A little more about 31 Division community work

A little more about 31 Division community work

The Emery Village Voice sat down with Mark Tenaglia, Civilian co-chair for 31 Division.

EVV: Tell us what you do?

MT: As civilian co-chair, I liaison between the officers, community, community agencies, and all levels of government. What we try to do, in a nutshell, is make the community a better, safer place. And make sure people have access to resources and information, and ultimately, our community can prosper.

EVV: How do you accomplish it?

MT: We’ve kind of changed our direction a bit in how we do this. In the past, it was just meeting community members and handing out stuff, which we still do. We have our barbecues, and that’s great. But now it’s more intentional. I meet and speak with individuals or groups in the community to determine their needs. If employed or unemployed if students, we try to help and direct them. To find out how can we help make your life better?

EVV: So, you’re often out in the community?

MT: Absolutely; community engagement is the number one thing. How do you develop trust with the community? You can’t just go out there and say I want to build trust. Being present. Being accessible. Being honest. Trust is a natural by-product when you have those elements in the mix.

EVV: An important part is community officers?

MT: Our neighbourhood community officers’, I’m going to say we have the best ones in the city. These officers are all passionate about the community, care about the situations, and are happy to be working with us. The partnership we have is intertwined. They reach out to us and ask for advice, resources and partnership and we do the same. We meet with them weekly to find out what they need and how they can help us. It’s a beautiful partnership.

EVV: Touch a bit on things to which 31 division officers are donating time?

MT: A couple of key things we see is getting to the youth. Getting to them at a young age and being present, being consistent and being accessible to them. Then we have their trust. When we’re constantly in their community and in their lives and assisting them, we’re going to have a better chance when they’re older that they’re not going to go down a dark path. They’re going to be able to reach out to officers and ask for support and resources. And know they’re loved.

We want to show youth what kind of great careers are out there, whether in trades or what. We want them to succeed. We’re cheerleaders for them. We want to put our arm around them, walk them through the process, and ensure they’re successful. Get to know the parents, work together, and all of us lift up the kids.

EVV: Talk to us about holiday initiatives to help the less fortunate?

MT: We have some great partnerships with the private sector. No Frills has purchased hundreds of turkeys, pumpkins and other items, and we’ve helped distribute them throughout the community. The joy it brings is amazing; we just want to show the community members they’re cared for.

They that one percent are doing 99 percent of the work. We want to increase that number and get more community members involved. That’s ultimately what we want to do.

You can email Mark at: mark.tenaglia@gmail.com

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