The Latest

The Power of Possibilities: Deepening Community Stories

We are reflecting on 2020, looking back on how communities were able to continue their programs while also wondering how they will keep them going. One of the common themes was the power of possibilities especially centered around this question - “how might we?” Communities asked how might wes as they navigated the changing landscape of COVID, for example; How might we continue to engage community virtually? How might we get more responses to our survey? How might we bring hope to our community?

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How my service club can put youth at the center of our work

As a long-time volunteer with my local Optimist Club, I have been trying to find out how we can shift the way we include more voices in deciding our programing. On Dec 3^rd 2020, I attended a workshop that was hosted by the Cities Deepening Community team at Tamarack Institute called A Professional’s Guide to Working with Young People in Citizen Space. This workshop was facilitated by Cormac Russell and used Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) as a way to put youth at the centre of our work. I went to this workshop with the perspective of an elected President of our local Optimist Club. We work closely with youth in our community and try to build events and donate to existing sports/service clubs that are for the youth in Baden.

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A Youth Perspective: By Youth, For Youth

When I was invited to co-host a workshop called A Professional’s Guide to Working with Young People in Citizen Space in December, I felt very nervous. I do not have much experience with any kind of business meeting, and I was afraid I would slip up. When the call began, everything changed. It felt less like a meeting or workshop and more like a classroom. This was an environment I was already comfortable in, so I felt a lot more relaxed. I realized that everyone was not expecting me to have professional experience and knowing that allowed me to feel more comfortable. There were many lovely people in the workshop that built off the knowledge I shared, and I felt like I had a real role.

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Making the Shift to Citizen-centered Community Development Approaches

On December 2^nd, Cormac Russell returned to Tamarack to lead an interactive online learning experience that explored how professionals and organizations can work in citizen space. A familiar voice around Tamarack, Cormac is Managing Director of Nurture Development, a faculty member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute and an internationally-renowned thought leader, trainer and speaker. The Asset-Based Community Development Virtual Workshop led participants through a journey to reflect upon and discover ways we can shift to citizen-centred community development approaches from top-down institution-centered ones.

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Exploring Deepening Community in Atlantic Canada

Hi, I’m Dan Ritchie, the newest member of the Cities Deepening Community team. As a Manager of Cities, I will support members who want to develop neighbourhood plans. Joining the Tamarack Institute at the beginning of November has been an exciting experience for me, especially during this period of great uncertainty.

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Exploring the Role of Placemaking in a Pandemic

The pandemic is challenging not only our physical, mental, and economic health but also our social health. Lockdowns have shifted our daily routines and impacted our access to public places. Outdoor gathering spaces like parks and farmers markets are being redesigned to meet new public health guidelines. Indoor gathering spaces like libraries, community centres, and places of worship have closed to help prevent transmission of the virus. And despite our best intentions, Zoom conversations and social media platforms remain poor substitutes for in-person interactions. After months of social distancing, we are realizing how important public spaces are in fostering the social connections that are so vital to our collective wellbeing.

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