At the end of May, the Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Office launched a travelling photo exhibit – Caring for Community.
The initiative was conceived to contribute to one of the priorities of the Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan, Integrated and Simpler Systems. One of this priority’s objectives is to improve access to services by adapting communications to be more understandable and accessible to the community.
With a view to encourage residents to learn more about the people featured in the exhibit and ask questions about social programs and services, the CSWB Office, in partnership with the Ottawa Public Library, will host a public outreach event on September 27.
This event will adopt the proven “human library” approach, where participants will be invited to select a “human book” (an exhibit subject) with whom they will meet to hear the story and have a conversation.
The first Human Library was launched in Denmark in 2000, with the goal of combating violence and creating dialogue between different groups within the community. It has grown in popularity with dozens of events of its kind taking place around the world every year.
The human books are residents dedicated to making Ottawa’s communities healthy, safe and inclusive and whose profession is connected to the CSWB Plan’s six priorities.
The event will take place on Wednesday September 27, between 11 am and 3 pm at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library at 120 Metcalfe Street.
