Empact Global’s Post

In other news... An emerging architectural movement employs design to assist society's most vulnerable individuals grappling with post-traumatic stress. This practice is still in its infancy, with initial efforts in designing for homelessness commencing just a decade ago. Consequently, it hasn't undergone extensive scrutiny to determine if the benefits extend beyond anecdotal evidence. Nevertheless, ongoing initiatives in schools and universities that have embraced Trauma-Informed Design (TID) aim to assess its influence on academic outcomes and behaviour. #homelessness #design

The Loft is guided by many principles in our mahi and one of them is our commitment to social justice and sustainable communities. We try to eliminate barriers to accessing support and provide each person with what they need to thrive. Our interventions are purposely targeted to the individual, implementing solutions that will work for them. They are involved in all decision making and we will only do what they are comfortable with. By being inclusive, responsive, accessible, and outcome focused we can be a vital step in a person's journey to better wellbeing. The flow on effect of this being thriving people and communities. #socialjustice #sustainablecommunities #wellbeing #thrivingcommunities #thriving #inclusive #responsive #accessible #outcomes #positiveoutcomes

Great catch up with ‘Mr ABCD’ Cormac Russell 🔥 Deeply appreciate the open and honest convo about our #groundzero realities. How true it is that society has effectively commoditized/productized misery and tagged an expensive price on it. Just like preventive medicine to some extent, behind the scenes community development may never be able to generate eye popping measurables in glossy impact reports. But doesn’t it make sense to make investments in the right places, people and organizations before the social ills surface and a price has to be paid to ‘cure’ them? 🙏 History informs us that the rooster’s always coming home to roost and perhaps this is something policy makers, practitioners and people need to come to terms with 🤔 #assetbasedcommunuitydevelopment

15-minute city & Accessibility The 15-minute city concept and planning, when done right (and plenty real life best practices and examples exist of such) supports movement of all people for local needs. Why do some people think the 15-minute city concept is automatically ableist and not considering accessibility to all people? I have only heard this critique a few times now and those who voiced it may also have been very poorly educated on the topic. One other critique of 15-minute city is that they are ‚ghettos’ which is a gross, dangerous and incredibly ignorant critique. A critique is not immediately valid just because voiced. However, I am genuinely curious to see SPECIFIC examples of how proximity planning and making neighborhoods and communities have most (if not all) amenities reachable within a 15-minute stroll is manifesting in ways that are seen as non-inclusive and ableist. As a champion of walkable communities that also have amenities within easy reach for all inhabitants, accessibility is an ongoing central theme for me and at Pedestrian Space. https://lnkd.in/dQ5BppPw I am not interested in hosting a debate or complaint thread under this post. I am genuinely curious to see extremely specific examples that are leading to people being concerned about the 15-minute city concept and accessibility to help shape understanding of the concerns as well as misconceptions people have. Video clip with Mateusz earlier this year. Mateusz is a disability advocate who himself is disabled (needing a wheelchair from the moment he wakes up). He wanted to show me his neighborhood and explain how the #15minutecity concept as a reality in his neighborhood helped with his ease of mobility, running errands and quality of life. We had a great walk/roll around his neighborhood and then enjoyed a meal together before filming this clip.

I wish I could get paid to create more of these citizen assemblies on community farms, community gardens, and heart-centered farmer's markets. I boldly believe that caring for the land while we discuss issues in our communities can produce the greatest forms of citizenship and social coherence. Then again, who am I? The poor working class son of immigrant farmers. A medical school dropout. An insanely compassionate social innovator. Don't listen to me, I'm sure there's an expert with a degree who knows more about how to create more social coherence. https://lnkd.in/grMnDBiC #civicengagement #civicleadership #regenerativeagriculture

Reflecting on the insightful article 'The Link Between Walkable Neighborhoods and Race,' I couldn't help but draw parallels to my own experiences as a South African immigrant in Canada. Living in River Club, Johannesburg, a neighborhood that was great on paper but plagued by rising crime rates, I understand firsthand how the built environment shapes our daily lives and choices. The article's exploration of the racial divide in access to walkable neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area is a stark reminder of how deep-seated issues of inequality and social factors influence urban living. It resonates with the systemic challenges we faced in South Africa due to Apartheid, where structural inequalities have long dictated the quality of life and access to resources for different communities. As the article highlights, even when controlling for factors like housing values and proximity to transit, racial disparities in access to walkable neighborhoods persist. This finding echoes my observations in Johannesburg, where the quality of neighborhoods and access to amenities like safe walking paths were unevenly distributed, often along racial lines. In Canada, I've witnessed a different urban landscape, but the core issues of accessibility and equitable urban planning remain universal. The article's emphasis on the need for inclusive urban development that considers social and cultural factors, not just economic ones, is a crucial takeaway for city planners and policymakers. As we strive to create more inclusive and walkable cities, it's imperative to consider the diverse needs and backgrounds of all residents. This article is a powerful reminder that walkability isn't just about infrastructure; it's about creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. #imaginecities #wearecitymakers #inclusionmatters

A major misconception in long term care facilities is that falls are unavoidable. They're just the way it is and what can you do? That is simply not true. Communities that implemented #TheLiveWellMethod during our pilot phase reduced falls by 28% over a one-year period. How did they do that? They created a system and used practices that team members could easily do every shift, every day. Simple things like tracking where falls happened, what time of day, and who fell. And sharing those results on a board visible to all. It's extremely difficult to create a high quality care culture without a clear method. That's why we created #TheLiveWellMethod: an effective, empowering, and low cost way to create a safe, life-giving residence. Our method works because it engages staff, visitors and even residents themselves in the core practices of quality improvement! 💪 😁 #TheLiveWellMethod #qualityimprovement #fallprevention #QAPI #longtermcare #empowerment

Powering a new approach to the traditional model. 🚧 We specialize in developing communities that meet the unique and changing demands. Let's develop a #seniorliving community together. #Solinity #SeniorLivingDevelopment #SeniorLiving #SeniorCare #SeniorLivingIndustry #Development #ActiveAdult #MultiGenerational #Intergenerational #IndependentLiving #AssistedLiving #MemoryCare #Repositioning

This is a deeply thought provoking piece of research with a framework to help us all think more and do more about our impact from our work in the built environment. For those of you, like me, interested in fire safety equity, I can recommend this report. Feedback welcomed as it’s only the start of the research. #equity #safety #excellence

Being an inclusive business or venue is not just good for community but good for business too. Don't close the doors on people with disability but embrace the challenge to learn and witness the benefits to your business like Ray and his team. When you ask questions and embrace change, great things happen. Being inclusive for everyone is easy. Make the changes today and reap the rewards. #inclusivebusinesses #embracenewideas #breakthesocialmodel #faceyourfears