Philpott, Florence

Florence Philpott (1909–1992) was a Canadian social worker and leader in the field. Philpott worked as a caseworker, community organizer, educator, and she was involved in social planning and policy development. Philpott demonstrated strong leadership in community organizations concerned with poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. As executive director of the Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto, she mobilized a Needs and Resources Study that exposed inadequate relief rates and insufficient community support. Philpott contributed to the professionalization of social work in Canada as executive director of the Canadian Association of Social Workers in Ottawa from 1964 to 1971. Her extensive volunteer and work experience in the field of social work illustrates her commitment to advocating better relief rates for those living in poverty, guiding organizations in resource allocation, and promoting the role of social workers in the community.

River-Space Development as a Social Interaction Space through the Placemaking Approach

Urban water management has increasingly given the use of rivers to infrastructure, industry, and navigation; stripping away its use as a space and cutting people off while creating the phenomenon of social disconnection. Awareness to implement social planning during river development is important in order to integrate rivers into the urban fabric. This research examines the ‘City is Not a Tree’ theory as a basis to understand how cities need to have a semi-lattice structure with overlapping spaces in order to integrate themselves into the city. As the nature of this research is bottom-up, it saw appropriate the placemaking approach in creating river-spaces into a place for the people. Method used in this research includes analysis and comparison to theories, guides and ideal precedents. Furthermore, this research resulted in finding guides for creating good river-spaces through the placemaking approach. The guides are of elements and variables needed to create a good river-space and a guide for the required programs that need to be implemented. Through this research, it is found that developing river-spaces as a space to host social interaction with the placemaking approach, not only creates a livelier environment but also improves the overall quality of the river-space

Towards a Politics of Restraint.

Public choice theory, an analysis of politics based on economic principles, is often considered to be one of the major innovations in economics and political sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. In its formulation by James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock, public choice is commonly understood as one of the major theoretical building blocks in the development of neoliberal thought. It was also remarkably popular with economists and political scientists within the Dutch Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid) in the mid-1970s. This latter fact is surprising since public choice was seemingly at odds with the Keynesian ideas around which the Labour Party had built its economic policy. This article investigates why and how public choice became popular in the Labour Party. In understanding the popularity of this theory, I will argue, it is important to see the popularity of neoliberal ideas not only in reaction to the economic tribulation of the period but also as a discussion on social planning and an expression of discontent with the democratization movement. Since the rise of neoliberalism in Dutch policymaking is often understood as coming from liberal and conservative channels, studying public choice within the Labour party will shed new light on the development of neoliberalism in the Netherlands.

Immigrant inclusion in schools : can teacher training make a difference?

According to a 2008 report by the Social Planning Council of Ottawa, many immigrants in Ottawa perceived schools to be a contributing factor to their sense of societal exclusion. It has been suggested that if teachers received more appropriate adequate teacher training, they could better help minimize problems of exclusion (Gerin-Lajoie, 2008a. 2008c; Abbate-Vaughn, 2008; Ghosh, 1996). This paper explores training topics that could promote the inclusion of immigrants in schools, while also questioning whether it is possible to assume that teacher training can have an impact. The opinions of three Ottawa-Carleton District School Board teachers are discussed. An examination of additional ways in which inclusion can be addressed is also provided.

Immigrant inclusion in schools : can teacher training make a difference?

According to a 2008 report by the Social Planning Council of Ottawa, many immigrants in Ottawa perceived schools to be a contributing factor to their sense of societal exclusion. It has been suggested that if teachers received more appropriate adequate teacher training, they could better help minimize problems of exclusion (Gerin-Lajoie, 2008a. 2008c; Abbate-Vaughn, 2008; Ghosh, 1996). This paper explores training topics that could promote the inclusion of immigrants in schools, while also questioning whether it is possible to assume that teacher training can have an impact. The opinions of three Ottawa-Carleton District School Board teachers are discussed. An examination of additional ways in which inclusion can be addressed is also provided.

Changing demographics in Hamilton may leave the kids behind

This paper addresses the stark geographic disparity that youth in Hamilton face when trying to access services. There is a high number of youth services concentrated in the inner and lower city, but this does not seem poised to meet the changing demographics and needs of the city of Hamilton. Gentrification and community uplift have started in the lower city, and as such, having a majority of youth services located in the downtown presents a major form of disconnection. This is especially shown as youths living in poverty begin to be pushed out of the lower city and into the inner suburbs on top of the Niagara Escarpment—a place that is geographically cut off from the rest of the city. This paper examines these issues and presents recommendations, to help youth and the City of Hamilton address this disconnection as Hamilton experiences unprecedented growth and development, which may leave the youth behind. Key words: An article on social planning and youth programing in Hamilton, Ontario, used the key words: Hamilton; youth services; gentrification; access.

Changing demographics in Hamilton may leave the kids behind

This paper addresses the stark geographic disparity that youth in Hamilton face when trying to access services. There is a high number of youth services concentrated in the inner and lower city, but this does not seem poised to meet the changing demographics and needs of the city of Hamilton. Gentrification and community uplift have started in the lower city, and as such, having a majority of youth services located in the downtown presents a major form of disconnection. This is especially shown as youths living in poverty begin to be pushed out of the lower city and into the inner suburbs on top of the Niagara Escarpment—a place that is geographically cut off from the rest of the city. This paper examines these issues and presents recommendations, to help youth and the City of Hamilton address this disconnection as Hamilton experiences unprecedented growth and development, which may leave the youth behind. Key words: An article on social planning and youth programing in Hamilton, Ontario, used the key words: Hamilton; youth services; gentrification; access.