What would Ottawa look like if it put people first? 

In our current moment, we are facing intensifying climate crises, economic instability, public health emergencies, and underinvestment in social services and supports, a.k.a. life-sustaining carework. 

Care is a design choice. Our cities need to plan and design with care in mind. For the past two years, CAWI, in collaboration with neighbourhoods across Ottawa,  began a grassroots movement to understand how our city supports or makes life more difficult for carework/givers. We learned that a caring city means building housing near services and supports, reliable transit, public spaces that support intergenerational connection, childcare and eldercare, and most importantly, policies that put people first. 

A Call for Care… 

Care work sustains life. Feeding, nursing, bathing, raising children, supporting parents or elders, doing personal support work, are just some examples of care work, which is often unpaid or underpaid. Care work also extends beyond the home: cleaners, grocery store workers, food service workers, and others who keep our daily lives functioning are also doing the work of care, often for low wages and little recognition. Society functions because someone is doing care work. 

Care work IS WORK, and it is disproportionately done by women, gender diverse people, migrants, and racialized people. Without careworkers/givers, life simply cannot be sustained. A city that invests in an infrastructure that supports carework is a city that helps sustain life; in other words, a caring city.

Now we need your help to communicate this message.

In a time marked by heavy censoring of community voices, INDEPENDENT media is needed more than ever. This is an opportunity to use your skills, amplify the voices and tell the stories of the people on the front lines sustaining our cities, and help us build a movement towards a caring Ottawa, a city that truly works for people.

CAWI is launching the PEOPLE FIRST media lab, a cohort for folks who are interested in creating meaningful independent media content in community.

📝 Who is it for?

This cohort is open to emerging community leaders aged 18 – 30, and we encourage Queer, Trans, and BIPOC folks to apply.

🗓️ When is it happening?

The PEOPLE FIRST media lab will start in September and will meet twice a month. It will be delivered in English.

👉 Reasons for wanting to join: 

This is an opportunity to create meaningful independent media content within the community, share skills, have peer support, and engage directly with local communities.

The PEOPLE FIRST media lab will start in September and will meet twice a month. It will be delivered in English.

Honoraria and bus tickets will be provided.

Please note that applications will go through a screening process, and submitting an application does not guarantee 

a spot in the cohort.

Apply now!