Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth

The Community Schools Partnership Initiative (CSPI) was launched in January 2005 under the jurisdiction of Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth (MECY).

Community schools can act as a hub for a broad range of services, supports and opportunities that strengthen and support schools, families and communities.

In establishing Community Schools, MECY wants to increase student success in communities of particular need in our province. The main goal of Community Schools is to help communities achieve a new level of success, by encouraging the involvement of parents, community leaders, and community agencies as “partners” — providing a range of services and supports that any given community needs.

In doing this, Community Schools offer a new centre of activity in a neighbourhood. The community schools provide gathering places where adults and children can get together for educational, social, recreational and cultural activities.

When communities are strong, with parents and teachers involved in learning, the Community School will help:

• children start their school day alert and healthy with their basic needs met.
• school staff draws on the community’s resources to help students succeed academically and socially.
• health, recreational, cultural, and social services that students need are available in the school.
• parents and community partners provide direction to the school and support its activities.
• the school is a resource for the whole community.

Picture this: Schools where parents and family members share their knowledge and skills in the classrooms, with services to help students and families available at the school – like before and after school programs for kids, along with healthy living and family education programs for parents. This is what Community Schools are … and can be!