About

What we do

CEDA works with inner city residents and groups to provide community development services including assistance in the areas of locality development, social planning and social action. CEDA uses an education lens for its community development work – successful education programs in the inner city require a partnership between educators, students, parents, residents and community organizations. It requires resources from the public, private and philanthropic sectors. CEDA works with local residents and community groups to form these partnerships in order to develop programs, address issues and secure needed resources. CEDA “helps communities to help themselves”.

Programs

  1. Pathways to Education Program
  2. Community Schools Innovation Site Program – Hugh John Macdonald
Projects
  1. Parent Child Centres in Schools
  2. Central Park Women’s Resource Centre

Coalitions

  1. FACT Coalition
  2. CLOUT Coalition
  3. Just Education Coalition
  4. Inner City Social Justice Coalition

History

CEDA was formed in 1979 when seven inner city parent councils agreed to form a non-profit community development organization in order to build a voice for inner city parents and residents to more effectively address education and community improvement concerns and issues. A board of directors was elected to govern CEDA including representation from parents, community residents, community organizations and educators. The mandate of the new organization was to “help communities to help themselves” through community self help and development.

CEDA has worked with inner city parent councils and schools on a wide range of education programs and issues including establishing school age child care programs, summer enrichment programs, after school recreation programs, tutoring programs, adult literacy and education programs, parent child centres, Aboriginal Head Start programs located in schools, community teacher assistant training programs, classroom outreach learning enrichment programs, home visiting programs, anti-racist education initiatives, and advocacy to address issues such as student migrancy, school board ward reform, budget cutbacks to inner city programs such as the nursery program, and establishing Aboriginal schools such as Children of the Earth and Niji Mahkwa.

As well, CEDA has worked with local resident groups on community improvement issues such as the Anti-Sniff Coalition; redevelopment of the North Logan Neighbourhood; Inner City Coalition for Rail Relocation; organized a coalition to oppose the Sherbrook-McGregor Overpass; organized the MAPS Housing Co-op and the North End Housing Project; assisted in the formation of CED organizations such as SEED Winnipeg, North End Community Renewal Corporation, Central Neighbourhoods Development Corporation, Local Investment Towards Employment (LITE), Community Development/Community Economic Development Training Program; helped launch social enterprises such as Inner City Renovations and BUILD Construction; assisted community groups to organize the Inner City Safety Coalition to get a civilian police commission to oversee the Winnipeg Police Services and to establish School Resource Officer programs in 20 inner city and north end schools; assisted local residents to build the Turtle Island Community Centre and Immigrant Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba transition housing centre; provided community development support to the Centennial Neighbourhood Project.

Between 1979 and 1996, CEDA worked on a contract with the Winnipeg School Division to support the school division to implement its community school program. Between 1996 and 2008, CEDA worked on various contracts with provincial government and foundations on the development of neighbourhood resident associations and community economic development initiatives. Since 2008, CEDA has returned to its roots and is focusing its work on inner city education programs and issues.