New opportunities on horizon for peacefulcommunities.ca
Friday, September 24, 2004 - Roderick Benns
The news site you are currently reading could soon be anchored by new community partners and become more precise in its community goals. Those goals – perhaps defined by Peterborough’s social plan – are a natural fit for the power of storytelling, according to the news site's executive editor, Peter Pula.

The news program has been largely government-funded, thanks to a grant of $100,000 paid over two years from the Ontario government’s Ministry of Citizenship-Volunteer Action Online Program.

Peter notes that given how much innovation is connected to the very idea of peacefulcommunities.ca, it would be a great program to not only continue but to replicate in other municipalities.

"We thank the ministry for helping us create this community asset, but now the trick will be to keep it going while we line up new partnerships. We are talking to a number of people and there is definitely some interest," says Peter.

The executive editor notes he has had a number of conversations in the community about the news site and things appear to be going well. "One major player has already made a solid commitment," he adds.

Peter says what's interesting is when the journalists were looking for leads for the news site, more often than not the stories dovetailed with the social plan. "We found ourselves covering the same issues that are in the social plan, which just reinforces how important this is to the community. With the social plan moving to implementation stage, the synergies are obvious."

Peter says that ultimately, the ministry wants to see innovation in its programming, and innovative programs can be transplanted to other municipalities, he says.

The purpose of peacefulcommunities.ca is to "increase the support for volunteer-based organizations working towards violence prevention in the community, and to enhance the community's approach to violence prevention by sharing success stories, best practices and resources." The news site publishes stories every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

With five partners – the ministry, the local YWCA, the Peterborough Social Planning Council, Community Counselling and Resource Centre and Axiom News, the program has met with success, according to Peter.

"We’ve got 5,000 people a month" visiting.

He notes a recent campaign to get city residents to make a promise of action to reduce violence and build a better community garnered more than 400 pledges.

As well, in the past, the site has focused on lowering the vitriolic temperatures surrounding same-sex marriages, zeroed in on bringing world issues like the Iraq invasion into local context and worked to promote character education in the community, an initiative of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

If you are interested in hearing more about the program or acting as a funder, call Peter at (705) 741-4421 or e-mail him at peter@axiomnews.ca

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Articles may be reprinted with permission. Contact us at peaceful@axiomnews.ca or 1-800-294-0051