Series - Innovative Local Impact

This Montreal project is helping citizens take the lead on community development

Author Jacky Habib
Fighting poverty and social exclusion

Why It Matters

A project in Montreal is flipping the philanthropic model on its head, by enabling community members to be the ultimate decision makers. The Collective Impact Project is helping 17 neighbourhoods in Montreal fight against poverty and social exclusion through a unique model. This article, our seventh in a series with United Way Centraide Canada, highlights the journey and learnings of this collaborative project.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"This Montreal project is helping citizens take the lead on community development. Days after immigrating from Morocco to Canada, Issam Moussaoui was reading the newspaper when he learned about a meeting to discuss social issues in his new community, the Saint-L\u00e9onard neighbourhood in Montreal.\u00a0 Moussaoui participated in community initiatives in Morocco, and felt that doing the same in Canada would help him plant new roots and learn about his new home. \u201cThis is how I choose to be integrated in my society,\u201d he says.\u00a0 At the meeting, Moussaoui began to draw parallels between what he was witnessing and the community organizing he was involved with in Morocco. \u201cIt\u2019s different in the topics, tools, and manner, but in essence i

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