Nelson’s Social Planning Action Network society (SPAN) wants the public’s help picking its next community project.
SPAN, formed in 2006, is best known for hosting community events and forums related to social issues. This year it plans to initiate a new action-oriented project to address a priority social issue.
A survey will be distributed by SPAN this month to identify the issue a majority of Nelsonites are most interested in seeing action on.
It could be anything — from access to child care to mental health support; or youth involvement in community decision making, or our aging population.
The short survey will ask respondents to identify the issue they are most concerned about and suggest an action project to address it, as well as asking them to rank their level of concern on various social issues.
SPAN project coordinator Katie Tabor says the results will be compiled and presented to Nelson city council by April, and in the spring the society will seek grant funding to bring the identified project to life.
The SPAN survey will build on the findings on an Ipsos Reid poll conducted by the City last summer, which found housing and lack of affordable housing, poverty/homelessness and general social issues were at the top of residents’ minds.
“Our survey will gather more information on the specific impacts of these issues and the solutions as seen by our community members,” Tabor said. “We anticipate this research will have meaningful community use and application.”
The survey is expected to go live this Friday. A link to the survey will be available at nelsoncares.ca.