
In this episode, Social Impact Advisors Partner Lynn Fergusson interviews representatives of the Toronto Child & Family Network.
Kelley Baldwin provides backbone support to the Toronto Child and Family Network, a network of about 100 organizations.
Tamara Augsten, who’s had a lead role in developing the Network’s Raising the Village initiative shares the value of this database.
This initiative has pulled together data from various partners’ sources, such as EQAO standardized testing, Toronto District School Board, and the census, and made 120 indicators easily accessible to anyone, in a way that allows for insights into the current state of Toronto and enables people and organizations to move to action.
We hear how this easily enables a snapshot or comparison of a neighbourhood, and also enables an easy way to apply an equity lens to a community by disaggregating the data.
Tamara shares how we often hear averages for Toronto. Great insights can be gained by segmenting the data by race, income or geography to identify and then move to address inequities.
COVID has highlighted many inequities in our community. Here’s a tool to get a handle on them and mobilize action.
This is particularly great information for organizations in Toronto serving children and families – principals, teachers, nonprofits, social workers, municipal councillors, parents and more – as you’ll hear how to easily access insights about your community.
Outside of Toronto, we hope listeners take note of this model and begin to rally the partners and resources to ensure that insightful data is easily accessible in your community, as a first step to uncovering inequities and taking action.
Resources:
- Raising the Village: https://raisingthevillage.ca
- Toronto Child and Family Network: https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/kb/docs/articles/childrens-services/service-system-planning-and-policy/toronto-child-and-family-network-formerly-torontos-best-start-network.html
- Tamara Augsten: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-augsten-1962b068
- Kelley Baldwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-baldwin-54ba1698