Leveraging Data & Community Action: Strengthening Safety & Well-Being in Windsor-Essex

How can we harness data and community engagement to create safer, more connected neighbourhoods? Funded by WE-SPARK and conducted in collaboration with St. Clair College and the City of Windsor’s Social Policy & Planning team, this project sought to answer that question. Initially focused on developing a data consortium to support affordable housing, the project evolved based on stakeholder feedback to address two key objectives: (1) assessing the user experience of the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) to enhance its usability and effectiveness, and (2) developing a Neighbourhood Safety and Crime Prevention Walk Toolkit to equip residents, municipalities, and law enforcement with practical strategies for community-based crime prevention. The HIFIS assessment involved an online survey distributed to 11 organizations, with 46 users providing insights on training needs, system strengths, and challenges. The crime prevention toolkit was co-designed with stakeholders, incorporating Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, and piloted in real-world settings. Survey findings identified critical training and system improvement opportunities, informing targeted recommendations for enhancing HIFIS usability in our local context. The crime prevention toolkit received positive stakeholder feedback, empowering communities to take an active role in fostering community well-being via safer neighborhoods. By combining data insights with community-based safety initiatives, this project lays the groundwork for sustainable improvements in crime prevention, and overall community health, safety, and well-being across Windsor-Essex.