Alberta Rural Development (ARDN) is a not-for-profit group that offers community social development services on a cost-recovery basis. They can equip individuals with tools, information, and expertise needed to jumpstart projects identified by the community. They can help identify and access funding to support projects, guide people through a funding application or write it on their behalf. ARDN’s work also includes advocacy on broader issues, and amplifying the collective voice of rural communities to fuel affordable housing development, community revitalization, and improve the quality of life for rural Canadians.
The Electronic Recycling Association was happy to provide ARDN with 5 monitors and 3 laptops to assist their operations when they expanded their staff.
ARDN projects with the greatest community impact are those that are built around community needs and that have local champions. Their community-focused “facilitator” approach identifies and connects appropriate parties and applies research results to rural issues, resulting in community-based actions and solutions.
Their goal is to strengthen their focus as a provincial connector by increasing their efforts to engage new communities that might benefit from working with them. They also want to increase the number of organizations and partners they work with, so that rural Alberta can better benefit from their collective efforts. This narrows ARDN’s focus to options to create strategic choices that will lead to stronger rural communities in Alberta.
ARDN’s approach is founded on supporting communities in their efforts to address social issues. They listen, hear what the community’s needs are, and provide support by developing solutions with them, knowing each community is unique and requires a tailored approach. In addition, a key aspect of ARDN’s work is supporting communities in actually implementing the proposed solutions by providing capacity and expertise. All too often projects are started, but stall without the right tools, capacity, and expertise needed to become a reality; ARDN is committed to filling this gap.
Repurpose your unwanted equipment and support your local community with an electronic donation. With your donation, local community charities are given equal opportunities to support their programs and Canadians in need. Together, we can work towards a future with less e-waste! Book a pickup toady.