Bell Tower Guest Book 2015

Since 2011, Meet Me at the Bell Tower has welcomed people from across the North End and indeed the entire world to participate in our weekly anti-violence rallies. We are proud to announce that we will be continuing to meet weekly to brain storm ways we can work together so we can have strong families, and lead by example to stop violence.

“BELL TOWER GUEST BOOK”

The #BellTowerFamily Guest Book will be a book that we begin on Friday January 2nd, 2014 where we document the origins of the entire movement as it exists at the Bell Tower at Selkirk and Salter every Friday in 2015. We will eventually create an interactive map (physical, or digital, or both!) so we can truly share with the world how our example of leading with love to create strong families can spread…WORLD WIDE!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FACEBOOK EVENT FOR THIS FRIDAY’S BELL TOWER

What is Meet Me at the Bell Tower?

MM@BT is the signature event of the youth led anti-violence movement in Winnipeg’s North End. Originally supported by AYO! Aboriginal Youth Opportunities, the Bell Tower family has expanded to include many local organizations and businesses, and individuals from communities around Canada and the world. People who have an interest in participating are welcome to attend due to a standing invitation to all who feel we CAN stop violence by increasing the love we share for one another. Young People are especially encouraged to attend, as their voices are valued highly and anyone interested in speaking on the North End Megaphone, should also come along.

Click here to see Wab Kinew’s CBC Profile on MC & the Bell Tower

Click here to see the 2012 APTN Investigates episode about MM@BT

Click here to see the AYO Page about Meet Me @ the Bell Tower

Questions? Send us an email or CONTACT us another way!

Bell Tower STREET PROOF Notes – Part 1

On December 19th, approximately 25 community members gathered for the 160th Peace Rally of the Meet Me at the Bell Tower series to discuss how we can make our community street proof. We shared ideas for Tips for Community Members, talked about who the Helpers are and even had some support from the Winnipeg Police Service to help us understand how police system is organized, and how resources are dispatched. Find below some of the basic notes including Short and Long term goals for the Winnipeg Police – agreed upon by the Indigenous Partnership section, as well as the Bell Tower TO-DO list.

STREET PROOF

The theme was Street Proof as we wanted to share concepts that would be helpful for families to take away for safety in the streets and also build a better understanding in the community about what the police’s role is. The below 2 sections (Helpers and Community Tips) are being developed into a card that we can share with community members so they can keep in their pocket!

HELPERS

• Each Other (ie. buddy system)
• Meet Me at the Bell Tower
• Winnipeg Police (911 Emergency & WPS Non-Emergency)
• Winnipeg Police District 3, Indigenous Partnership, Proffessional Standards
• Block Parents
• Bear Clan Patrol (COMING SOON)
• Mental Health Supports
• 311 (burnt out street lights)
• Drunk Tank (on Martha Street)

TIPS FOR COMMUNITY

• use the buddy system
• attend MM@BT to talk with community members about local safety concerns every week
• Learn about how the WPS system works
  • how police resources are prioritized (Ranking System 1-9**)
  • how to contact the Community Relations Office and Indigenous Partnership Section
  • when a case is considered stale
  • how to speak to the Communications Centre (the people who answer 911 and non-emerg. calls)
• engage police without aggression
• get the badge numbers when interacting with police officers
• get the incident numbers when dealing with 311, 911 and non-emerg
• volunteer in Block Parent or Bear Clan Patrol to help keep community safe

**more detailed info is needed about this

Winnipeg Police Goals – SHORT TERM

• open a case (no details will be released, but know a case was opened at the individuals request and with the support of our community and the WPS)
• Send officers to Street Proof Bell Tower Gathering
• Have WPS attend more communtiy events
• Have WPS available to answe questions about HOW the police system works
• MM@BT delegation to meet with New District 3 Inspector

Winnipeg Police Goals – LONG TERM

• Presentations delivered in community would ideally be with a community member presenting beside the police officer informing citizens about citizen respoinsibilities and opportunities to support communtiy safety
• Increased Sensitivity Training and more indigenous recruitment in the following departments
  • WPS Communications Centre
  • WPS officers and cadets who engage directly with community members
• Missing and Murdered Indigeneous Women
  • “BELIEVE ME”
  • Increased coordination with other jurisdictions
    • RCMP
    • Drunk Tank
    • Justice System
  • Improvements to the follow up mechanisms available to citizens when they feel cases have gone cold or “stale”

And though this wasn’t on our official papers much conversation was had about the Proffessional Standards Unit of the WPS and how citizens at the bell tower would be more comfortable if there was some sort of external group that did inviestigations into police misconduct.

BELL TOWER TO DO LIST

• Request a presentation from
  • WPS Communications Centre
  • WPS Professional Standards Unit
• Invite Police Chief Devon Clunis to the Bell Tower
• Learn about BLOCK PARENTS as well as BEAR CLAN PATROL
• Translate the RCMP Report on 1181 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women into easy to understand language for community
• Continue with Meet Me at the Bell Tower

Next Up Winnipeg Leadership Program [Deadline January 9th 2015]

Next Up is a leadership program is coming to Winnipeg this January. Next Up develops and trains young progressive leaders committed to social and climate justice. To access the application form online, please visit:  http://www.nextup.ca/next_up_manitoba

Please share widely. Deadline for applications is January 9th, 2015. This 5 month part-time program is completely free.

For more information, you can contact the Next Up Winnipeg program coordinator Nadia Kidwai at: winnipeg@nextup.ca
Or visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nextupwinnipeg

About the program
Next Up was created by a community of people who wanted to help emerging leaders develop new skills, ideas and approaches around social and environmental issues. The program is intense. Over 5 months, we’ll dive into a number of topics and disciplines, combining theory, practice, deep thinking, and hard skills. We’ll look at some of the most pressing Canadian policy issues both foreign and domestic—and consider progressive ways to solve them. We’ll look at how change is made in society. We’ll meet some of the most innovative change-makers in Manitoba — from the non-profit, labour, business and public sectors and from Indigenous, settler and newcomer communities— who are working for a better world.

For the 2014 – 2015 year, Climate Change will be our lens for the program. Not every session will be exclusively about climate change, but we will look at how climate change is impacting the issues and solutions that we explore in the program approach our individual areas of focus? What is climate justice and how do we build it? We will look at what climate change means for social change work in Canada and globally as well as what kind of action is needed.

You don’t have to be an expert on climate change to apply for this year’s program – just curious and ready to work for change.

Who should apply?
If you are:
•  Between 18– 32
•  Passionate about changing the way the world works, and committed to being active at the centre of social change
•  Certain that there are better ways for us to take care of each other and the planet
•  Willing to take a risk, join a team, and learn more about yourself
•  Someone with leadership qualities (though leadership experience is not necessarily required)

What level of commitment is required from me, and when?
By joining Next Up you’re committing yourself to an extraordinarily rigorous and exciting program.

The program runs from January 23, 2015 – May 26, 2015.
During that time you will:
– Attend one evening session per week (Tuesday evenings 6-9pm)
– Attend one day-long weekend session per month (Saturdays from 10-4pm)
– Connect with various community leaders during mutually convenient times
– Explore and take action on an issue or topic of social change that you’re passionate about.

Next Up Manitoba local partners include the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba (CCPA), Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCENDET) Manitoba. We are grateful to funding and support from the Winnipeg Foundation, Manitoba Government and General Employees Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers- 832.Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Workers Union and United Food and Commercial Workers 832Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Workers Union and United Food and Commercial Workers 832