Community hubs
Background
In December of 2022, the Provincial Government announced funding within the capital budget for two new schools in Saint John for the Central Peninsula and North End neighbourhoods.
The new school in the Central Peninsula is planned to replace two existing schools: St. John the Baptist/King Edward and Prince Charles schools. The new school will serve children from kindergarten to grade eight.
The new school in the North End is planned to replace two existing schools: Hazen White-St. Francis and Centennial schools. The new school will serve children from kindergarten to grade five.
In recent years, schools in both communities have adopted an integrated, community hub model which brings additional early learning, after school, parenting support and poverty reduction programming into the schools. This unique approach is critical for these neighbourhoods, where poverty rates well exceed provincial averages, with the low-income measure, after tax in the north and south ends is 48.8 percent and 49.9 percent, respectively, compared to the provincial average of 15.9%.
The Community Hub model drives social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic growth in the community. It serves families who have lived in these neighbourhoods for generations and helps to attract new families to the area.
Where the community hub model for the Central Peninsula includes community centre space, assumptions for the North end school do not include a community centre, as the area is well-served by programming at other facilities.
An analysis of the Community Hub model was completed by Ernst & Young in 2018 which estimated that investments in this model in the Central Peninsula would generate social services savings in the magnitude of $16 Million to $32 Million. It is expected that similar results would be realized in the North End.
Purpose
While the government has agreed to fund the Community Hub for the city’s new South End school, funding for the North End school still has not been secured. The North End school operates in a neighbourhood with extremely high and concentrated rates of poverty, and with a massive influx of newcomer families.
These Community Hubs are open 7 days a week, and all summer long to support their vulnerable neighbourhood populations. They are typically within walking distance for families who live in these neighbourhoods, and are a trusted source of wrap-around support services from not-for-profit community organizations, health care professionals and visiting specialists. It includes programming spaces and storage rooms for used clothing and non-perishable food items.
The Hubs are also fully integrated into the schools, and host early morning, lunch, and afterschool/evening programs. The South End Hub hosts evenings with the Boys and Girls Club, who run a mentoring program, and also includes the Night Centre - where older kids can go and use the gym in the evening.
Eventually, these families and children begin to see the Community Hub, and by extension the school as a whole, as a safe space. This positive relationship generates improved outcomes with respect to education, health, wellbeing, and employment, that will benefit these families for the rest of their lives.
Simply put, Community Hubs are not just a benefit— they’re a lifeline for these children and their families.
BCAPI’s role
BCAPI is a project partner. Our role is to advocate for project funding, work with our ASD-S and school partners on data collection and reporting, to manage stakeholder relations, and to problem-solve/remove roadblocks along the way.
Funding
$14M for both schools to accommodate for population growth.
The Province of New Brunswick does not typically fund additional space for the type of programming and services that comprise the community hub model.
While funding for the South End Hub has been secured with some effort, Provincial staff (EECD and DTI) has made it clear that the North End Hub is not within their approved budget.
Given the City has been experiencing unprecedented population growth in recent years, especially in the North End and Crescent Valley area, it is crucial that this school offers a community space like the Hub, and that it is sized accordingly for our growing community.
Looking forward
The next step is to advocate for funding for the North End school.