevertime was clearly not on our side!
A previous successful partnership provided us
with an opportunity A multi-sectoral partnership
was born!
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Ingredients for Success

• Open Honest Communication
• Ability to Recognize Respect Each Partners
  Organizational Obligations
• Collaboration with other important stakeholders
  will ensure success

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Our Experience

• Challenges

• Outcomes

• Working outside comfort zone can be overwhelming
• Bureaucracy can equal frustration
• Process takes longer than expected

• This has been a great growth opportunity
• Learned more about municipal, legal and
  construction trade processes
• Increased patience tolerance
• Most Importantly
• The addition of 50 affordable rental units for
  our community

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Southlands Project
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Southlands
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What We Learned
At times, you will feel like things are going
well and its full steam ahead
At other times, you may feel like you are just
never going to get there
Important Things to Remember Keep your focus on
the desired outcome, keep things moving in the
right direction, and remember why you are doing
what you are doing for MHCHS the goal was to
increase the quality of life for those in our
community!