A proactive downtown presence
The DCSP is a made-in-Winnipeg approach to creating a safer and more welcoming downtown through the availability of cohesive support and non-emergency response to those in the community in need of support and assistance. The DCSP is committed to being a proactive downtown presence, providing prevention and outreach focused on long-term solutions, and to delivering a continuum of care that will help to effect significant change for individuals and the entire downtown community. Whether workers, businesses, residents, students, visitors or tourists, the DSCP will actively engage with members of the downtown community on a daily basis to open lines of communication, build connections, and improve awareness. Building from established and recognized programs within the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, the DSCP has enhanced the WATCH and CHAT programs and has created new initiatives to complement the range of patrol, first response and communication services available to the downtown community.
Proud member of the downtown community
The DCSP is not only committed to serving the downtown community, but to being part of it. With offices centrally located in downtown, where our Information and Communication Centre and community presence and outreach teams are also based, the DCSP is a proud member of the downtown community. Being fully integrated into Winnipeg’s downtown strengthens connections with community members and partners, adds to the DCSP’s presence and visibility, and will enhance the contributions the DCSP is able to make downtown.
Strategic Goals & Objectives
- Design, build and grow the Downtown Community Safety Partnership and its programs for the safety, health and well-being of all people within the downtown Winnipeg community.
- Enhance downtown Winnipeg well-being and safety with an increased recognizable and welcoming presence within the downtown community.
- Enhance community outreach programs through partnerships and innovation to improve health, safety and well-being within the downtown community.
- Create a centralized, state of the art, multi-use information and communication centre to connect downtown public and private partners and to enhance safety initiatives and practices.
- Explore CCTV expansion or other video camera systems and analytics. Enhance lighting systems and other programs employing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
- Support community-based programming surrounding repeat users of justice, medical and social services. Strategies and objectives will have measurables and an organizational structure capable of delivering on the expectations.
Guiding Service Principles
Service principles are the underlying values of the DCSP on how best to support the Downtown Winnipeg Community.
Available 24/7 Presence & Outreach
The Downtown Community Safety Partnership provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage to serve the downtown community in the most effective and efficient way. In order to fully and effectively support those living and working in the community, all visitors and the vulnerable downtown population, the availability of services outside the normal 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours is imperative.
Engagement with vulnerable persons is often thought of as a “revolving door” process of “treat and release” where basic assistance is provided, and the issue temporarily managed without sustained resources and follow-up. Vulnerable persons entering or experiencing crisis often require more prolonged support and supplemental assistance in order to become safe and well.
Outstanding Quality Service
Simply having a service – any service – to fill a gap is not enough; service must be relevant to all people downtown and must be adequately funded and staffed. A continuum of quality service that supports everyone is essential.
Connecting & Navigating
Connecting and navigating people through processes of assessment, planning, facilitation, coordination of care, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet their individual needs is imperative.
Vulnerable persons in particular often spend a great deal of time navigating a fragmented service delivery system to assist with their complex needs. This reduces the effectiveness of the supports they receive and can be tiring and demoralizing. The design and delivery of these services must be as seamless and coordinated as possible to improve safety and well-being.
Promote Dignity to All
Every person, no matter their position, status, or vulnerability, should be treated in a way that preserves and enhances – rather than undermines – their dignity and self-respect. The DCSP recognizes that everyone is entitled to these rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
Culturally Appropriate
Providing culturally appropriate services involves being respectful of everyone’s backgrounds, beliefs, values, customs, knowledge, lifestyle and social behaviours. This includes providing appropriate care and support for traditionally marginalized groups such as the Indigenous, LGBTQ2S and newcomer communities.
Indigenous, Metis and Inuit values must be embodied in the services within the Downtown Community Safety Partnership. The DCSP will engage Indigenous leaders to ensure culturally appropriate programming is available for Manitoba Indigenous peoples that are in accordance with the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). The TRC calls for individuals providing health-related services to be educated about the history of Aboriginal peoples, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and the Rights of Indigenous peoples, and Indigenous teachings and practices as well as skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism. It is understood that culturally appropriate services and the participation of individuals from the Indigenous community in determining how services will be provided will ensure better outcomes.
Evidence-based and Data Driven
Values and opinions about what are the right service, for whom, and at what time, often get in the way of what works. Services should be designed and delivered with a conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence from the field.
The DCSP will collect and analyze data and base decisions on insights derived from the information, not on implicit or subjective bias, instinct, tradition, or theory.
Integrated and Coordinated Services
Integrating services includes enhanced coordination, amalgamation and sharing of resources to improve effectiveness and efficiencies, particularly in health, safety and well-being.
Integrated services result from sharing skills, experiences, and resources and lead to enhanced community health, safety and well-being. Benefits include: reducing duplication and overlap of services; ensuring a more focused, timely and coordinated response; allowing agencies to better capitalize on economies of scale; facilitating the use of shared equipment and common technologies; streamlining and reducing overlap of administrative functions; and ensuring maximum flexibility to proactively address common issues.
Right Resources at the Right Time
Effective services that support dozens of people are good. Effective services that can be designed to impactfully support hundreds or thousands of people as a force multiplier are even better. Ensuring the right resources and the right fit for the issue at hand is imperative and may alleviate some of the extraneous demands on frontline emergency services.
Guiding Action Principles
Guiding actions are the basis of DCSP operations. They are how the DCSP plans to engage and work with all individuals and partners within the community to achieve the results we desire for our downtown.
We will plan, manage and evaluate collaboratively.
Success depends on mixing the unique skills and perspectives of participating organizations as well as each partner and stakeholder taking deep ownership of the initiative and its hoped-for results.
Constant evaluation and assessments to review and enhance the Downtown Community Safety Partnership initiatives and programs will take place, seeking consensus decision-making wherever and whenever possible.
We will focus on results.
It sharpens our thinking about priorities, allows us to be flexible in our approach, and increases the chances of making progress. We will strive to make a difference for each person we see, meet, engage and connect with, and assist, and will report on ambitious performance targets.
We will be data driven, using research to innovate and improve.
Drawing on “leading practice” research, reviewing detailed data on services, continuous upgrading of data, and analysis processes are imperative. Evidence, evaluation and research will be the foundation of the DCSP’s model of continuous improvement, accountability and transparency.
We will foster new ways of thinking.
While focusing on providing excellent services is important, so is widening focus to better understand and address the systems that make – and often keep – people safe, healthy and well in the first place.
By learning and sharing the insights from frontline service delivery organizations to advocate for systems changes, we will aim to create a table for “systems change” that represents our partners and community stakeholders.
We will be transparent and accountable.
The Downtown Community Safety Partnership and its teams will be good stewards of funds, act ethically, and will be transparent to the community, Province, City, public, business organizations and partners in their efforts.
We will provide measurable results.
Timely and regular reporting to government, community partners and the public is critical. Analysis of outcomes and impacts improves management and effectiveness. By focusing on measurable results, we can define success early and provide service in a way that is more likely to generate a significant impact for the community.
