November Seekers Journal: Re-Framing our Social Change Thinking

Dear there,

"Yarn is simply yarn, until you begin to weave it together."

In his webinar, Reweaving Your Social Fabric, Milton Friesen explores the idea of being intentional about how we view and build our social networks. He highlights the importance of bringing the invisible to the forefront of our thinking. Throughout this November issue of Seekers Journal, the theme of "re-framing" emerges- pushing us to approach social change as not necessarily a concept of inventing something new, but as a mechanism to re-frame the tools and systems we already have and use them in new ways.

We are brimming with new content and exciting events in Deepening Community! We are partnering with Al Etmanski to launch the world's first six-part Bookinar Series on his new book IMPACT: Six Patterns to Spread Your Social Innovation; Sarah Wakefield, PhD, is joining us for a webinar on evaluating Hamilton's Neighbourhood Action Strategy; and our Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) library is continuing to grow with new resources; and much more!

We'd love to hear about how you are re-framing your community building and social change thinking. Visit our website to read more stories, gather resources, and share your insights with us.

Happy reading!

Feature Learn Conversations Neighbours Insights Events

Re-Imagining the Civic Commons

By: Sylvia Cheuy

Civic Commons is a term that refers to the facilities and shared spaces where a city’s residents “celebrate, learn, rest, play, make key decisions, express collective aspirations and provide for themselves and one another.” The civic commons is also increasingly being recognized as an important factor in the quality of life of citizens and the ability to attract and retain the talent and investment needed to support the overall economic vitality of cities. Re-imagining the Civic Commons – Cities: Where Opportunity Meets Place is a new report by the Municipal Art Society of New York that invites us to consider some of the less obvious, yet important ways, that the civic commons contributes to city life, and it highlights some new possibilities that can be realized by challenging the way we think about and utilize our civic assets.

Read the full post

Reweaving Your Social Fabric

By: Milton Friesen

"Yarn is simply yarn, until you begin to weave it together."

In this Tamarack webinar presentation, Milton Friesen engaged learners in a conversation about network mapping and how it can be used as an effective tool for identifying and engaging the untapped potential of a community's social networks. Thinking about networks can help us describe what is happening and uncover possible strategic opportunities in the social landscape of our communities.

Access the Webinar & Resources

How to Combat Loneliness in the Age of Working Remotely

By: Christie Nash

Loneliness is bad for your health. It’s a fact. In a 2010 study, it was found that lacking social connections is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The evidence to back this theory up is growing, as noted on the Campaign to End Loneliness website.

Despite advancements in technology that are designed to connect people and build networks, research is showing that people are lonelier today than ever before. In an article in the The Guardian newspaper last year, George Monbiot declared that we have entered the “Age of Loneliness.”

A question that emerges from this article is: in an age where people are increasingly working remotely, how can we create a sense of intimacy without connecting in person?

Upcoming Events
	Community Engagment: The Next Generation November 24-26, 2015 in Edmonton, Alberta Learn the latest engagement techniques and interact with the technology that will transform how you engage your clients, customers, funders and partners. Through dialogue with leaders in the field of engagement and social change, you will enhance your capacity to effectively hear the voices of those you serve and learn key strategies to mobilize them toward a collective impact. This event is almost full! Register Now.
	Accelerating Community Change with Collective Impact November 26, 2015 in Halifax, Nova Scotia Join Tamarack's internationally recognized trainer and community builder- Liz Weaver for a workshop that dives into Collective Impact - a promising framework for enhancing the effectiveness of community change efforts. Only 18 spots left! Register Now.
	Deepening Community with Collective Impact December 1, 2015 in Ottawa, Ontario In this workshop, Paul Born shares not only the fundamental principles of Collective Impact, he provides key insights as one of North America’s top Community Engagement leaders on how Deepening Community can sustain us as leaders and the outcomes we so desire. Space is limited. Register today.
	Patterns in Community and Social IMPACT Bookinar Series November 17 \| December 1 \| December 15 Why do some social innovations take hold while others fail to spread as far and wide as they should? Join Al Etmanski for the world's first six-part Bookinar learning series that invites you to explore patterns of social innovation in depth and consider how it might shape your own community change work. Register today! Click here for more information.
	Evaluating Hamilton's Neighbourhood Action Strategy Webinar November 26, 2016 To address rising inequality, many Canadian municipalities have implemented neighborhood-level interventions to consider poverty and other social ills. Using Hamilton's Neighbourhood Action Strategy as a case example, this webinar will discuss ways of evaluating the planning, implementation, and ultimate outcomes of these kinds of interventions. To learn more and register, click here.

The Neighbours: Cities Deepening Community Journal is brought to you by:

Tamarack Institute
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, ON
N2L 3G6, Canada
Tel: 519-885-5155
Email: natasha@tamarackcommunity.ca
Web: http://deepeningcommunity.ca
Web: http://tamarackcommunity.ca

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Re-Imagining the Civic Commons

Learn from the Community

Reweaving Your Social Fabric

How to Combat Loneliness in the Age of Working Remotely

Upcoming Events