This component aims to foster dialogue between community organizations independent of themselves and to stimulate community associations. We also encourage a feeling of belonging by, for example, holding formal and informal meetings, by facilitating flows of information or by organizing social activities.
At the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, this component includes the organization’s annual general meeting and work with different committees.

This represents one of our most fundamental elements. The CDC promotes and ensures the flow of information regarding local, regional and national issues that may impact the community sector in one way or another.
Several services exist at the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent to ensure this component is met, including the Express du Communautaire, our Facebook page, as well as weekly emails to our members and partners filled with a variety of pertinent information.

This represents one of the CDC’s main mandates. The organization represents its members in different community, socio-economic or political circumstances at the local, regional and national level. The CDC can, among other things, stimulate debate over priority issues and act as a spokesperson for the community sector on important issues within the region.
Our membership with the Beauharnois-Valleyfield-Haut-Saint-Laurent Chamber of Commerce, our regular communications with elected officials, and our participation in the ‘Concertation Horizon’ are all examples of how the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent represents its members.

The CDC’s collaborative work is not limited to its members. The CDC is regularly involved in local development projects with other political, institutional and socio-economic actors within their territory. In particular, they are able to contribute by initiating collective services and by actively participating in various round tables.

The CDC works to create and maintain community groups and networks by offering support on several levels, including but not limited to: funding consolidation, support and accompaniment for new members, and the development of community associations and a sense of belonging.

The CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is involved with this component across several levels: determining the community’s current needs, finding resources, organizing workshops and trainings and follow-up. Workshop themes are determined according to members’ needs and can be customized.

Of note, the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent organizes a biennial conference on funding for non-profit organizations. Check back soon for details on the next edition.

The CDC is able to offer a variety of services to community organizations depending on the needs expressed and the capacity available to respond to them. For example, support in the search for funding or the development of tools to facilitate the internal management of organizations.

Most CDCs are recognized as technical resources in the social economy. This refers in particular to work promoting and raising awareness of the social economy.

The CDC can organize promotional and visibility activities for community actions or projects, most notably by creating and disseminating promotional tools, organizing public activities or producing and distributing directories of community resources.

Two such examples of the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s implication in this respect include its involvement in the Communi-T Nights and with the itsmytown.com website.

The CDC is involved in research projects in the area and is able to pilot specific research projects as well.

For example, the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is a partner organization with IRIS (Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques).