On January 18, 2018, Rural Studies PhD Candidate Valencia Gaspard delivered a panel presentation at the Dufferin County Community Poverty Reduction Summit in Orangeville, Ontario. The summit, centered around strategies for poverty reduction, was an opportunity for approximately 75 human service providers, practitioners, community members, as well as municipal, county, and provincial politicians, to discuss new opportunities related to mitigating poverty in Dufferin County.

Valencia’s presentation focused on understanding the connection between employment precariousness in rural communities, and indicators of poverty. Findings from the Rural Precarious Employment research team, housed at the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, were shared at the summit. Findings focused on the health, social, and economic impacts of rural precarious employment. A copy of the presentation and summit agenda can be found at the The Dufferin County Poverty Reduction Task Force (DCPRTF) website [1].

Above:  Ph.D. candidate, Valencia Gaspard speaking at the Dufferin County Community Poverty Reduction Summit.