Bringing together available data about London and the community, the public policy and advocacy team at Pillar Nonprofit Network is presenting The Big Picture in a community event October 17. The same team will join us during our League event with a focus on how neighbourhood associations and community groups fit into and can change The Big Picture.

Ticket registration is not required - please feel free to come even if ticket capacity is reached!

Please note this event is one week earlier than our normal events to account for the final Thursday of the month being Halloween.

About our Speakers

Maryam Abouelela is a student at Huron University college studying Political Science and Governance, Leadership, and Ethics.  Maryam grew up grew up during the Arab Spring and chose to study governance and politics academically to better understand its relation to foreign affairs. She has just graduated from a three-year leadership development program at Seeds of leadership where she developed partnerships with nonprofits in the GTA. She worked last summer as an intern with Pillar Nonprofit Network’s public policy and advocacy team on The Big Picture project to learn more about public policy and the impact of the nonprofit sector on the community. Maryam is passionate about leadership, community engagement, and advocacy, and is particularly interested in hate crimes and racism in London.

Aman Saigal is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management (MSc) with a specialization in Business Analytics at Ivey Business School, Western University. Over the summer, Aman worked as a Data Analyst in Public Policy and Advocacy at Pillar Nonprofit Network. He supported The Big Picture — a data storytelling project — through his skills in data analysis and visualization, helping to highlight critical issues faced by the community and nonprofit sector in London, Ontario, creating a positive impact.

Paul Seale has been an archivist, an academic, a restaurateur, and a communications professional, but is best-known in London for years of grassroots community development. As Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy at Pillar Nonprofit Network, he works with local and pan-Canadian networks to unleash the full potential of social purpose organizations, increase the opportunities for cross-sectoral solution-making, and help individuals exercise their power to build stronger sustainable communities.

Join us to learn about the City of London's Family-Centred Service System! Find out what a family centre is and where they are located. This is a unique neighbourhood- based approach to improve outcomes for families through collaboration between community partners and residents.

Guest speakers include Jennifer Smith & Vanessa Kinsley from the City of London's Child Care & Early Years division.

Location Change: This event will take place in the Town Hall Room (third floor) in Goodwill Industries (255 Horton Street E), originally it was scheduled to take place in the cafe.

Join us to celebrate and commemorate the past year! Our presentation for the evening will focus on Housing and Homelessness, including a panel with Sean Warren from London InterCommunity Health Centre, Dean Astolfi from CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services, and Jodi Younger from St. Joseph's Health Care.

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About our Guest Speakers

Sean Warren, London InterCommunity Health Centre
Sean Warren is a Care Facilitator at the London InterCommunity Health Centre’s Health Outreach Clinic and project lead of the Health Equity and Ecosystem Development program in collaboration with LHSC. Sean is part of an interdisciplinary team providing medical and social supports to People Experiencing Homelessness and People Who Use Drugs in London.
Educated on human development and Psychology, Sean has worked in Not-For Profit fields for 12 years through: harm reduction, shelter work, youth outreach, grief programming and health programs design. Sean is a Masters of Public Health candidate at the University of Victoria with hopes of improving Trauma and Violence-Informed Care and Harm reduction practices for marginalized people in London.

Jodi Younger, St. Joseph's Health Care London
Jodi Younger (she/her) is the Vice President, Patient Care, Quality, Facilities and Capital Planning at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. In this role, she is accountable for the overall management and direction in the delivery of 2 regional specialized mental health care programs in southwestern ON. As well, as the executive lead for the organization’s corporate quality strategy, strategic planning and clinical decision support, Jodi works collaboratively with other leaders to advance safe, effective and impactful care across the organization. Jodi also has accountability for Facilities Management including planning & engineering for all sites at St. Joseph’s and is leading the Capital Master Planning process that started in June 2023. With over 30 years of experience, she joined St Joseph’s London in May 2017. Jodi is a Certified Health Executive (CHE) and holds a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Waterloo, as well as a master’s degree in health administration from Université de Montréal. Jodi is registered with The College of Psychologists of Ontario (Psychological Associate) and a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Advanced Health Leadership Program. Jodi has been a part of the Health + Homelessness response since inception and has recently assumed the co-chair role of the Strategy and Accountability Table.

Dean Astolfi, Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley
With over two decades of dedicated service in the field of Supportive Housing, Mental Health, and Addictions, Dean Astolfi has established himself as a leader in community-focused initiatives aimed at improving the lives of individuals and communities. His journey encompasses a wide array of roles from Youth Worker and Rehabilitative Housing Worker to Case Manager, and Information and Referral Specialist with Connex Ontario's Addictions and Problem Gambling Helplines, his journey has been marked by diverse contributions. All of which laid the groundwork for his empathetic and inclusive approach to Mental Health and Addiction services.

Currently serving as the Vice President of Supportive Housing and Program Development at CMHA Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services, Dean is a key member of Executive Leadership Team, contributing as a content expert and strategic innovator in the development of new programs and solutions that adapt to the changing needs of our communities. He chairs the Housing Implementation Table for the London Health and Homelessness Initiative, driving the largest community response to the housing crisis in London. His leadership was instrumental in creating London's first Highly Supportive Housing Plan.

Dean has successfully led change management through multiple CMHA integrations and housing portfolios, expanding housing capabilities through strategic property acquisitions, deploying supportive staff resources, and leveraging assets and significant donations. With his team, they successfully support approximately a thousand units of Supportive Housing across the regions they serve. Additionally, he spearheaded the Housing Always program, in collaboration with Community Housing providers and the City of London to prevent homelessness by stabilizing tenancies in affordable housing.

His educational accomplishments include a Postgraduate Certificate in Management for Human Service Agencies, a Postgraduate Certificate in Labour Relations, a Bachelor of General Studies in Arts and Sciences, a Diploma in Sign Language Communication, and a Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship.

Dean's professional journey is greatly enriched by CMHA's support, resulting in a robust portfolio of additional trainings and certificates. Dean also contributes to the growth of others by providing expert training to staff over the years and mentorship to emerging leaders. His multi-faceted expertise and dedication has left an enduring mark on the community mental health and addictions realm, benefiting countless individuals and organizations alike.

Registration is not required - attendance will be taken via a sign-in sheet!

Please join Jay Stanford, Director of Climate Change, Environment, and Waste Management for the City of London, for a presentation and discussion on the Green Bin, biweekly garbage pickup and climate action opportunities for the community.

About our Guest Speaker:

Jay Stanford is the Director of Climate Change, Environment, and Waste Management for the City of London. In this role, he oversees initiatives and programs related to environmental sustainability, waste management, climate action, and community engagement. His work focuses on making London more resilient and environmentally conscious. He joined the City in 1995, and has been a Director in the Environment & Infrastructure Service Area since 2012. Prior to joining the City, Jay worked for 8 years for an environmental and engineering consulting firm in Toronto, Ontario.

Registration is not required - attendance will be taken via sign-in sheet.

How well do you know the Forest City?

Brush up on your trivia skills and join the Urban League of London for an evening of London, ON trivia in honour of Volunteer Appreciation Month! Celebrate with your group's members, make new friends, and compete to win AMAZING PRIZES during a fun and social meeting of the Urban League of London.

League business will conclude the meeting (~8:30–9).

Trivia groups will be up to 6 individuals. Register as a group (only one person needs to register - please indicate), as a small group wanting to join forces (register as an individual), or as an individual and be matched with new friends!

The capacity limit is a lie! If you see the event shows "sold out" don't believe it. Please email us at info@urbanleague.ca to let us know you're coming as a group or individual and come on out!

City of London NeighbourGood Programming

The City of London provides a wide range of supports for neighbourhoods and communities across the city, including the Neighbourhood Small Events Fund, Outdoor Movie Nights, and Neighbourhood Decision Making.

Join us for a presentation by Jennifer Martino, Manager of Neighbourhood Development and Support, to learn more about these programs and how neighbourhood groups can participate.

This presentation will be of particular interest to our members from neighbourhood associations! To stay up to date on opportunities to make a difference in your neighbourhood, subscribe to the NeighbourGood newsletter. 

Please note pre-registration is not required. Attendance will be taken via a sign-in sheet. Non-members are welcome.

2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget Overview and Q&A:

This presentation will provide an overview of the City of London’s draft 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget that was released on December 12, 2023, including the various decision points within the budget. Information will also be shared on how to provide feedback on the Multi-Year Budget. Ample time will be available for Q&A as well.

We will be joined by Kyle Murray, Director of Financial Planning and Business Support with the City, and special guests Councillor Skylar Franke and Councillor David Ferreira.

League Business will follow.

The Urban League wants to conclude this meeting with a shortlist (4-5) of priorities that we can advocate to be funded through the budget on behalf of our membership. Please feel free to email your suggestions to info@urbanleague.ca prior to our meeting if you’d prefer or cannot attend.

November’s event is an in-depth look at the discrimination experienced by immigrants and racialized individuals in London and Middlesex, as well as strategies and recommendations for combating discrimination. As part of LMLIP’s report on discrimination, interviews were conducted with 30 immigrant and racialized community members who had experienced discrimination in public or at workplaces within the last three years. The interviews detail the respondents' experiences, their sense of belonging to the region, their knowledge of existing strategies and supports, and characteristics of a reporting tool and other supports that they may find useful.

Our guest presenters for this evening are from the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership: Rama Eloulabi, co-author of LMLIP’s report on discrimination and Pd.D student at Western University; and Jonathan Juha, Communications Officer for the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership

Join us to meet and mingle on Thurs. October 26 from 7:00–9:00pm at the Old South Village Pub (149 Wortley Rd)! We will be joined by representatives from the City to talk with us about the Neighbourhood Decision Making voting process. Enjoy a drink and connect with your fellow League Members (both part of Community and Neighbourhood Associations), and share what’s coming up for the end of 2023 and early 2024! As always, our events are open to non-League members.

For small organizations and groups without a dedicated marketing team, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to designing for print or digital campaigns. Discover the basics of designing, from fundamental design elements to using free tools like Canva, and the differences between designing for social media and print while remaining true to your group’s brand (Does your group have a brand? Why is a brand so important anyways?)

Whether you’re a beginner looking to get started on behalf of your community organization or neighbourhood association, or someone with skills looking to have specific questions answered, this workshop will provide you with the tools to succeed in designing for a small group. This is also the time as a member to discover the creative tools available to you through your membership to the Urban League of London.

This presentation/workshop will be run by Andera Novak, Communications & Event Support for the Urban League of London by night, and Marketing & Communications Coordinator at the London Children’s Museum by day. Andera graduated from Fanshawe College’s Public Relations & Corporate Communications post-graduate certificate in 2022 and has a background in English Language & Literature from King’s University College at Western University (BA ‘21).

Join us on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from 7:00–9:00pm at Aeolian Hall (795 Dundas St.) for our Annual General Meeting. During the business portion (7:00–8:00pm) we will introduce our slate of Board Members for 2023–2024, announce the Green Award winners, and take you through our successes from the past year. Our presentation (8:00–9:00pm) is Home is Here, which will focus on homelessness, featuring guest speakers that are to be announced soon. There will be door prizes!

Learn more about the Urban League and the work our community and neighbourhood associations are doing as we celebrate volunteers in our community for National Volunteer Week.

The event portion will include presentations from our members with business to follow (8–9pm).

We have two ways for you to participate! Join us in-person at Goodwill Industries in the Community Hall Room by registering on Eventbrite, or, join us virtually by registering on Zoom.

March League Event & Meeting

Every day, Ontarians suffer personal injuries as the result of vehicle collisions, medical negligence, unsafe premises, defective products, and other causes. Most do not understand their legal rights in the context of a personal injury for which another person is at fault.

Catch up on the ins and outs of personal injury law and have your questions answered. We will be joined by Tino Kasi, Founding Lawyer of Kasi Law Firm.

This meeting will be held in-person at Goodwill Industries (255 Horton St., London, ON) in the Town Hall Room.

League business to follow (8:00–9:00pm)

Every four years, the City of London prepares a Strategic Plan that identifies the shared vision, mission and priorities that will guide the City's next four years. The Strategic Plan reflects the needs and expectations of the community and drives funding priorities in the Multi-Year Budget.

The 2023-2027 Strategic Plan is currently under development and will be approved by council in early April 2023. There is an opportunity for the public to get involved and shape this plan before it is finalized.

Join the Urban League on February 23rd at 7pm when we’ll invite speakers from the City of London to share an update on how the Strategic Plan is coming together, key dates, and how residents can get involved.

League business will follow.

Explore how children and teens are coping post-pandemic. From the challenges faced by gaps in academic and social skills to the real anxieties faced by children as they navigate the post-pandemic world. How do we as parents, and within the community help?

Guest Bios:

Dr. Colin King is a Psychologist and the Director of the Mary J. Wright Child and Youth Development Clinic (CYDC) at Western University, an interdisciplinary training clinic for graduate students in School and Clinical Psychology and Social Work programs across Western University. His research is focused on collaborative, applied interventions to support children and youth with learning and mental health challenges.

Colin has trained and worked in a variety of community, hospital, and mental health settings with children and youth experiencing learning, behavioural, and social-emotional difficulties. Prior to arriving at Western, he worked in private practice and as a Psychologist and Coordinator of Psychological Services in the Thames Valley District School Board.

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Tiffany Wood-Lycett, BSW, MSW; RSW has been a School Social Worker since 2004. Currently, she is working within the Safe Schools and Well-Being Portfolio at the Thames Valley District School Board.

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Paula Jesty has been developing community-oriented projects in the London area for over 20 years. After developing and producing morning shows in Halifax and London for CTV and CHUM television, Paula started her own production and partnership development company. In 2016 Paula developed M.I.understanding, a communication tool designed to decrease stigmas and increase awareness around children’s mental health. Working with a team of puppeteers with backgrounds on Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and the Muppets and experts from LHSC and the Thames Valley District School Board, M.I. understanding developed free resources for families, schools and community groups to help start early conversations. During the pandemic, M.I.understanding and The Mary J Wright Child and Youth Development Clinic at Western University created M.I.friends; an online resource for families to start a conversation, come up with strategies and build a plan to support their child’s worries and big feelings. This resource, which comes with a plush version of Poppy ( the rabbit that stars in the program) is a free tool for families thanks to community partners and sponsors.

*This event will be online and run through Zoom. Advance registration is required to receive the link to join.

Join us at the Landon Public Library in the Martha Bishop Meeting Room for an exciting evening featuring two presentations from the City of London. Business to follow.

November’s event will focus on the various ways the City of London and community members can help make London a more resilient City. Jay Stanford, Doug MacRae and Andrew Sercombe from the City of London will join us, focusing on two important topics: the Climate Emergency Action Plan and the Mobility Master Plan.

We will also have a table with information about the Community Improvement Plan Financial Incentives 5-Year Review and Jasmine Hall from the City will be there to answer questions. You can view the incentives of Jasmine’s project here: https://getinvolved.london.ca/cip-financial-incentives. This presentation can be watched prior to the Urban League’s event here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x2J_uRQNhXp6C8fPuRVVf12Fnw7zJtM-/view?usp=sharing

Presentation One: An Overview of the Climate Emergency Action Plan & How you can Help Reduce Emissions to make London More Resilient

Speaker: 

Jay Stanford, M.A., M.P.A. (he/him)
Director, Climate Change, Environment & Waste Management
Environment & Infrastructure Service Area
City of London

Presentation Two: Developing the Mobility Master Plan – Status, Next Steps & What we need from You

Speaker:  Doug MacRae & Andrew Sercombe

Doug MacRae, P.Eng, MPA (he/him)
Director
Transportation & Mobility
City of London

Andrew Sercome
Manager, Public Engagement
City of London

Virtual Presentation:

Jasmine Hall, MCIP RPP
Planner II, Core Area & Urban Regeneration
Economic Services & Supports
City of London

Join the Urban League of London at our first in-person event in two years. The business portion of our meeting (7–7:45) will include the highlights of the League's accomplishments over the past two years and confirmation of board members. We will also be announcing the winners of our Green Awards during this time. Doors open at 6:30pm.

8–9pm: Run like a Woman: Local Experiences of Seeking Office from Female-Identifying Candidates

More details to be announced.

Moderator: Morena Hernandez, incoming League Board President

Confirmed Panelists:

Anne Marie Decicco-Best, 60th and longest-serving mayor of London

Virginia Ridley, former Ward 10 City Councillor

Leslee White-Eye, former Chief of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and the nation’s 1st elected woman chief

Register for free now.

Join the Urban League of London for an exciting evening featuring not one, but two presentations on timely topics.

Our first presentation will focus on education vs. training, using FRC robotics as a case study for how interdisciplinary, project-based and community-connected programming are prerequisites of education. The second presentation will examine diversity and inclusion in our society today.

Our Panel:

Mr. William Neal, Program Manager (firstroboticscanada.org)

Mr. Leo N. Johnson, Executive Director, Empowerment Squared (empowermentsquared.org)

Mr. Francis J. Hinnah, Board Member (London Urban League)

Join the Urban League in discussion with Paul Yeoman from the City of London as we explore Development Charges, and the cost of growing our City.

A Development Charge Master Study is currently underway in association with various stakeholders to determine new charges as legislated by the Development Charges Act. Items already discussed have included the changes to provincial policy, and allowing cities new service areas to apply charges for growth related costs. The committee will explore and provide insights to Civic Administration on topics including but not limited to: growth forecasts; development charge policies; growth capital needs and associated studies; development charge rates, including legislative deductions such as growth / non-growth allocations; and a development charge background study and by-law.

Our speakers are all working toward changing the concept of locally grown food. Find out how to grow and sell food from your own backyard, and learn how one neighbourhood in London is growing food together.

Guest Speakers:

Becky Ellis is the owner/operator of Entangled Roots, a small-scale farm and beekeeping operation. She grew up on a small family ‘livestock’ farm in Southwestern Ontario. She developed an interest in urban agriculture in early adulthood which led her in a variety of directions including graduate studies, permaculture work, community advocacy, and beekeeping. She has an M.A in Anthropology (2010) and a PhD in Geography (2021) from Western University. Her academic work focuses on community gardening, urban commoning, urban beekeeping and pollinator gardening. She received her Permaculture Design Certificate from Earth Activist Training in 2010. In addition to farming and beekeeping, Becky enjoys giving community workshops and presentations on beekeeping, pollinator gardening, permaculture, and more.

Jessica Cordes is currently the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator at Western University where she focuses on building a culture of sustainability on campus. Her undergraduate degree is in Sociology, and she recently completed her Masters of Environment and Sustainability. As Chair of the Middlesex London Food Policy Council (MLFC), she is continually learning about the local food system and ways we can strengthen community food security. She has grown her own backyard garden for the last 4 years, and aims to continue transitioning grass into food and native plants in support of a healthy and sustainable urban ecosystem.

Christine Mettler is on the Steering Committee of the Petersville Community Garden (PCG) – the first and only volunteer-run community garden in London. PCG was founded in 2019, and 2022 will be its third gardening season. Christine really isn’t that good of a gardener, but she’s probably been getting better the more she does it!

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is an agreement between 193 nations; a blueprint for a better future that needs to be implemented largely at the local level.

Since 2007, the percentage of people living in urban centres has been steadily increasing. More than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities and, at the same time, cities around the world are responsible for more than 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. The concentration of people, resources and consumption in our cities is a clear indicator of the level of responsibility that cities have in addressing the world’s pressing sustainability challenges.

Local action is crucial. Many of these challenges are shared around the world, but each city must use their own metrics to find solutions. At the local level there resides a more holistic knowledge, stronger social ties, and a deeper connection to specific issues.

Guest Speaker: Luis Patricio (he/him) Project Co-Lead, SDG Cities | Pillar Nonprofit Network
Luis has been working with the UN Sustainable Development Goals since 2018. Currently, he is one of the co-leads of SDG Cities and a part-time professor at Huron University College. In a previous life, Luis lived in Brazil (Sao Luis and Curitiba). In 2016 he chose to become Canadian and moved to London, Canada. Luis holds an M.A. in Urban Management, a B.S. in Computer Science and he is now pursuing a Ph.T. researching Urban Literacy.

Ever wondered how to speak at a public participation meeting, how to submit a petition, how to get delegate status, or generally how to make your voice heard at City Hall? Then attend the Urban League's January meeting to learn about and discuss various strategies for engagement.

We will be discussing these various strategies and pulling from members real-life experiences to learn and share together.

Topics to be covered include:
-Speaking at a PPM
-Submitting a petition
-Emailing your Councillor
-Role of Advisory Committees
-Finding and understanding Public Notices
-How to appeal a decision
-Strategies for a specific campaign (submitting letters, meeting with Councillors)

Bring your ideas and campaigns for change and help develop a strategy for how to engage with City Hall and staff.

Come join the London Urban League on a new date of June 25th as we embark in sharing highlights from the previous year as well as honour new and old members. The AGM is an excellent opportunity for you to have your voice heard as a member of the Urban London League. The AGM will be held virtually this year.

We will be presenting the Green Umbrella and Green Brick Award and we also be presenting The Richard and Beryl Ivey Lifetime Achievement Award.

We look forward to seeing you in attendance, online. Registration required in advance through Zoom.

You can register today here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtdumopzkvHtUg3uAe4KTVier2HV8sTC2H

We know that there are various approaches to community mobilization, activism, advocacy and policy change. How can we help to enable ordinary people to effect extraordinary change? How can we spark action in our community? Join us for this exploratory workshop about best practices in community mobilization, policy change and advocacy. 

In the first part of this workshop, we will learn the personal experiences of impacting community change from Dave Meslin, an urbanist, community organizer, trainer and author. 

You will also learn from a panel of ordinary people who were able to effect small and large policy changes. Hear about their successes, challenges and how they were able to help people in our community like you and me. 

By the end of this workshop, the participants will be able to:

• Explore ways to strengthen community mobilization and advocacy by hearing from community members and learning about their experiences

• Learn more about various ways to mobilize their community to collectively advocate for improved services

• Identify effective methods, tips and tools for engaging networks

• Brainstorm ways to gain access to information and forge strategic networks

We want to help create a space where community can gather and create dialogue not only about the challenges but, importantly, about what solutions lie in your hands. 

London’s Strengthening Neighbourhoods Strategy (LSNS) is a resident driven strategy that invites and encourages resident participation and engagement to help make all of London’s neighbourhoods stronger.