Building Thriving Communities

Healthy schools are rooted in healthy communities. In the context of Quebec, signs of vitality for the English-speaking community include ongoing communication, cooperation, and collaboration between English community organizations and Francophone institutions, the availability of educational and recreational activities in English, social and economic integration and more. 

CLCs have a dual mandate:

•Mobilize community stakeholders in support of educational success; 

•Mobilize schools in support of community vitality.

In the Community School approach, as well as in the literature on student success, these two things are understood as tightly interwoven. Students do better in schools that have established a relationship with parents and the community.

CLCs contribute to improved school climate and student engagement and build stronger relationships between schools and the communities they serve. They also help ensure the needs of the English-speaking community are better represented in public forums and cross-sector working groups (i.e. tables de concertations) in their local communities (CLC Evaluation - 2015).

Asset mapping provides information about the strengths and resources of a community. Mapping the assets of the school community with students, families and community partners creates a holistic view of the environment in which students live.

Building a Strong Philanthropic Culture

A strong philanthropic culture plays a key role in the success of CLCs. The webinar describes the philanthropic culture, roles and responsibilities, and different types of engagement.