Neighbourhood House Movement Making
Neighbourhood House Movement Making
Energized by a vision for change, informed by a wealth of neighbourhood knowledge, and supported by a culture of innovation, ANHBC programs and teams amplify social change and build a more resilient Neighbourhood House Movement.
In January 2023, members from all areas of the ANHBC family came together for a dialogue session, inviting participants to envision the type of community we see 30 years into the future. Approximately 80 gathered, and one of the overwhelming themes of the event was the desire to leverage our credibility and capacity as an organization for systemic change through movement making.
ANHBC, as a regional organization, has an inherent credibility to speak to social issues impacting diverse populations across our province. This credibility was seen to be further enhanced by partnerships with independent houses across BC and like-minded organizations. Participants felt that our deep local focus presented a strategic advantage. We can understand how a major policy proposal impacts neighbourhoods differently across BC. This "birds-eye view" can support nuanced, thoughtful and innovative policy proposals.
The timing for this work was considered crucial. Many parallel organizations were – and are – already engaged in sophisticated and coordinated advocacy efforts that lead to major funding, program, and service commitments from the government and major funders. Moving forward would mean that ANHBC and our respective houses would continue to build credibility with the government on issues that matter, and to raise our profile as a key service provider in BC.
In the ensuing discussions, we recognized the strategic opportunity before us. By coordinating our efforts, we realized that the individual staff members across ANHBC, who were already engaged in lobbying, could become significantly more efficient and effective. They would draw on our strong local focus and presence, as well as the experiences and voices of their individual neighbourhood houses and the communities they represent, bringing a variety of unique voices and perspectives to the table. Through this representation and autonomy, we can advocate for more equitable, inclusive, and adaptable policy and program frameworks.
The Plan in Action
As a result of this work, in November of 2023, leaders from neighbourhood houses across BC came together for the first time to connect with each other and elected provincial representatives. Participants sought to establish common ground through shared experience and discussions, aiming to explore working together on shared priorities moving forward. Since our gathering, small working groups have advanced key pieces of our shared agenda. One significant effort is activating the collective voice of neighbourhood houses through the provincial election campaign. Another major achievement was applying for a large grant to support the needs of 28 neighbourhood houses that collaborated on the application. This effort was rewarded with a grant of just under $1 million, proving the value of movement making and that together, we can achieve great things.
