Why get involved?

A strong neighbourhood is built on the relationships between neighbours and on the effort that neighbours put into creating and maintaining a safe and happy place to live.

Being the person who starts a neighbourhood activity or who brings people together to talk about issues that concern your neighbourhood sets a great example for others to get involved. It often takes just one person to make the first step in energizing and engaging a whole neighbourhood. When people get involved in their neighbourhood and help each other out, safer and healthier communities are created.

Armand Kayolo is a man known for listening with his ears, his eyes and his heart. It’s a quality that has earned him the respect and admiration of the people he has worked with since taking on his role in 2003. In a place like Overbrook, that’s no simple task. The low-income neighbourhood he serves has its share of challenges, including poverty, mental health issues, the sex trade, drugs, intimidation and violence.

When Armand first arrived, he saw people who did not know one another and did not trust one another, including the police. The Donald Street community housing complex was home to far too many problems. Residents lived in fear, and often in isolation. There were other barriers too. New Canadians and other vulnerable groups were frequently unwilling or unable to ask for help.

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