aboutus
We at Creative Community Hive are very grateful to have received support from various artists and crafters from amongst our community over the years. Without their generous offer of space, time and skills we would not have been able to host our pop-up crafting sessions at various locations in Oakville, Ontario.
The Hive provides a creative ‘Zen’ environment for facilitators, as well as community participants, to unwind and recharge.
At this point in time we are a volunteer-led group, raising funds through our fee based programs to fund our FREE community crafting sessions.
We are also fortunate to have a Board of Advisors who give us their valuable advice and suggestions to help steer our program in the right direction.
OurMission
Engage, Enable, and Empower communities through creative expressions.
OurVision
Provide an inclusive, safe and creative space that fosters social and emotional wellbeing for community members from different backgrounds with diverse skills and abilities.
Jennifer Jalal
Founder-Director, Creative Community Hive
"As far back as I can remember, I have always been drawn towards anything to do with visual and spatial design and arrangement, as well as social research, teaching and working in the community. Born and raised in India, I have had an early exposure to various aspects of community development, social entrepreneurship, especially in the field of handmade crafts. My professional and academic experiences accumulated over the last twenty-five years along with a new curiosity to engage and learn from the fields of Art Therapy and Mental health, helped me in initiating a community arts platform like the Creative Hive in Oakville since 2017."
Sigrid Kajiwara
Facilitator, Creative Community Hive
"I worked in fair trade retail and as a companion for a home health organization.
Arts and crafts have been part of my life since childhood. Sharing time with people and inspiring a craft project that triggers a smile is what I am striving towards."
Ourimpact
Our Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, actively identifies the skills, talent and knowledge that participants bring to our sessions, boosting self- confidence, uplifting spirit and reinforcing a positive outlook towards life.
We prioritize accessibility, ensuring ground level access for physically challenged participants. We adapt our crafting skills based on the capacity and interests of the users. We take our programs directly to the identified low-income communities to reduce any barriers of access for residents.
We are diverse and inclusive; our team of facilitators and volunteers represent cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity. Our workshops are open to community members from any faith, race, gender and sexual orientation.
Our upstream approach helps foster social and emotional well-being, reduces the need for incident response and acts as preventive for people at risk of victimization and or harm.
