What is Abundant Community Edmonton?
“Abundant Community is based on the belief that every individual in a neighbourhood has a contribution to make, and uncovering, sharing and the harnessing of those contributions creates neighbourliness, and also addresses issues as diverse as social isolation, crime, and physical and mental health. The notion is at the same time ridiculously commonsensical and ridiculously powerful.”
~Mary Sturgeon, Make Something Edmonton
At the heart of the initiative… Abundant Community is a neighbour or two on each block (a Block Connector) who initiates a connection and casual conversations with each household about:
- Community and life on the block and in the neighbourhood.
- Their vision for the neighbourhood and
- the skills, interests and pastimes which they would share with the block or neighbourhood.
“The work of Abundant Community Edmonton is vital to the well-being of our cities. Every city is concerned about our health, children, safety, the land, the local economy and those on the margins. Government policies and social services are at their limits. The next wave of impact will come from citizens connected to their neighbors engaged in bringing their gifts and humanity to each other. Abundant Community is making this happen.”
~Peter Block, Designed Learning and Flawless Consulting
Our process at our Highlands neighbourhood level…
The Highlands Community League has asked Carmen Lawrence to be our Neighbourhood Connector to:
- Identify and enlist our approximately 50 Block Connectors,
- Facilitate and encourage the Block Connector’s conversation process, and
- Collate the information from the conversations into: vision priorities, interest and activity groups and a skills and experience exchange.
The benefits to Highlands Community…
- Advances household connection and belonging on each block and within the neighbourhood as a whole,
- Helps to shape neighbourhood life according to residents vision for the neighbourhood,
- Facilitates neighbourliness by linking residents to groups, existing and newly formed, within the neighbourhood,
- Enables care by linking the skills, gifts and experiences of residents to other neighbours and the neighbourhood, and
- Builds the capacity of the neighbourhood to collaborate with the municipality.
For more information from your Highlands Community League, contact Carmen Lawrence at [email protected]
BLOCK PARTY SEASON: Debbie Trinier introduces some young friends to bocce ball, at the recent block party on 50-51 Street. A number of these outdoor gatherings are happening in our neighbourhood, often aided by the Block Connector.
