About CDS - History
Summary
The Western Rocky View Communities Development Society, called Communities Development Society (CDS), originated in 2001 as a FCSS County funded pilot project administered through the Town of Cochrane. Over the next 2 years, the organization evolved into a non-profit charitable society focusing entirely on rural community development. Most of our early work focused on exploration, research and learning about the communities.
The Society took a new path in 2005 when we built upon a seniors' resiliency project with the Kerby Centre of Excellence and the University of Calgary. With the seniors' population comprising the largest age demographic in the rural west and the pressures brought on by rapid community growth. There were approximately 83 participants who provided valuable links and information to their communities and the issues most relevant to the aging population. This was our first real opportunity to test and practice our adopted framework for asset-based or capacity-based development principles.
In looking at other population demographic issues other than seniors, CDS targeted rural women and children's concerns. CDS played a lead role in developing the annual rural women's conference held in Bragg Creek. This initiative has been successfully handed over to the community to manage and operate with well over 200+ participants each year.
The provincial-led Parent Link Program was awarded to the Town of Cochrane in early 2006 with CDS partnering to extend this service to the rural areas during its first year. Now in its fourth year, the Town of Cochrane is successfully delivering early intervention and family support programs directed to pre-school age children in a number of rural areas.CDS has evolved from a young start-up organization characterized by discovery about rural issues and developing relationships with rural residents with a broad scope and is now maturing, focusing, and strategizing in areas of organizational strength and community momentum.
The early years (2000 -2004):
- 2000 - The Rocky View County accesses provincial FCSS dollars (80% contribution from Child and Family Services and 20% from Rocky View) and completes its first Social Needs Assessment
- Between 1996 and 2001, the County of Rocky View population grew by an astonishing 31.6% (Stats Canada)
- 2001 - Town of Cochrane applies for a rural outreach position to help address needs identified in the Social Needs Assessment Survey. Work with rural organizations to identify issues and build programs begins
- 2003 - The founding board for Communities Development Society is formed
- 2004 - Bragg Creek Women's Conference and Youth Leadership weekend initiated
The growing years (2005 - 2009)
- 2005 - Focus groups held across the western County with rural seniors
- 2006 - Rural Women's Speaker and Networking series is developed; Rural Seniors' Housing Task Force established; Rural Parent Link facilitator hired
- 2006 - the Rocky View County census - 34,597 population, an increase of 21.6% since 2000 maintaining one of the fastest growing municipalities. CDS receives Charitable status
- 2007 - the Rocky View County - FCSS receives requests for over 1million dollars in grant applications for available funds of $500,000.00. Rural Seniors "Grassroots & Groundwork" Conference
- 2008 - Seniors Housing Action Group, donation of land to project and hiring of Housing Manager.
- 2009 - CDS Board Strategic Planning meetings, Bearspaw Community Leadership Forum and Aging in Community Strategy
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