Seeking the Possibilities for Community

Paul Born paul@tamarackcommunity.ca

Tamarack - An Institute for Community Engagement

April 14, 2003

                             

“To rediscover how to to make the communities where we live able to raise our passions and move our hearts.”

Tamarack’s Working Mission: To engage communities in inspired action as they

work together on behalf of their communities to create and realize bold visions for the future.

In partnership with the Maytree Foundation

Overview of the Presentation

• Introduction

• Looking at community– From current reality to desired future– We have a choice

• “Nightmare or dream come true”

• 7 minute break out - feedback

• Building Community

More and more people believe that Community is important because it helps...

• ... Shape our identity more broadly.• ... Create a sense of belonging.• ... Us to care and be cared for. (mutual aid)• …Our economic prospects.• ... Our health improve.

We are part of this growing movement

Our Desired Future

We have a choice to be deliberate and create the kind of communities we want or...

• The global community has the potential to be a dream come true: A world of diversity. A world building long-term value. A world reaching out to humanity.

or• The global community has the potential to become a nightmare:

A world of conformity. A world of short-term stimulation. A world of isolation.

Marshall Goldsmith

Choosing the Nightmare

• Remember Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Bosnia

• Gangs - Skin heads- Ku Klux Clan

• A story- forming against others• How easy it is?

The Nightmare comes not from a desire for community but rather out of fear. People organize against each other.

Choosing the possibilities of Community

A community that lives only for greed and commerce and consumption does not enjoy itself and does not enjoy life. It has no great passions and dreams only small dreams. We need to rediscover how to make the communities where we live able to raise our passions and move our hearts

T. Bender

7 minute breakout…Discussion

• What has been your experience with Community?

• How have you contributed to this growing movement towards community?

A study onBuilding Community

What does community mean to you? 42% Working together 32% Mutual support 18% Geographic area 18% Common good 16% Belonging

What does community building mean to you? 42% increase capacity, infrastructure 26% working together 21% building relationships 10% educating the community about community 10% leadership and goal setting to build on strengths

What does community breakdown mean to you? 55% isolation, individualism 34% lack of caring and support 29% conflict and hostility 18% poverty

What does a caring community mean to you? 82% people supporting each other 24% inclusive, sharing opportunities

Building CommunityCommunity

Building

Breakdown

Caring

Pictures

• People were asked to draw pictures of what community means to them and how they build community.

• These pictures represent both a definition of community and provide ideas for moving the agenda forward.

What can You do to build community so it raises our passion and moves our hearts...

• Take care of yourself

• Take care of your organization

• Take care of your community

We can create inspired communities….

                             

Take care of Yourself

These are turbulent times……filled with challenges and new opportunities

Finding your longing for community.– Open your self to community.

• The inner journey • The power of purpose

– Reach out to others who are searching• Smile – enjoy life

Why is community important to me ?

– Why is community important to me?– What do I feel?

– Why do I want to connect to others?

– What is keeping me from connecting to others?

– Embracing the communities in my life– Which communities matter to me most?

– Why?

– How can I make these more of a priority in my life?

Take Care of Your Organization

Be Jealous for your organization…

… It is worth it!

A new spirituality in the workplace.

A few thoughts:

• Understand why your organization matters.• Think differently about meetings

• Check in – talk about your “outside” world• Check out – talk about your time together• Take time for fun• Celebrate achievements

• Take time for others – care if they are hurting or celebrating.

Community at Work

• Why does your organization matter?• When have you experienced community in

your workplace?• How could you make meetings a time for

connection? (Where you meet with others on behalf of others)

• What is the role of celebration and caring in your organization?

Engaging the human spirit...

Take Care of your Community

“We cannot solve the major problems facing us today. Rather, we can learn to act differently together in order to live and work in a new way.”

What does community mean to you? 42% Working together

32% Mutual support (mutual aid)

18% Common good

16% Belonging

Reaching out to others with others

• When have I experienced community by working with others on behalf of someone else?

• How have I experienced mutual aid?

• Other thoughts

You can choose to build

community by...

• Finding it in yourself

• Building it in your organization

• Building it in your community

Living community...

By becoming aware that we are communities and not only organizations we will change the very nature of our relationships, making them less material and more spiritual, less mechanical and more divine, less temporary and more infinite, less cursory and more vital. Then our communities will come alive. Our natural longing to form lasting connections will then transform our affairs and our planet.

Lance Secretan

Inspirational Leadership: Destiny, Calling and Cause

April 14, 2003

Seeking the Possibilities for CommunityTo get a copy of this presentation email us:

Paul Born paul@tamarackcommunity.ca

Tamarack An Institute for Community Engagementwww.tamarackcommunity.ca

                             April 15, 2003