Providing leadership to allow seniors to age in place and to keep families together

Introducing Jonathon Prevost, the vice president of the South East Community Services Co-operative (SECSC). Jonathon joined the inaugural SECSC board in 2020 and brings with him years of community service and experience. Prior to joining the SECSC, Jonathon was instrumental in forming the Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2016, developing a strategic plan and vision for that organization. One key theme that resulted from the strategic planning exercises was the need for sustainable housing in the region. Subsequently, East Borderland Community Housing (EBCH), Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Rural Municipality of Piney came together to form a co-operative known today as the South East Community Services Co-operative to achieve its goal of an assisted living housing project in the region. Jonathon’s passion for community service led him to join the SECSC Board where he lends his expertise in IT and marketing.

Jonathon feels that the assisted living housing project is important for the region on two fronts:

1. It allows seniors to age in place and keep families together. Today, a lot of the senior population must leave the region to find the next level of care.
2. Providing assisted living housing for seniors reduces the need for them to stay too long in their homes where appropriate daily living supports may be not available. A spin-off benefit is freeing up more housing for new families moving into the region.

Jonathon is also a board member of the South Junction Community Club where he gives his time when he can. Even though he brings extensive volunteerism with him, Jonathon emphasized that “becoming a member of the SECSC is not about how much experience you have but rather, that you want to show support for a cause important to you and that you just want to get involved.”

He added that for the very inexpensive membership fee of $10, the return of showing your support is invaluable. The more people that come together on this project the more leverage the board has to garner additional funding and regional support.