The City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie and Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta have partnered to better connect residents across the region to vital social supports through the Community Compass Project. 

The Community Compass ties together hundreds of independent social services and programs across the Grande Prairie area into a coordinated system so residents can more easily navigate community support. The program is designed to better connect residents with the supports they need in a more efficient, effective and accessible way, improving co-ordination and use of resources across organizations in the area. 

 

“We are always looking for innovative ways to connect our residents with local supports and services. The Community Compass and digital resource directory is designed to connect people with the right resources at the right time. To date, we have mapped over 2500 local resources that can be used by both the public looking for resources, and the agencies themselves, who can create their own content.  
 Additionally, this app is also designed to provide real time data on local issues/needs which will allows us to make informed decisions at a policy, priorities, and service design level.”- Angela Sutherland, City of Grande Prairie Community Social Development Manager 

“With this program, the County saw an opportunity to make sure that individuals who are looking for community resources get to the right place, the first time. Anyone seeking social supports should be able to connect with someone to point them in the right direction so they can feel supported and understood on their journey." - Kathleen Turner, County of Grande Prairie Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Director 

“The Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta is pleased to partner with our local municipalities on this initiative.  Accessing support is paramount for people in need.  The Community Compass simplifies the process, encourages collaboration between service organizations, and ultimately directs people to timely and effective support in their time of need." – Laura LaValley, Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta Chief Executive Officer 

The project has been developed collaboratively through robust and ongoing consultations with community members, service users, service providers and other levels of government. It focuses on three levels of access: physically in-person at community hubs and social service agencies; targeted referrals amongst social service providers for people with complex needs; and digital for anyone to access at any time through the digital resource directory. 

To date, a mapping of existing community resources has been completed, and local navigators have been trained to leverage existing community hubs and knowledgeable staff.  

 

Digital Resource Directory 

A major part of the Community Compass is the launch of a new digital resource directory in the region called the HelpSeekers app. 

Available to download for free, the app is available for anyone in the community to use to find local, relevant and up-to-date information on support services based on their needs in a safe and secure manner. 

The app connects individuals with many services, including: 

·         Housing and Homelessness 

·         Food  

·         Domestic Violence 

·         Mental Health and Addictions 

·         Training and Education 

·         Community and Belonging 

The HelpSeeker app can accessed online by visiting helpseeker.org/alberta/grande-prairie or downloaded for free on both iPhone and Android. 

To learn more about the Community Compass Project, including the digital resource directory, visit cityofgp.com/communitycompass or contact csd@cityofgp.com.  

Information provided by the County of Grande Prairie