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NLIS 1
July 7, 2000
(Human Resources and Employment)


Implementation of Province�s Strategic Social Plan�on target, on time, says Bettney

Julie Bettney, Minister of Human Resources and Employment and lead minister responsible for the Strategic Social Plan (SSP), today announced that the Strategic Social Plan�s regional implementation is proceeding according to schedule.

Said Bettney: "The implementation of the Strategic Social Plan is on target, on time. Six SSP regions have now been established through a regional consultation process and a regional committee for each of those areas is in place."

The six regions are: Labrador, Grenfell-Cormack (Western), Central, St John�s Metro and two yet-to-be-named regions in Eastern Newfoundland. Each regional committee is at a different stage in the implementation of its Strategic Social Plan, and each committee has approached that process differently.

Said Bettney: "Central Region, the first region to be established and now staffed by an executive director, has identified and is working in three priority areas for the region. These priorities are: working with Memorial University, College of the North Atlantic and the two school boards in the region to assist students in the transition from grade 12 to post-secondary education; early childhood enrichment initiatives; and community leadership capacity building in smaller communities.

"Cormack-Grenfell  Region, the second region established, is working with a community planner and is well on its way to developing the first draft of a regional environmental scan and a list of strategic issues. Labrador Region is in the process of hiring an employee to assist the regional committee in establishing priorities and developing its regional plan. The three regions in Eastern Newfoundland, including St. John�s Metro, the last regions established, are in the process of developing job descriptions for the three individuals they will hire and identifying the priorities for their areas.

"The SSP is a vision for social change developed by and for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a grass roots approach to community development and problem solving. As a

result, each region identifies its most pressing issues and develops its own solutions to address them."

The regional planning committees, which have been organized around the concept of building community partnerships to deliver an integrated approach to social and economic development, include representation from Regional Economic Development Boards, school boards, hospital boards, municipal councils, and government.

"The participation and cooperation of the various boards, agencies and service providers has exceeded expectations. Everyone involved in the committees is to be commended for their dedication and hard work," said Bettney.

Note to Editors: Information regarding specific activities of the SSP Regional Committee in your area is available.

Media contact:

Mary MacNab, Communications Director, Strategic Social Plan, (709) 729-0175, cell: (709) 685-4054, email: mmacnab@mail.gov.nf.ca

2000 07 07                 10:00 a.m.


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