Long-term Sustainability Crucial for Belonging Brant’s Continued Success
By Deron Hamel
The Brantford and Brant communities have benefited immensely from opportunities Belonging Brant provides for participants to discover and build on their passions and strengths, says Amy Brandt, who is a supporter of the initiative.
“With the right supports, Belonging Brant has the potential to not only continue in its successful community-building projects, but also flourish,” she adds.
And Amy says she’s willing to do her part to make this happen.
To help make Belonging Brant more viable long term, Amy says she’s willing to provide increased support to the initiative through its youth-related projects, especially those driven by youth.
“Supporting the youth to do the work they are interested in would empower them and may inspire more youth to join.”
Empowering youth by helping to build their capacity to take the lead on projects that are important to them, such as those focused on advocating for social and environmental justice, is something Amy is passionate about.
Amy says she’s also willing to provide support with grant-writing, as she recognizes that long-term sustainable funding and strong collaborative partnerships are important elements to the success of organizations like Belonging Brant.
“Long-term sustainability would add increased recognition that this is an excellent organization to go to for support with connecting to the resources to start a program, club, activity, or initiatives that should exist,” she says.
Belonging Brant provides an important connection point for community members with shared interests to find one another and build a strong sense of community, she says, adding long-term sustainability could also generate more youth appeal to Belonging Brant.
“Supporting the youth to do the work they are interested in would empower them and may inspire more youth to join.”
Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Belonging Brant is dedicated to creating connections and building relationships across Brantford and Brant County to help people contribute to their community in a meaningful way.
“(Belonging Brant) also encourages all participants to see their own value, worth and ability to contribute.”
The project, which creates and encourages citizen-led initiatives, is particularly focused on creating opportunities for human connection and decreasing the isolation faced by so many in the community.
Amy says Belonging Brant is an important initiative because it builds a stronger sense of community, empowers citizens, and encourages people across Brant County to learn new skills that cater to their interests, which, she says, “builds healthy social connections between people who might not otherwise have a chance to recognize and appreciate the values others bring.
“It also encourages all participants to see their own value, worth and ability to contribute,” Amy says.
“Everyone who wanted to engage would be able to find empowerment and community,” she says. “More trusting relationships would be built, more youth would be empowered and given hope that they could help to create a better future.
“The possibilities when people come together are limitless.”
Lead image: Graphic reflections from the Jan. 25 Belonging Brant: Looking to the Future gathering sketched live by Yvonne Hollandy. Click on the image to view the full graphic.
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What If Belonging Brant Became a Lasting Community Beacon?
Belonging Brant is already a light in our community. It is the place to be. With three years under our belt and our initial funding coming to an end this October, we have the opportunity to fashion our future anew. We’d love to hear what you’ve loved about Belonging Brant, what you’d like for it to become, and what you might like to do to make that dream come true. Consider taking a few minutes to share your answers to these questions.
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