Section 4 – Connecting the Framework to Practice
This section is meant to connect the community safety and well-being planning framework and critical success factors of community safety and well-being planning with the operational practice of developing, implementing, reviewing, evaluating and updating the plan. There is no right or wrong first or last step. Communities have suggested that it can take anywhere between one to two years to develop a plan, and with the municipality or Band Council in a lead role made the most headway. To provide additional those operational support and resources, Section 6 includes a toolkit of guidance documents that builds on the following concepts and identifies specific tools in each area for consideration:
- Obtaining Collaborative Commitment;
- Creating Buy-In;
- Focusing on Risk;
- Assessing and Leveraging Community Strengths;
- Evidence and Evaluation; and
- Putting the Plan into Action.
Obtaining Collaborative Commitment
Demonstrated commitment from local governance, whether it is the municipality or Band Council, can have a significant impact on multi-sector buy-in, and is most effective if completed at the beginning of the planning process. This type of commitment can be demonstrated in various ways – through a council resolution, attending meetings, creating a coordinator position, realigning resources and/or creating awareness among staff. Collaboration exists in communities across Ontario, whether it is through strong bilateral partnerships or among multiple partners. The community safety and well-being planning process requires drawing on existing partnerships as well as creating new ones. This may involve leveraging an existing body, or creating a new structure to develop, refine or reaffirm outcomes, strategies and measures in social development, prevention, risk intervention and incident response. Commitment from multiple sectors will usually occur once they have an understanding of what community safety and well-being planning is meant to achieve and its benefits. Commitment may be solidified through agreeing upon goals, objectives, performance measurement and roles and responsibilities.
See Tool 1 for guidance on participants, roles and responsibilities, Tool 2 for guidance on start-up, and Tool 3 for guidance on asset mapping.