By Dawar Naeem
Dawar is a community journalist with FACUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

The purpose of the Planning Committee is multi-faceted, with a primary focus on making strategic recommendations to the SDP Stakeholders Table. The committee plays a crucial role in shaping the overall direction and action priorities of the SDP by fostering inter-committee alignment, coordination, and active engagement of stakeholders and residents.

The agenda for the meeting proposes various items for the Planning Committee, touching on upcoming facilitators, important dates, and updates on recent events and meetings. A key focus is the preparation meeting on November 7, where the Co-Chairs meeting with the City is on the agenda, along with updates on the submitted Capacity Building proposals.

The stakeholders table meeting for November 27 is outlined with a detailed agenda, task list, and specific due dates. A registration form for the Stakeholders table event was shared, and a deadline is pending for posters, set for November 9, with Adonis responsible for sharing at the next Planning meeting. Entertainment and engagement, including considerations for a DJ and outreach for report-back, are part of the ongoing preparations.

The facilitator list for 2023 is introduced, with a call for facilitators to check their dates and confirm. A discussion on potential swaps and the necessity to email facilitators in advance for agenda planning and meeting preparation follows.

The meeting delves into planning future events, exploring options for virtual, in-person, or hybrid gatherings. A brainstorming session is suggested to weigh the pros and cons of each format, with a decision to be made by Ismail Mohammed, The SDP Admin Coordinaor.

Attention is given to a leadership course application deadline for the Leading Social Justice Collective by the School of Cities, with Walied and Joel sharing the information regarding the course.
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Concerns about Women's Circle funding are raised, prompting the group to reach out to Jennifer Hoffman from the City for support. The meeting concludes with a standing agenda item for evaluations, directing participants to an SDP survey for feedback, shared at the end of the meeting in the chat for convenience.