Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Children
Goal: The goal of the Greening Canada’s Schools Grounds Program is to replace schoolyard asphalt with vegetation in order to enhance its play, educational, ecological and aesthetic value for school children.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Public Safety, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of the TARGET program is to reduce gang crime by selectively incarcerating the most violent and repeat (recidivist) gang offenders (based on their criminal records).
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Teens
Goal: The clear purpose of the Tribes process is to assure the healthy development of every child so that each one has the knowledge, skills and resiliency to be successful in a rapidly changing world.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens
Goal: To improve members' physical health, increase their knowledge about healthy lifestyles, and improve their self-esteem and behavior.
Impact: Triple Play is currently available to some 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serving over 4.2 million youth. Since the program’s launch in 2005, Clubs across the country have seen encouraging lifestyle changes in their members.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce truancy in West Contra Costa schools.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: TRUCE works with young people in order to increase their awareness of fitness and health, improve their academic performance, and empower them to make healthier decisions.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Adults, Urban
Goal: Toronto’s “Turn it Off” initiative sought to encourage motorists to avoid idling their cars when picking up or dropping off at school or at public transportation terminals, which in turn would improve air quality and help reduce urban contribution to climate change.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens
Goal: The Twelve Together program seeks to help students stay in school and make academic progress.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Employment, Adults, Urban
Goal: The mission of Twin Cities RISE! is to provide employers with skilled workers - primarily men from communities of color in the Twin Cities area - by training under and unemployed adults for skilled jobs that pay a living wage of at least $20,000 annually.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Urban
Goal: The goals of Uniting for Solutions Beyond Shelter are:
- To reduce street homelessness and the shelter population by two-thirds in five years.
- To eliminate chronic, or long-term, homelessness on City streets and shelters in five years.
The plan's objectives include initiatives to better serve individuals and families who are at-risk of homelessness or who become homeless, as well as ensure that the City and its citizens are maximizing public resources. The plan has nine points - encompassing 60 initiatives - that seek to:
- Overcome street homelessness
- Prevent homelessness
- Coordinate discharge planning
- Coordinate city services and benefits
- Minimize disruption to homeless families and children
- Minimize duration of homelessness
- Shift resources into preferred solutions
- Provide resources for vulnerable populations to access and afford housing
- Measure progress, evaluate success, and invest in continuous quality improvement.