Social Development Centre Waterloo Region

Please read the part of the introductions written by our Board Chair and the executive director to taste the flavour of what 2024 was like for our team. Hope it incites you to read our 2024 Annual Report in full.

At a recent staff event, the analogy of a cocoon was offered, and it feels apt to describe the year. We have welcomed back Aleksandra from her sabbatical, to an organization that continues to grow quickly. With the privilege of acquiring more significant multi-year grants, we’ve been able to invest in our programs. Inside the cocoon, staff have been building out the necessary infrastructure to sustain the programs. Processes and documentation never seem to make the highlight reel, but they are so vital to being able to provide service over the long term." Heather Bigelow, Board Chair 

"In many traditional cultures, Pine trees represent flexibility, rootedness and longevity. I see SDC being deeply rooted in Waterloo Region communities, growing tall even in harsh conditions, yet bending under the gusts of the shifting social and economic conditions, never to break.

The last decade, we moved locations two times and changed our name, while witnessing an unprecedented growth. Our internal structure had to take an extra weight, while not being able to grow at the same speed. We will continue to evolve our leadership model, to build supports for the team, and grow our financial infrastructure." aleksandra petrovic, executive director

Following the postponement of our original event, Cutting Through Elections Noise Part 2, we have chosen a new date and name for the rescheduled event! Please join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 (7pm - 9pm) for Organizing Beyond Election Cycles - A Forum for Building Community Power. Let's gather as community organizers, advocates, and concerned citizens for a conversation on how the stories we hear and the stories we tell one another can either help maintain the status quo - or inspire hope and action for a more just and compassionate world.

RSVP today to reserve your spot

After two snap elections in 2025 and local political developments that left many of us reeling, it's clear we need to organize beyond election cycles and build our local community power to enable the futures we want. Will you join us on May 20? (Wondering why the original event was postponed? Read more here.)

Are you looking for a summer job opportunity that combines community engagement, administration, and media support? SDC is hiring a Community Organiser who'll work closely with the Civic Hub Program Coordinator to support over 50 grassroots groups in the region, many led by equity-deserving communities!

• $17.20 per hour
• 35 hours/week
• 14-16 weeks contract
• Age requirement: 15-30 yrs. of age
• Flexible schedule that includes evening and weekend hours
• Application deadline: May 11, 2025

If interested, have a look at our job posting and apply by May 11, 2025!

The last-minute annoucement of a provincial election has left many of us reeling. And there's a growing sense that our governments and political processes don't work for us.

But what if we can turn our collective anxiety into something productive? That is our hope with "Cutting Through the Noise: A Forum for Building Community Power." Happening Feb. 21 (7-9pm), the event will create a space for us all to catch our breath, acknowledge our worries, and practise building local collective power in the face of systems that fail us.

Only together can we create the futures we want. Grassroots organizers, community groups, and residents from across Waterloo Region are welcome. Please RSVP today and share widely.