Highlights from the Active Community Strategy (ACS) Development Initiative

Collective Community Action - Background

In 2012, ten communities from across Alberta were chosen to be a part of the Active Community Strategy (ACS) Development Initiative.  Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) partnered with Alberta Health Services (AHS) to secure funding through the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund (ACPFL) for this initiative.

Using the ACE Communities ‘Planning Framework for Community Development’ (Herchmer, 2009) as a guide, they all took time to engage a variety of partners, built on strengths, and utilize existing knowledge, plans and research to inform priorities. All ten of the communities engaged community members, organizations and councils to determine priorities for building a more physically active community.

Each Strategy is distinctive based on their needs, resources and location. Communities linked their priorities to local Community Sustainability Plans, the Active Alberta Policy, Active Canada 20/20 and other relevant plans and policies. Identifying the linkages with local, provincial and national efforts provide opportunities to build collaborative partnerships that extend beyond municipal boundaries.

Included below are selected highlights from the active community strategies submitted by the ten ACS communities.  These communities include: Airdrie, Calling Lake, Cardel Place (Calgary), Grande Prairie, High River, Leduc, Longview, Okotoks, Pincher Creek, and Sylvan Lake.

Highlights

• Communication and Education

Theme: All ten communities tied the need for more effective communication and engagement around active living initiatives into their active community strategies.

When it comes to AIRDRIE’s active community strategy, their first goal is: “Educate the community on the various types of structured and unstructured activities in Airdrie”.  Part of their plan aimed at making this a reality is the launching of a web-based tool that provides users with comprehensive activities based on their preferences as well as information about physical activity, healthy eating, and training opportunities.

While building the story piece for their active community strategy, HIGH RIVER interviewed multiple people on their roles in the community.  Through this process, several interesting things were discovered.  Information about programs, which were beforehand unknown, was shared.  In addition, people of all ages were given the opportunity to share their opinions and thoughts, and doors to lines of communication were opened.

SYLVAN LAKE also cites community education as one of their top priorities.  Their number one goal is to promote more active lifestyles amongst local citizens.  They aim to accomplish this goal through the creation of a greater awareness of community opportunities.  CARDEL PLACE (CALGARY), GRANDE PRAIRIE, PINCHER CREEK, LEDUC, and others all also cite the importance of creating community awareness of the importance of physical activity.

• Walking

Theme: An interest in walking or active transportation was an item highlighted in many of the communities’ active strategies.  

LONGVIEW plans to utilize their ACS seed funds as leverage for the greater cost of creating a walking/jogging path on the western edge of the community.  This path, with historical markers, will link a variety of recreational outdoor spaces together making physical activity more accessible for Longview citizens.  Their active community strategy highlights the steps needed to make this a reality.

In their active community strategy, OKOTOKS expressed their intent in using walking as a means to not only connect neighbourhoods but also build community.  They state one of their priorities being: “connecting neighbours through active group walking, unstructured play, and other activities.”

GRANDE PRAIRIE, OKOTOKS, and LEDUC all cited Alberta Health Services (AHS)’s WalkABle program as a potential resource for maximizing their interests in active transportation.  LONGVIEW also cited a future interest in tapping into AHS’s WalkABle program once their trails are in place.

• Partners and Collaboration

Theme: Many of the ACS communities expressed interest in multi-sector collaboration - working together with other organizations and community members to lift and leverage existing healthy, active living work in the community. 

Like many of the ACS communities, CARDEL PLACE (CALGARY) expressed the need for partnerships.  They formed alliances with partners like the City of Calgary and the 60 Minute Kidsclub.  Cardel, however, also expressed interest in creating a Play Ambassador Program aimed at multi-generational collaborations both in the local community and in their facility.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, through its Grande Prairie Get Active Network (GPGAN), hopes to get continued input and greater support of the town’s active community strategy.  One of their goals, to “Support Awareness and Collaboration Across Organizations”, means that all GPGAN members will continue to network with other community groups to make connections within the community surrounding active living initiatives.

A priority for LEDUC, as outlined in their active community strategy, is to reconnect existing partners and develop new working partnerships between the City of Leduc and community groups to create a more active community.  Players at the table already include: Alberta Health Services (WalkABle), Ever Active Schools, and Healthy Hearts Leduc.

• Governance 

Theme: One repeated message within the ACS strategies was the importance of having town council and local government bodies endorse their policies. 

In their strategy, LONGVIEW outlined its plan to lobby town council to develop policies officially supportive of community recreational opportunities by committing in-kind resources.  An example of such resources would be: 1) the use of the village hall space to provide free exercise classes to the community; 2) the provision of a Village owned tent for shelter in the park during summer exercise classes; 3) or the request for free use of the gym space in the local school for recreational programming.

One of the first things the ACS team in OKOTOKS did was to officially approach their town council for support of their initiative.  They believe that their initiative has been successful so far because of the unwavering support of their Mayor, Okotoks Town Council, and town staff.  Communities like CALLING LAKE and GRANDE PRAIRIE also cited plans to seek official government endorsement for their activities.

• Community-based Leadership

Theme: The work of the ten ACS communities has demonstrated that, when it comes to building stronger and more resilient communities, community-driven leadership is key to creating community capacity. 

Like many of the ten ACS communities, sustainability is a priority for PINCHER CREEK.  To achieve this end, one of the community’s goals is to “build capacity and develop new leaders in the community to advance the Active Community Strategy and to create sustainability”.  Their desired outcome is to have an abundance of competent and well-trained leaders, coaches and volunteers to offer community programs and services.

In HIGH RIVER, their Active Community Strategy acknowledges the need for youth to be a part of the community’s vision.  The local ACS group has initiated action on this first goal through the successful recruitment of a local teen to fill the Youth Liaison position.  The priority of this focus is to foster a sense of belonging, guide the new leaders of tomorrow, and to fill the cracks that the youth have fallen through in terms of active living initiatives in the town.

CARDEL PLACE (CALGARY) hopes to lead the charge in terms of championing the importance of active living.  In their strategy they state: “We strongly believe that Cardel Place, and others like us, are uniquely positioned to have an impact in reversing the national challenge of physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles.  Starting with children and youth and then adults, we are getting people active to save lives, increase workforce productivity, foster innovation and strengthen community and neighbourhood connections.  Cardel Place is creating a new model to show how Canada's public recreation sector can and must do more.”

• Unstructured Activities and Accessibility

Theme: One common recurring theme was the interest in unstructured physical activity opportunities and their tie to making physical activity more accessible for citizens.

One of the aims of CALLING LAKE’s active community strategy is to provide opportunities for all residents by identifying and addressing program interests and gaps related to family, adult, traditional, informal citizen-led activities, exploratory or introductory activities.  These activities will range from those reflective of their aboriginal culture like teepee raisings to canoeing for elders on the lake.

Like Calling Lake, SYLAN LAKE wants their active community strategy to highlight: “the natural beauty of the lake… All neighbourhoods have attractive recreational and pleasure green spaces.  The trails, parks, beaches, lake and facilities are clean and accessible…”.  Their goal of: “Physical activities for all” taps into the inherent natural assets already found in their community and accessible by all of its citizens.

The number one goal for LEDUC is also accessibility.  They hope to “Promote opportunities for individuals and families to access subsidies, programs and initiatives” with the ultimate outcome being that, with various barriers to participating in recreation and culture removed, more individuals and families in financial need in their community are getting active.

• A Holistic Approach to Active Living

Theme: Another common message was that many communities aim at integrating active living principals into all levels of their communities.

As part of CALLING LAKE’s planning principals, the community states that they seek holistic health by attending to mental, spiritual and physical needs.  This statement is part of the ACS vision in Calling Lake:

“Just as the lake nurtures its fish, the land and its wildlife, the hamlet of Calling Lake nurtures its people by respectfully and mutually ensuring support for achieving their physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional potential.

By supporting residents to reach their potential, residents are empowered to serve as stewards of the past, as well as providers for the future. 

As part of embracing the potential of becoming an active community, there is a growing understanding in Calling Lake that recreation, sport, and active living is but a means to a bigger end — the holistic development of spirit, mind, and body; helping people grow and be healthy, stronger families and a stronger community, meaningful and relevant leaders, and greater caring and respect for the environment.”

Like Calling Lake, AIRDRIE’s active community strategy expresses how more of an understanding among community members, about both the benefits of physical activity and where opportunities exist, can have a positive societal impact.  They cite one impact of an active and engaged citizen is decreased crime (such as vandalism) rates.

GRANDE PRAIRIE also aims, through their support of neighbourhood associations, to create a sense of community spirit that not only elevates its citizens’ sense of wellness and well being, but also creates the capacity that will address issues like crime and isolation.

And a thank-you must go out to all of the hard working community members who took the time and committed to making their communities more active and more engaged. None of these above achievements could have occurred if it wasn’t for your hard work and dedication.  Thank you Alberta and keep up the great work!

Upcoming awards celebrates leadership that inspires active communities in Alberta

ARPA is pleased is announce the 3rd Lieutenant Governor’s Leadership for Active Communities Award. This biennial awards program recognizes the achievements of the groups and individuals who are leading their communities in strategic change that increases citizen participation in active living, recreation and sport resulting in healthier people and communities.

This province-wide awards program recognizes the achievements of teams and individuals who:

• demonstrate the very best of active community leadership,
• engage citizens in planning,
• use leadership to get people more active more often,
• work to create places, spaces and opportunities for people to be active and engage in their communities, using recreation as a catalyst.

Quality recreation and parks opportunities are essential to getting more people, more active, more often. Awardrecipients have all recognized the vital role recreation plays in their communities and have gone above and beyond to ensure that those opportunities are available not only for their immediate organization or community but far beyond.

ARPA is now open up nominations for these 6 categories:

• Outstanding Community Leader Award
• Group Spirit of Community Leadership Award
• Community Leader of Tomorrow Award
• Elected Community Leader Award
• Corporate Community Leader Award
• Professional Leadership Award

This biennial awards program is administered by ARPA, in partnership with the Recreation for Life Foundation, and in association with the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The inaugural awards ceremony took place in 2009, and the program was initiated by Alberta’s previous Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Norman L. Kwong.

The 3rd Lieutenant Governor’s Leadership for Active Communities Award Ceremonies will take place in Edmonton on June 1, 2013.

To Download a nomination form: https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.arpaonline.ca/docs/Website/2013-Nomination-Form.pdf

To Download nomination criteria information: https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.arpaonline.ca/docs/Website/LG-Award-Criteria-2013.pdf

For more information on this awards program, please visit http://arpaonline.ca/awards/post/lg-awards/.

The Twelve Things That Kicked Butt this Year

When it comes to community, one thing is for certain, positive change definitely does NOT happen without a lot of hard work. We, in fact, are so busy in our communities that we often forget to stop and celebrate what we have accomplished before we head on to the next big challenge.

I can totally relate. I know that I personally don’t stop enough to reflect on the lessons (good and bad) that come my way each year.

So I am going to do it… I’m going to capitalize on this holiday season to pause, celebrate a little, and reflect on some of the things I have experienced in 2012.

Of course, no one can do anything during the holidays without a little magical help from the season. So to assist me with my little celebration of the ‘wins’ from the past year (personal and work-related), I will call upon the lyrics of my favourite Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Here goes! Behold Janet’s The Twelve Things That Kicked Butt this Year (the annotated version):

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


A pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is)


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection

I am thankful for:


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven),


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Eight CFL football teams,


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven),


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Nine friends to laugh with,


Eight CFL football teams,


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven),


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Ten active communities (there’s that ACS again!),

Nine friends to laugh with,


Eight CFL football teams,


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven),


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Eleven neighbours visiting, 


Ten active communities (there’s that ACS again!),


Nine friends to laugh with,


Eight CFL football teams,


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven),


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas),


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Upon some self-reflection


I am thankful for:


Twelve ladies tackling (full-tackle football, of course…),


Eleven neighbours visiting, 


Ten active communities (there’s that ACS again!),


Nine friends to laugh with,


Eight CFL football teams,


Seven work-related conferences (well, it sure FELT like seven)


Six animal rescuers,


Five CHOCOLATE THINGS! (c’mon – it IS Christmas)


Four ACS teammates (Active Community Strategy Development, that is),


Three fantastic mentors, 


Two Ukrainian parents (ok, Ukrainian-Canadian),


And a pair of bassets snoring next to me!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your friends, families, and fellow community members! It takes all of us to improve the quality of life in our cities and towns so keep up the FANTASTIC work. And don’t forget – celebration is as key to our communities’ successes as the people themselves.

See you in 2013!

ARPA’s Active Community Strategy (ACS)

Congrats to Airdrie, Calling Lake, Cardel Place (Calgary), Grande Prairie, High River, Leduc, Longview, Okotoks, Pincher Creek, and Sylvan Lake.  These communities have now been selected for the first year of the ARPA’s Active Community Strategy (ACS) Development initiative.

Project Overview

Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) through a grant from the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund, is partnering with Alberta Health Services, to work with communities to develop local Active Community Strategies.

This initiative is to take place over 2 years from April 2012 to April 2014.  The goal is to utilize community engagement to build commitment and a strategy that provides a path to get more people, more active, more often.  Using an ecological model, this project focuses most on community and in turn creates a variety of opportunities for individuals, families and groups to live active lifestyles.

The ACS initiative will work for one year with 10 communities and then with 15 new communities in the second year (5 in the form of a regional hub).  The principles of engagement and collaboration will be core to the strategy, utilizing the expertise of the many individuals, organizations and sectors of the community.

ACS Communities receive: 1) Professional coaching, facilitation and tools to guide their discussion and progress; 2) Assistance with development and writing of an active community strategy; 3) Seed funding of $10,000 to kick off implementation of their strategy.


Project Background

From 2007- 09, the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) partnered with 10 communities to design, develop and demonstrate a community based approach to get “more people, more active, more often”.  Partner communities in this original Alberta Active Communities initiative made progress in both developing local leadership and engaging community members in planning and projects to get the community more active.



From this initiative evolved two successful initiatives, ACE Communities (2008 – 2011) that built community capacity, and the development of Active Community Strategies (2010-11), which was a more focused community process creating community owned strategies to become more active communities.

The current and 2nd phase of Active Community Strategy (ACS) initiative is funded by the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund and will support the creation of comprehensive strategies that connect and articulate local assets to get communities more active.


Objectives 

By the end of the first year of the ACS project, 10 Alberta communities will have:

• Collaborative, cross-sectoral partnerships (recreation, health, community services, transportation, education, business, and others invested in creating healthy communities) that provides leadership to build a more active community.

• An evidence-based Active Community Strategy (linking existing community plans, resources and initiatives) that articulates goals and long term plans to enable a more physically active community. 

• Customized action plans that include indicators of success/progress (based on community priorities) that engage and activate more people to be more active, more often.

Provincial Partners will have:

• Enhanced relationship between health and recreation to address active living 

• An Active Community Strategy Framework that can be used by communities across Alberta

• Demonstrated capacity to support Alberta communities to take action to become more active communities

•  Community stories that can be shared 

• Process and outcome learnings 


Keep an eye on this blog for updates on how the ACS initiative is progressing.  We will be looking for a new group of 10 communities in 2013 as well as one regional hub of 5 communities.

Contact Janet Naclia, ARPA Programs Manager, at jnaclia@arpaonline.ca for more info.

Knitting & Bassets = Community, oh my!

As you might have recently read, I’ve taken on a new role at Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA). I’m now a Programs Manager whose main focus is on community-related initiatives. Like with my work with ACE Communities, I find myself really having to think about what the word ‘community’ actually means.

Just the other day, I was speaking with my neighbour Veronica Murphy who is owner of STASH – one of our local Inglewood businesses (STASH is a knitting, sewing, and crafting studio). I’ve known Veronica for a few years now in your typical neighbourly way. When she goes out of town, I will sometimes watch over her rabbit Mr. Freckles. We’ve gotten together for New Year’s Eve and the occasional summer deck party. My husband borrows her husband’s power tools.

In our recent conversation, Veronica was telling me about her booth – which happens to be a converted 1956 Shasta trailer… how cool is that! - which she currently has at the Calgary Folk Festival. As part of her roles as a ‘vendor’, Veronica also planned a series of free guerilla-like knitting circles in an effort to develop community connectedness during the festival.

Veronica’s plans for her knitting circles got me thinking. When we do sit down to contemplate ‘community’, we often think of geographical connections like the ones we have with others in our neighbourhoods and in our towns or cities. Community is often associated with place.

The insight that popped into my head, as I was chatting with Veronica, was that we shouldn’t forget about the OTHER kind of community. This is the kind of community that’s defined by our passions, by our common interests, and by our feelings.

If you were to ask someone what it truly means to be part of a community they would probably say that it was somewhere that they felt they belonged and where they knew that they could always make a positive impact.

Here’s a case in point. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Veronica that I was doing a bottle drive to help raise funds for the basset hound rescue that I help run as a volunteer. Veronica took action and placed a note in her newsletter saying that anyone willing to donate their bottles to my cause would get a free knitting lesson at STASH. And the bottles came in by the bags… Many didn’t even take up the offer of the free knitting session, they just wanted to simply help out.

Her knitting community helped my basset community raise much needed funds. My basset community helped Veronica’s knitting community feel like they were connected to a greater cause like helping animals in need.

Veronica is also a supporter of East Village initiatives, she donates her space for use as a venue for the Calgary Fringe Fest, and is planning monthly events at STASH that will fundraise for and support local arts programs. So the fact that she was instigating free knitting circles as part of the Calgary Folk Festival, and helped out homeless hounds in need, is not that surprising.

When people come together to share in a passion, true community is formed. Don’t forget that community doesn’t necessarily have to be out your front door.

Live in Calgary? Make sure to visit Veronica and her pale blue Shasta trailer this weekend at the Calgary Folk Festival. She’d love to hear your thoughts about your community.

Alberta's communities get active!

It was announced recently that the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) was offering a new opportunity to communities who were interested in getting more people, more active, more often!

As we all know, an active community is a more healthy community so ARPA partnered with Alberta Health Services to deliver the Active Community Strategy (ACS) project funded by the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund. This initiative will support the creation of comprehensive strategies that connect and articulate local assets to get communities more active.

As part of my position at ARPA, I have been asked to join the team working with the Active Community Strategy (ACS) project. This opportunity is exciting for me for various reasons. The biggest one is that I get to continue with work similar to what we accomplished with ACE Communities. A whole new group of 10 Albertan towns and cities will be coming on board with one major goal – to affect positive change in their communities from a grassroots level. Hurrah!

The second great thing about working on ARPA’s Active Community Strategy (ACS) project is that it will allow me to explore what it really means to be an active community. While my background is in the visual arts, many might be surprised to know that I’m also a … gasp!… jock. Yes, it’s true. This new partnership with Alberta Health Services will offer me the opportunity to explore a whole new field of research and applied learning related to active living, thus allowing my art/bruiser personality to shine on through!

The third draw of this project is that I’ll get to see, firsthand, how an active living strategy can transform a community. Did you know, for example, that families and couples that share play and leisure are more likely to stay together? Or that leisure activities like sports and recreation build social skills and stimulate participation in community life?

Research also shows (and you can check it out on the National Benefits HUB) that if you live in an active community, there’s a higher chance for people to combat isolation, loneliness, and alienation. Or that our recreation, parks, sport, arts, and culture-related activities that build pride in a community as well as a sense of belonging.

How FANTASTIC is that! We can literally use our recreation time to positively transform the quality of life in our communities.

Over the next few weeks, ARPA will be selecting the first round of 10 ACS communities. These 10 communities will work with ARPA on their active community strategies starting in September. It is never too late, however, to learn about how you can affect the quality of life in your community. Contact Janet at jnaclia@aceleaders.ca to learn how.

We’d love to hear from communities wanting to get more people, more active, more often! 

June is Recreation and Parks Month

Did you know that Alberta has a whole month dedicated to Recreation and Parks? How fantastic is that? June, in fact, is “June is Recreation and Parks Month” (JRPM).

Organized by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), June is our official month for getting ourselves, our kids, our spouses, our dogs, and our neighbours outdoors and active.

The purpose of observing June as “Recreation and Parks Month” is to draw public attention to the important and varied benefits of recreation and parks to individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities and the province as a whole!  Want to know just what the benefits of recreation and parks exactly are (like… does being active so I can eat more chocolate count)? Well, you can easily look them all up at the online National Benefits Hub.

I know that I will be partaking in some of the events advocated by ARPA. Check out, for example, these great resources on hiking and the old age standard – kite flying. Now you can tell someone to go fly a kite and actually mean it… in a positive way! Hurrah!

June is also a perfect time to get kids outdoors and engaged in the natural world as it blooms and grows around them. It’s particularly timely as awareness about the importance of connecting children and youth with nature grows.

To help communities get children and youth active in nature, ARPA has created two activity passports with fun ideas for children and youth to get outside, engage with the natural environment, and be active. The activities may be completed with friends, at a day camp, or individually. Click this link to see how!

And for those who might need some assistance planning, ARPA is also providing inspiration and guides for your June events and celebrations. These resources include activity suggestions, media releases, posters, and newspaper ad templates. All of these are either available now on the JRPM website, or will be in the very near future. 

The ARPA Twitter and Facebook accounts will also be providing one benefit of recreation and parks every day in June, as well as a link to the National Benefits Hub. We encourage everyone to follow ARPA on Twitter and 'like' ARPA on Facebook.

So I look forward to seeing you outside this June!

Funding now available for Alberta Culture Days!

Guess what? Funding for Alberta Arts Days is back! Well, technically - Alberta Arts Days are now called Alberta Culture Days. Hey - new name but, like last year, there will be funding again for communities through an open call process.


If you have never heard about Alberta Culture Days, it all began in 2008 as a one-day event to recognize the value of Alberta’s vibrant cultural communities. This initiative of the Government of Alberta Culture and Community Services is now a three-day province-wide celebration occurring on September 28-30, in conjunction with our national Culture Days.


Alberta Culture Days events are free-of-charge and encourage community participation and access. Public events take place in a variety of facilities including, but not limited to, art galleries, museums, libraries, schools, theatres, concert halls, community centres, and outdoor gathering places. 


Like last year, up to five applicants will have the chance to become Alberta Culture Days Feature Celebration Sites; which means they will be eligible to receive a maximum grant of $20,000. Additional applicants may also be selected as Host Celebration Sites, making those hosts eligible to receive a maximum of $5,000.


To help spread the word, I will be hosting a FREE webinar on April 25th regarding the available funding. Click on this link to register!


Now, I would like to pause here and officially declare that I AM NOT an employee of the Alberta Culture Days. I am simply passing this info on in good faith. If you would like to contact those who are ACTUALLY working for the Alberta Culture Days, email: albertaculturedays@gov.ab.ca


Of course, another way to receive official info is to take a look at this info sheet provided on the Culture Days website. Here you’ll also find the official application form and very handy items like a sample budget. How fantastic is that!


I would also recommend that you pay close attention to the project objectives as I’m guessing that the more you reflect these objectives, the better your chances will be to receive funding. And here they are for your perusal:

• provide free, family-friendly events;
• showcase Alberta culture, artists and/or heritage;
• involve Albertan talent; 
• involve youth;
• partner with other organizations in the community; and
• include a multicultural component

I also figured, for good measure, that I would include some questions that came up last year from communities who did apply. Why not, right?! But to check out any updates to this process, join me on my April 25th webinar and learn more about this fantastic arts opportunity for our rural Alberta communities.


2 new questions from 2012:

1) When doing the budget, is there a formula that your department recognizes for calculating in-kind dollar amount for volunteer work? 

Generally, the Ministry recognizes volunteer work as an in-kind donation of $15/hour.

2) One group is being the lead on an application.  They have another group who is willing to participate in the day (so offer a letter of support) but really will be doing their own thing.  The 2nd group won't be tapping into the funds from the 1st group's application so can they then charge admission for THEIR event?

Yes, if the second group will not be utilizing the Alberta Culture Days funds, they are welcome to charge admission; however, the 1^st group should articulate that is the case, so the jury panel is not confused.

And here is the 2011 Q&A: 


1) If two organizations from one community apply for an Alberta Arts Day Grant, would they cancel each other out?


No. But you will be in direct competition with each other. It is useful to note that one of the priorities of the Alberta Arts Days (now Alberta Culture Days) this year is to encourage partnerships between organizations in each community. Any application demonstrating partnerships will be looked upon favorably. So get out there and chat with others in your community as you might have the perfect collaboration opportunity just waiting for you!


2) Is this a one-time funding opportunity?


The long-term goal for Alberta Arts Days is for community events to be self-sustainable. So it will really be up to you to make sure that your event or project is sustainable for the long haul. Be creative... look for new partnerships and embrace an entrepreneurial spirit!


3) Can I apply for liability insurance for my project?


Yes… having stated that, however, an applicant’s budget will be graded on overall merit, and if a large portion of their proposed budget is simply going towards insurance (ex. 50% of their budget), they may not score very high.


4) If I have received funding from other government agencies for my event, will this decrease my chances to receive an Alberta Arts Days grant?


No – quite the opposite! The Alberta Arts Days encourages applicants to seek out other funding for their events. They can’t foresee any conflicts to date. Now… if you are looking to possibly use Alberta Arts Days funding as match funding for OTHER grants, it might be a different story (like for Travel Alberta, for example). That is where you will need to do a little bit of research and contact those alternate funders.


5) Can I apply to be a host for a Feature Celebration site if my organization was already one last year?


Yes!


6) If I’m unsuccessful in my application to be a Feature Celebration site, can I also apply to be a Host site?


Yes, but PLEASE indicate this interest in your proposal letter.


7) If I have an event like an artist fair/sale where artists are selling their artwork, will this make us ineligible?


No, you can sell artwork at events or other merchandise like band t-shirts, for example. However, if you are charging admission for your event (like tickets to a concert), you CAN’T use Alberta Arts Days Funding towards that particular event as well.


8) Can municipalities apply?


No! See the info sheet for a list of eligible types of organizations.


9) Can my event be outside of the dates outlined by the Alberta Arts Days (September 30 – October 2, 2011)?


This would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis so I would suggest contacting the Alberta Arts Day Staff.


10) Who can I contact then with my questions about the Alberta Arts Days?


Email: albertaculturedays@gov.ab.ca

Creating Synergy in Airdrie

Money, facilities, communication…. I wasn’t overly surprised to see these come up as priorities at a session that I facilitated recently for the arts and culture community in Airdrie.

After all, these are the things that often surface when speaking to people in the arts, recreation, and even sports sectors. I have seen many communities attempt to solve their challenges by building a new rec centre or arena only to falter later as they attempt to find the people to fill it or the money to sustain it.

So when a fourth priority arose during my recent discussions with Airdrie, my heart did that happy little thump. But maybe I should first go back a step.

My trip out to Airdrie began with an invitation by the city’s Community Development Department to help facilitate a visioning session. This session was for members of the arts and culture community but also included other interested participants like city council members, city staff, and volunteers.


Like many smaller communities who live in the shadow of major centres (in this case, Calgary), Airdrie was at a tipping point in terms of their identity for the arts and culture sector. The community had a lot of great things happening but often things were happening in pockets throughout the community. There were whispers of what needed to be done but the arts and culture community still lacked a unified voice and a collective vision. The talent in Airdrie was more than apparent but also apparent was the pull that the larger city of Calgary had on their creative pool.

So what was a city to do? After careful consideration of their assets and a possible vision, the participants at the session came to a unanimous decision about seven top priorities. And yes, financial stability, a gathering place or facility, and open communication all stood out as important to the community as did a focus on education, corporate partnerships, and dedicated city staff assigned to the arts. But what was the one priority, as I mentioned earlier, that made my heart go pitter pat?


The answer… create synergy! Synergy… cohesion… collective impact… that was, I feel, the most notable priority that came out of my discussions with Airdire. The participants decided that day that working as a group towards the common goal of strengthening their community was also top on their list. Hurrah!

This commitment to the common good for all involved is called collective impact. It might seem simple in theory but can be pretty darn hard at times. We, ultimately, all have our own agendas but if that agenda automatically included playing nice with others and working towards a common goal, imagine the possibilities.

I was in a meeting today where someone reminded me that ACE Communities has now worked with 75+ communities in rural Alberta. And one thing we have seen consistently is that when a community works collectively across groups as well as across sectors, they are the ones who flourish, create economic stability, and draw newcomers (and as well as youth who may have left) to their communities.

That is the true power of collective impact.

And so, as Airdrie moves forward in their efforts to become strong and unified as an arts community, I will wait to see how this spills over into other areas and into other sectors. I have seen that when a group can articulate their vision and their value, the money and the facilities will come. No doubt that it will still take work, and it will be messy, but we creative types can do amazing things, especially when we have a community championing our efforts.


Click here to see more pictures from the visioning session in Airdrie!

And here is a great document from the City of Airdrie also summarizing the evening.

If you are interested in more about collective impact, check out this great blog by ACE Communities Director Brenda Herchmer.

March 8th is International Women's Day!

Did you know that March 8th is International Women’s Day? I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t. In fact, International Women’s Day has been around for over 100 years. 100 years! Imagine the history that this day has seen.

To celebrate this important day, Canada has chosen the theme of: Strong Women, Strong Canada - Women in Rural, Remote and Northern Communities: Key to Canada's Economic Prosperity.

This theme is explored on the Status of Women Canada website. This website not only shares info on the background of International Women’s Day but also outlines facts to celebrate, and even a poster to share! My favourite part of the site, however, is a very intriguing quiz about Canada's rural, remote and Northern communities and the women who live in them. I think that you might be surprised about some of the answers.

As a woman who was born and raised in a northern AND remote part of Alberta (Fort McMurray to be exact), I was so pleased to see this collection of information that I would like to share it with all of you. Strong Women, Strong Canada! Don’t you just love it?

So pass on this info to others as it includes links to funding as well as gender-based analysis and strategic policy. We all know that there is still work to be done out there and the role of women in Canada’s future is one that needs to be championed by us all.

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Excerpted from the Status of Women Canada website:

Women across Canada are as diverse as the communities they live in.  This year's theme for International Women's Day and International Women's Week celebrates women's roles in the economic prosperity of rural, remote and Northern regions.

Canada covers a total area 9,984,670 square kilometres. It is home to 17.4 million women and girls and contains more than 5,400 communities — approximately 5,200 of which are rural, remote or Northern. During the week of March 8, 2012, we are celebrating the three million Canadian women and girls across every province and territory who are integral to life in these rural, remote and Northern communities.

In rural and remote areas, women make up approximately 45% of the labour force, but significant gaps still exist between women and men in labour force participation rates, employment rates and income. These trends are more pronounced for Aboriginal women, who make up a large part of the rural, remote and Northern population.

Women and girls are contributing to economic prosperity in these regions through innovative projects such as business networks and training in non-traditional occupations. Leadership initiatives for women and girls in rural and remote areas can also be found across the country.

International Women's Day has been celebrated for more than 100 years.  In that time, substantial progress has been made in advancing equality for women, and we recognize the critical role that women continue to play in the prosperity of Canada's diverse communities.

Click here to read more!

Where your passion may take you...

The key is to follow your passion. That’s a lesson that I was reminded of recently after sitting down for coffee with two phenomenal ACE Community leaders named Tony and Michele Geistlinger from Longview, Alberta.

I first had the pleasure of working with Tony and Michele as part of the ACE ARTS Tour when I spent four days in their town doing a series of dance and music workshops as well as a series of concerts. It was during the ACE ARTS tour that I realized that Longview was a mini-Mecca of musical talent and home already to great cultural events like Longstock – an annual music festival organized by acclaimed musician Eva Levesque.

For a town of about 300 people, Longview had the heart of a city of a million but faced obstacles that many rural towns do – generational in-fighting, loss of amenities like a grocery story, and a disconnect between the needs of newcomers and those who have lived in the town for their entire lives.



As luck would have it for me, I soon became Longview’s ACE coach and had the opportunity to assist their local leaders as the community progressed through their time as an ACE community. I saw this little town of 300 people face their obstacles and accomplish amazing things… from the tangible extreme makeover of their town that raised nearly $400,000 (yes – you read that correctly - $400,000!) to the more subtle unification of a community that had slowly become fractured over the generations.

To read in more detail about Longview’s accomplishments, click here!

But back to Tony and Michele! For those who know the couple, they know two people driven by their passions to, as volunteers, truly improve the quality of life in their community. They don’t look for monetary rewards or acclaim – just for naysayers to get out of their way and for others to join them in their passion for community building.

When you ask Michele why she spends so much time volunteering in Longview, she will tell you that it is to create the quintessential small town life that she always dreamed of living. This is the life where you not only know your neighbours but, more importantly, you know that you can depend on them during good times and bad.

In my recent meeting with Tony and Michele, they were updating me about plans for the building of a possible museum/interpretive centre for the village. This construction slotted tentatively for the town’s 50th birthday in 2014. Expanding on the community’s pioneering spirit and artistic leanings, it would be yet another coup for the ranching community.

“It was all I could do to keep my hand down so I wouldn’t volunteer to help with the project,” Michele said with a twinkle in her eye, referring to a recent presentation that she attended that outlined the museum’s potential. “It was so cool! I still might have to check in now and then, though, and see how things are going.”

What was Michele’s main reason, this queen of volunteering, for the hesitation? Michele has decided to follow another passion, her love for music, and help fellow ACE leader Eva Levesque with Longstock. This event, run by Levesque (who recently won the 2011 Association of Country Music in Alberta (CCMA) Best Group award for her band The Travelling Mabels) has been a growing event in Longview for a few years now and would benefit from Michele’s dedicated touch.

So now, with the 2 years of heavy lifting that has represented her steady community building with ACE Communities under her belt, Michele has decided that it is prime time to combine her love of community with her love of music and the arts. Her guitar and her saxaphone have gone neglected for far too long!



Because like I said before, the key to true community building is to follow where your passions may lead you. Like with Tony and Michele, you never know where that adventure may take you.

Resolved for 2012

This past December I threw down the gauntlet and challenged our province’s grassroots community leaders to make a community building resolution. The idea was to supplant the traditional New Year’s resolution that mainly focused on inwards, personal goals… to go to the gym, eat better, and be a better person… with one that turned outwards.

Sure, I admit, these are all important personal resolutions but what would happen, I wondered, if Albertans got together and committed instead to making their communities better as a whole?

Well, first I decided, that I better get walking the talk and talking the walk, so as part of my own community building resolution, I hit the street and had real, invested conversations with my particular spheres of influence. The result? Engaging conversations with my neighbours, my teammates on my tackle football team, and the spectacular ladies who volunteer with me. I found that I paused more frequently to really listen about their passions, to learn from their wisdom, and to celebrate the unique qualities that they all brought into my life.

And what was reaffirmed for me by this process? To truly build community, you must put genuine effort into first building relationships.

With this enlightenment in mind, I decided to throw the concept of a ‘2012 Community Building Resolution’ out in to the world in the form of an ACE webinar and see what riches it might bring. The idea: to provide a welcoming venue that would enable community builders from across the province to connect with each other and share their stories. After all, once we plunge back into the new year, the last thing often on our minds is to stop and reflect on the road ahead.

And, like they said in the iconic feel good movie, Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”

Much to my delight, representatives from around fifteen different communities attended the ACE resolutions webinar. People signed on from Leduc, and Didsbury, Longview, and as north as High Level. We heard voices from Okotoks, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Bon Accord, and Fort MacLeod. There was even one lone participant from Ontario (who impishly kept bragging about her sunny weather and lack of snow).

Interestingly enough, there were some common themes that appeared as the conversations rolled out. If you ever wanted to check the pulse of rural Alberta, then here it is. Common goals for 2012 were:

• Awareness of affordable and/or free recreation opportunities
• Increased community engagement
• The creation of partnerships and true collaboration with community groups
• Promotion of the arts, culture & heritage
• Engagement with more with marginalized populations
• Engagement with youth but also with ALL age groups in a more productive way
• To help people with disabilities be active in their communities

And a HUGE overarching theme… Down with silos – it’s time to work together to improve our quality of life in a holistic way!

Or, as Brenda Herchmer (the Director of ACE Communities) likes to put it: “It’s the perfect time that Alberta embraces ACE Communities as a methodology for comprehensive community transformation.” Hurrah! Want to know more about the concept of 'comprehensive community transformation' then, click here!

I’ve always been a fan of the idea that the knowledge is in the group. All the great ideas that I have experienced have reflected the power of many minds. These ideas are always far richer and more complex than one we come up with by ourselves. So while, I’m not sure what all of these community builders will do to get to their goals, I truly look forward to the conversations that happen as they try.

Anything to add to this list of goals for rural Alberta? I’d love to hear from you.

What's Your 2012 Community Building Resolution?

For the New Year, many of us are inclined to make personal resolutions… to exercise more, to eat better, to spend more time with our loved ones. That is definitely my modus operandi! For 5 years now, the New Year rolls in and I, once again, vow to kick my pastry habit. The result? Another year of me pigging out shamelessly (and I really mean shamelessly) on pastries.

Sigh.

So, for 2012, I’m vowing to make a new kind of resolution – wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Only this time, my resolution will be one that affects my community. It’s my very own 2012 ‘Community Building Resolution’ challenge!

After all, in the bigger scheme of things, no one but me (and my thighs!) is really affected if I utterly fail on my bid to make 2012 pastry-free. However, if I fail on my resolution to make my community better, we all lose out. Imagine, though, if I hold true to my commitment to improve my community – no matter how small that change might be – do you think that my little piece of the world will be better for it? Absolutely!

And so – here I go… throwing it out into the universe…my community resolution for 2012 is: to have more meaningful, courageous conversations with the people who live around me. And I mean REAL conversations!

This resolution was inspired by a chat that I had recently with older gentleman named Herman as I was out walking my dogs. Herman happens to live exactly one block away from me on the same side of the street. I’ve often paused in front of Herman’s house (mainly to let my bassets have a good chance for a sniff) and wistfully speculated on who my doppelganger might be if I lived at number 1417 instead of number 1317.

During one of these recent pauses, Herman happened to be out in his yard and we got to chatting. Turns out that Herman is a widower, with just a small extended family left in Calgary, who was a pet owner too but lost both his dogs to what he phrased as a malady of old age… death! I liked Herman instantly. I figure I might pop by Herman’s with some Christmas cookies this year to pass on some holiday cheer and offer some company. I think that if I do, my little piece of the world will be better for it.

Imagine now if others in my little neighbourhood decided to also make a small but positive change in their community. If say… my neighbour does the same as does their neighbour, and their neighbour, and their neighbour, and their neighbour. Before we knew it, we would have a place where you’d want to set down roots, raise your children, and walk your dogs.

So I’m throwing this out to all of you…make a resolution this year that will help make your community better - consider this your 2012 ‘Community Building Resolution’ challenge!

You can even join me later as I host an online conversation on January 18th aimed at those interested in sharing ideas about how to positively affect the quality of life in their communities. I’d be interested to hear about what positive change you plan to make in the lives of those around you.

Aboriginal Arts, Culture, and Heritage Grants

Just recently, my colleague Brenda Herchmer, Director of ACE Communities, and myself facilitated a session on the “The Power and the Promise of Recreation in Aboriginal Communities" at the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association’s 2011 Conference in October. As I was typing up the notes recently for the session, I started making a list of arts, culture, and heritage-based resources that I could share with the group of participants.

As I sat plunking away on my keyboard, it occurred to me that it might be useful to also post these resources in my blog as a way of getting the word out there about these aboriginal-related grants. Many of these programs aren’t utilized to their fullest so I figured… let’s charge into the New Year and tap into these great resources! Or, at least, spread the word to those who might be interested in applying.

Take note: most of these aren’t due right now with the exception of the ASRPWF '2012-2013 Healthy Living Fund' which is due December 23rd.

So spread the word and let’s start funneling these resources into our Aboriginal communities!

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The Alberta Foundation for the Arts

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) has a commitment to supporting the growth and development of Aboriginal arts in Alberta. There are two grant streams and one program that specifically benefit Alberta First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations.

Aboriginal Traditional Arts Individual Project Grant Stream

Aboriginal Arts Organizations Project Grant Stream

Click here for more info on these grants or contact the AFA at 780-427-9968.

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Alberta’s Future Leaders Program - Arts Camps

The Arts Camps program partners the Alberta Foundation for the Arts with the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks, and Wildlife Foundation (ASRPWF) in providing an arts component to the Alberta’s Future Leaders (AFL) Program.

This program is based on the development of partnerships between communities, private enterprise, non-profit organizations and government agencies. These partnerships share the belief that sport and recreation can be used as prevention and intervention initiatives to address the needs of Alberta's indigenous youth.

Arts mentors are hired to form an arts team to plan and develop a range of arts activities. Each arts team member is then placed in a designated community for the summer, working alongside other AFL summer youth workers. The program runs from May 1 to August 31 each year. The number of participating communities varies, but there are usually a dozen communities involved in the AFL program each year.

The arts component provides opportunities for young people to experience and develop their creative abilities. The arts youth workers act as mentors, helping the participants to express themselves through a variety of performing and visual arts activities. Young people are encouraged to get in touch with their individual creative energies and abilities, and thereby learn new skills, develop strength, build self-esteem and self-confidence that can be used throughout their lives.

Arts activities include performing arts such as mime, acting, storytelling, dance and music as well as mask and puppet making. Visual arts workshops include painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, collage, clay, photography and crafts.

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Elder/Youth Legacy Program: Support for Aboriginal Artistic Practices

Since the Canada Council created the Aboriginal Peoples Collaborative Exchange program, more people have been asking how to obtain funds for two underserved segments of the Aboriginal arts community: the Elders (senior artists) and the youth (ages 15-25).

The Canada Council has realized that Aboriginal Elders and youth—the two segments of the community involved in passing on art practices—have not been regularly applying for arts funding. Many of the Elders (senior artists) found the paperwork cumbersome, and the youth of the communities were ineligible because of their age.

The Elder/Youth Legacy program solves this by offering program funding to Aboriginal organizations that wish to work with these two groups on a project basis. This program is not limited to traditional art forms—it encompasses all forms of the arts.

First, the organization will choose the Elder who will work with their youth. That Elder will then help to decide the number of young people he or she will work with, and will help to select them.

Due: 15 May and 15 November

Further Information
Noël Habel,

Program Officer
Aboriginal Arts Office


Canada Council for the Arts

t: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4178 or 4222

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ASRPWF 2012-2013 Healthy Living Fund - Active Living

In 2012-13 the ASRPWF will support projects that address conditions/ factors that support physical activity, as well as contribute to achieving targets aimed at increasing the proportion of Albertans who are physically active. Currently there is an emphasis on projects that address physical activity targets for children and youth.



Priority areas for project funding consideration include:
-Integrated approaches and collaboration
-Awareness and education
-Innovative demonstration projects with a physical activity focus
-Research that informs practice
-Improved access and reduced barriers to physical activity opportunities
-Active transportation
-After school time period
-Children and Nature Activities

Eligible applicants (Provincial not-for-profit groups, First Nations, Metis Settlements, and Municipalities), are invited to submit ONE application for consideration, noting that funding is available for projects lasting approximately one year in duration, April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013.

Complete applications must be postmarked on or before December 23, 2011 and sent to the address on the application. Respondents will be notified by March 5, 2012 with final approval pending approval of the Foundation budget.

For more information contact:


Chris Szabo

Recreation Consultant

t:780-415-0276 (toll-free in Alberta at 310-0000)

e:chris.szabo@gov.ab.ca

I'm only one...

I’m not going to lie… it all looked a little dubious. A designated meeting point on the side of the highway, calls back and forth as the meeting point changed, the furtive exchange of mysterious blue box, and a quick getaway. If the RCMP were monitoring us, things could have went a wee bit pear-shaped, if you know what I mean.

This was how the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour kicked off in Alberta a few weeks ago. Representing the official launch of our newest group of ACE Communities, Carstairs, Grande Cache, Jasper, and Rocky Mountain House are now on their collective way to becoming more diversity friendly.

The dubious ‘goods exchange’ mentioned above was put into motion by the request of one of our ACE leaders in Jasper. He was looking to get some homemade perogies from a contact in Edmonton to Jasper for an event happening as part of their Ignite activities and we happened to be the area at the opportune time.

When I emailed Ian Hill, our ACE Ambassador and official Igniter (who was soon to be on the road with me for the launch of the new ACE Communities), about his thoughts on our potential perogy sting operation, he replied: “that which I can do, I ought to do”.

Ian’s reply was, for those not familiar with the quote, an excerpt from a famous Helen Keller poem:

I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything but I can do something. 

That which I can do, I ought to do. 

That which I ought to do, I will.

~Helen Keller

I first learned of this poem while traveling with Ian on various ACE Ignite Tours. Ian often discusses it as part of the ‘ignite’ speeches that he delivers during the community rallies which accompany the presentations of each community’s ACE award. And you know, the more times I hear it and really think about its meaning, the more apropos I feel it is to building community in rural Alberta.

Let’s take this last Ignite tour as an example. In the course of four days, I saw amazing examples of how individuals took it upon themselves to make an impact in the quality of life in their community.

I am only one, but I am one. 


I saw a courageous conversation where a citizen voiced her distress and upset to a local town councilor at the town’s lack of empathy when dealing with a group of volunteers. I admired her bravery at speaking up and was then moved by the councilor’s immediate promise to personally speak to those negatively affected by the town’s actions and start mending fences. Imagine how much good will that one councilor will garner for that community if he does as he promises and continues with those courageous conversations.

I cannot do everything but I can do something. 


I saw one shy, introverted ACE leader throw down the gauntlet and personally contact numerous members of her community in a deep and personal way – inviting them out to help build their community together. Man… did she shine and you know what happened, they all came. The Mayor, town councilors, school trustees, moms with their kids, social services, non-profits, youth, and newcomers to the community… they all showed up to see how they could contribute to making their town better together.

That which I can do, I ought to do. 


I saw how one small group of ACE leaders decide that their youth needed to hear about how important they were to the community so they brought Ian and the messages of ACE to their local junior high school. There almost 100 youth were called to action, reminded of their worth and of their potential. One adult in attendance told us after that is was “a life altering experience” and that she wished that someone told her how valuable she was to the community when she was a child.

That which I ought to do, I will.

I saw in one community that one person can bring together over 500 others, from all different backgrounds and places, to come together and break bread under one roof. This was where the perogies came in, of course (in case you were wondering). This gathering reminded me that people are just waiting for a reason to come out and celebrate their community, all is takes is even just one person to ask.

So what is it that you ought to do in your community to make it better? Sure, as Keller said, you can’t do everything but you can do something. I’d be interested to hear just what that something is.

Click here to see images of the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour.

Volunteer... the opportunity is out there!

I seem to be doing a lot of volunteering lately. And it’s not for the same organization or even for the same cause for that matter. Instead, my volunteer commitments seem to be all over the place. Heck, I even have my basset hound Cleo volunteering! And just as I was starting to think that I had some rare form of volunteer schizophrenia, I bumped into someone who told me that what I had, in fact, was a clear case of modern day 3-tiered volunteerism.

Apparently, volunteering is not just volunteering anymore. Many people now have a multi-layered approach, much like many work strategies, to determine just who and what is lucky enough to benefit from their gift of talent and time.

To use myself as a case in point… I actually am personally committed to three different types of volunteer activities.

Type one: professionally driven. This first type of volunteerism is quite common in many fields but seems to be especially prevalent in my professional field of expertise – the arts. While many of those who do volunteer in the arts do it to follow a passion, many of us also volunteer to gain experience, make contacts, and make some sort of lasting professional impact in their local art scene.

Currently, I am sitting on a volunteer advisory committee formed around the creation of a new collaborative arts building in Calgary. Why? Because I think that Calgary, its artists, and its arts scene will benefit from such a building and so I feel compelled to be involved. It’s kinda fun but more like… well, work but I know that the overall benefits for my community of practice will be HUGE so I stay committed.

Type two: do I have to? The second kind of volunteering that has been taking up my time lately (the most common and often most dreaded form of volunteerism) is in the infamous ‘volun-told’ category. This is when your volunteer activity is mandated as part-and-parcel of your involvement with an organization. Often this can be in lieu of paying fees or meant to help do something practical like raising funds for travel or sports equipment. Parents… think working bingos, selling Girl Guide cookies or endless bottle drives….

Right now I happen to be helping out my women’s tackle football team raise money for new equipment and fees by ushering at the occasional Stampeders games. Is it fun? Well, kinda. Again, it’s a bit more like work but I will really appreciate the new gear when my team hits the field next year and so I stay committed. Plus, these ‘volun-told’ events are great for team bonding and character building in the face adversity. If you have ever experienced the late night shift on a Friday as part of a casino volunteer gig or a drunken football fan of a team on a losing streak, you know what I mean!

Type three: follow your passion! And then there is the third kind of volunteerism, the best kind of them all, in fact. This is the kind where you are given the opportunity to follow your passion and make a real difference in some sphere of the world (no matter how large or small that sphere might be!).

I was reminded recently of this inspiring form of volunteerism by a co-worker named Rose. Rose recently told me a story of how she really connected with a fellow volunteer while out with the Communities in Bloom initiative. “We’re like twins,” she said. “It’s like we’ve known each other forever!”

I find that it is this kind of volunteerism that draws you naturally to your cluster – to a place where people share your passions, your values, and even your sense of humour. My volunteerism happy cluster is as part of a volunteer-run basset hound rescue. I can honestly say that I really like the people that I work with. They are people that I would happily meet for coffee or hang out with outside of our volunteer gig. We are out in the world together saving one basset hound at a time! We are connected.

Now don’t get me wrong, each type of the abovementioned volunteerism is as important and as valid. I think, like with work and life balance, it is important to have it in your volunteering life as well. The most important point, however, is to get out there and see what appeals to you. Follow your passion, improve your work skills, or make those extra bucks for your team. Every little bit makes a huge impact for those who need your time and your talent.

How do you approach volunteerism?