The Vital Signs Pilot Project: Taking the Pulse of our Communities Report Pilot Project

Just Group's Trevor Esau is providing  consulting services for the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta  to project manage  the Vital Signs  Report Pilot Project. 



About Vital Signs^®

Vital Signs –Taking the Pulse of Canadian Communities is administered by Community Foundations of Canada.Vital Signs is a community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that: measures the vitality of our communities,identifies significant trends and supports action on issues that are critical to our quality of life.

For more information, visit Vital Signs^®

About Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta

The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is a public foundation dedicated to developing a permanent community endowment which is continually being expanded by generous donors so that the investment income will forever support charitable organizations in all the communities of southwestern Alberta" . For more information on the Foundation, visit Foundation

About Community Foundations of Canada

Community Foundations of Canada is the national membership organization for Canada’s Community Foundations. This is a  Canadian movement for community vitality, represented by 184 members from coast to coast. CFC was established in 1992 to connect and support this growing network of local foundations. For more information, visit Community Foundation of Canada

Update: Community Microloan Pilot Completed

The Community Microloan Pilot was completed April 15th. The project now transitions to the Moving Forward Pilot!

Moving Forward Pilot Launched

A granting program for charities in southwestern Alberta to assist people in their efforts to move toward an improved quality of life. (a pilot project)

Trevor Esau is consulting for the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta on a pilot project on behalf of a donor. Our donor is interested in providing a ‘hand up’ to deserving people by removing some the financial obstacles that are preventing them from moving forward in their personal development. Although our donor is primarily interested in establishing a support network in rural communities, consideration will also be given to those living in Lethbridge. 

The Brief Business History Project

Just Group values the role of local business histories in community development. To support businesses with their histories, Just Group has prepared a document that outlines the benefits for businesses, employees and community; the components; and how to get started on a brief business history.

Just Group then completed a prototype brief business history project for Teamwork Training Ltd., a business with a 20 year history in Lethbridge. This project  was of particular interest as Just Group's Trevor Esau  was part of the start-up of Teawork Training.  The initials T E in TEAM stand for Trevor Esau ( A M stands for Anna Miller-Mather).   They started the company together (Photo is of  Anna and Trevor at Teamwork Training's 20th Anniversary event, in 2012) however, Trevor was only involved  for several years.

Community Microloan Pilot Project

Reducing Poverty Through Microcredit

Just Group is now working with the Southwest Alberta Community Loan Fund (SWACLF) to complete the Community Microloan Pilot Project.  This consultant work is made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwest Alberta.

The SWACLF was created to help low-income entrepreneurs access business start-up or business-growth financing not available through other sources.  Individual loans are made using a character-based lending decision, where the abilities, skills and commitment of the applicant together with the strength of the business plan are key decision criteria.


ELIGIBILITY

Labour Market Information Research and Analysis for Lethbridge and South West Alberta

Just Group consulting services is continuing to provide Lethbridge and southwest Alberta labour market analysis for for the company Labour Market Information Resources (LMIR).   Services include labour market information (LMI) research, analysis, commentaries, writing, and reports.   

www.lmigateway.ca

Results of the research are published on posts on  a one-stop gateway to Lethbridge and southwest Alberta's labour market information (www.lmigateway.ca) to enable public, electronic access to the resulting local LMI and  job search publications.    

 WOW — what a great resource!!! I have bookmarked the link to LMI Gateway

                 & to your site as well – so thanks for the heads up! I think the Gateway is a

                 great resource – for practitioners and students/clients alike. I will certainly

                 promote the resource! 

                                                 Heather, U of L Career Counsellor, Provincial Board

                                                 Member, Career Development Association of Alberta

Just Group Celebrated it's 5th Anniversary in 2013!

Just Group celebrated our 5th Anniversary on January 16, 2013! A special board meeting and meal  was held March 9, 2013 to mark the special occasion.

The fifth year of operation brought the exciting addition of partnership with  Just Group Consulting services to compliment its community development suite of services.   Consulting specialties include: adult education, economic development, career development, professionals in transitions, and labour market information.

Contact Just Group at justcdgroup@gmail.com for more information.

Just Group Partnered with the Lethbridge Hurricanes: Lethbridge Maple Leafs 60 Anniversary Project: Part 2

Tom Wood and Nap Milroy
dropping the puck at the ceremonial
faceoff

Just Group partnered with the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes  as part of the Lethbridge Maple Leaf anniversary project.  The Hurricanes celebrated the 60th Anniversary with a replica jersey night in a WHL league game. They promoted our lethbridgemapleleafs.com site as part of their promotional activities and events and their replica jersey auction.

We would also like to acknowledge the promotion of our site by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Bob Nicholson's support at Hockey Canada, and the Hockey Hall of Fame.These hockey bodies promoted our site through their social media sites!

Tom Wood and Darcen Esau

In addition, Hockey Hall of Fame's Phillip Pritchard supported our site by sending us HHOF photos for the site and making this poster! Click on: HHOF to see our post about HHOF's involvement.

Two  members of the 1951 Lethbridge Maple leafs were at the game.  Just Group's Darcen Esau had the opportunity to have a conversation with Tom Wood, pictured below.  Later Tom wrote a personal  account and we posted it with his permission.

To read both posts click on:  1) Tom Wood and a Few Stories   2) An Insider Story by Tom Wood

Lethbridge Maple Leaf Anniversary Project Launched October 2010

1951 World Champion Lethbridge
Maple Leafs

Just Group started the Lethbridge Maple Leaf anniversary project to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Lethbridge Maple Leafs world championship victory in Paris, France in 1951.We have tried to capture the story of the Lethbridge Maple Leafs and provide a site to post stories, documents, links and photos of their incredible journey to the championship.

Since launching the project we have completed 83 posts and have had over 14,000 visitors to the site from all over the world.
Go to: http://www.lethbridgemapleleafs.com/

If you're a hockey fan, you will discover a real treasure. The people who put it together deserve a real pat on the back. We don’t spend nearly enough time remembering our past and this website is marvellous. Just want to compliment you on the Lethbridge Maple Leafs site. What a remarkable job you folks have done with this.  Well done!        Gregg Drinnan, Sports Editor, Kamloops Daily News

Nap Milroy and Trevor Esau

The Galt Museum and Archives displayed their Lethbridge Maple Leaf artifacts as part of the backdrop to the Lethbridge Hurricanes press conference announcing their tribute to the Maple Leafs with a replica jersy night during a WHL league game.  Pictured is Just Group's Trevor Esau and world champion Maple Leaf Nap Milroy.  Trcvor had the privilege of discussing the team with "Nap".

 Partners:

Hockey History Project Launched 2010

Lanny McDonald and John Davidson

as members of the Lethbridge

Sugar Kings 

Photo Courtesy of the

 Galt Museum and Archives

In 2010 Just Group started our hockey history project,  HockeyHistory.org,  dedicated to researching and preserving historical hockey stories and memories as they relate to our cultural heritage. Since the start of the project we have posted 63 posts and had almost 45,000 visitors to the site.

Hockey is a vital part of the development of our rural and urban communities and ties us together internationally as part of an amazing common heritage. This site is dedicated to preserving our hockey heritage.


To go to the hockey history project site click on the banner below or go to:  http://www.hockeyhistory.org/ 


Check out the four part series on Lanny McDonald and
the arena fire from this site.

Just Group Present Keynote Address to Lethbridge Family Services Annual Meeting

Just Group's Trevor Esau
Delivering the Keynote Address

On September 15, 2008, Trevor delivered the Lethbridge Family Services Annual General Meeting key note address at the Galt Museum Atrium, entitled: The History and Impact of Lethbridge Family Service’s Leadership Role in Suicide Prevention.

This address highlighted the research Just group completed as part of their Suicide Prevention History Project. For all of the research results and final report go to: http://www.suicidepreventionhistory.com/

Just wanted to fire off a quick note of thanks for your awesome
presentation last night. We discussed it at the Board Meeting
                                                          afterwards and they were thrilled with your work.

                                                                              Dave Adams, Executive Director, Lethbridge Family Services

To view the research specific to Lethbridge Family Services go to:  Just in Time: Lethbridge Family Services: The Development of the Suicide Prevention Program, 1982-1987

Suicide Prevention History 2008 - 2011 Part 2: Completion, Highlights, and Suicide Prevention Day 2010

Trevor Esau presents
the Project Final Reprot to
CMHA Executive Director,
 Deborah Chennery

Just Group in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada timed the completion of the Suicide Prevention History Project to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day 2010. Just Group participated in the day by donating the artifacts and documents from the research project to the Galt Museum and Archives ( a partner in the project).

What partner Canadian Mental Health said of the project:



Trevor Esau presents the project
artifacts and documents to Galt Museum
 Archivist, Greg Ellis as part of
World Suicide Prevention Day 2010

I am pleased to write this letter of reference on behalf of Justgroup for the exceptional work that was achieved in the writing of the history of suicide prevention in our area. Justgroup was extremely thorough and professional in their approach to researching and documentation of this history.  The Foundation that funded the cost of the project was extremely pleased with the resulting information and website and we are very pleased that this new learning tool will be available to communities at large.

                       Deborah Chenery

                       Executive Director ,    

                       Canadian Mental Health Association/ South Region 

World Suicide Prevention Day is a project of the International Association for Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention History Project 2008- 2011 Part 1: Project and Partners



On Mat 14, 2008, Trevor Esau presented  the
 Suicide Prevention History Project
to the Lethbridge Community Foundation's
Press Conference and Grant Awards Ceremony



Just Group's first project was a community partnership (see partners below) to research the suicide prevention history project.  The results of the project may be viewed at:  suicidepreventionhistory.com  This site is a mechanism for education,  awareness, instant archiving, and communication about people, events, artifacts, and practices that make up the rich international heritage of suicide prevention.  Please visit this site to view the pictures, artifacts, written documents and the final report. This site is evolving to be a used to encourage others in the international suicide prevention community to research, record and document their own suicide prevention history.

Suicide Prevention History Project Partners:

                                                

Additional partners were:  Lethbridge Family Services and the Galt Museum and Archives

The Start of Just Group - 2007

Just Group was started in May, 2007 after a meeting held at the University of Lethbridge in the Howard Tennat conference room on the 11th floor of the library. The concept discussed was a need for a mechanism to complete community development projects.   A plan of action was developed and recorded.

Photo on left is of Darcen Esau and Trevor Esau walking around city hall in Edmonton, AB July,2007, looking at the sculptures:  They were discussing the concept of Just Group-the next day they went on a tour of roadside attractions.  This photo is the exact moment they discussed  Just Group for the first time!

Just Group incorporation documents, directors and shareholders were completed at the Starbucks in the photo to the right,  in Calgary AB, in January, 2008. Just Group was stuctured modeled after the  social enterprise concept and named: Just Community Development Group Ltd. with an operating name of Just Group. For more a go to:  About Just Group