Introduction

To celebrate the completion of our Alberta focused Amazing Neighbourhoods: Engagement and Sustainability Planning Guide we are holding two FREE workshops for community associations, municipal staff and community groups.  In this one day workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of sustainability and how to design a fun and meaningful process to engage residents, businesses and other groups to make your neighbourhood an amazing place to live work and play.

Over the past year, The Natural Step Canada, with support from an advisory panel, funders and sponsors, has developed and piloted a resource for community and neighbourhood associations, community groups and municipal governments entitled Amazing Neighbourhoods: Engagement and Sustainability Planning Guide.

The guide is specifically designed to help users achieve the following:

• Design a fun and meaningful community engagement process,
• Better understand the sustainability challenges and opportunities that face communities and neighbourhoods,
• Create a new and comprehensive vision for your neighbourhood (Where are we going?)
• Conduct a gap analysis of your neighbourhood (What are we currently doing right? What do we need to do to get to where we want to be?)
• Explore different ways to collaborate with partners towards a common vision,
• Align neighbourhood goals and objectives with broader City or Town sustainability plans, and
• Create an amazing sustainable neighbourhood action plan.

FREE Community Engagement & Sustainability Planning Workshops (April 3 & 5)

To celebrate the completion of our Alberta focused neighbourhood guide we are holding two FREE workshops for community associations, municipal staff and community groups who want to make their communities and neighbourhoods better places to live, work and play.

Calgary Workshop – April 3rd

• Where: Calgary, AB (Ramsay Community Association, 1136 8th Street SE)
• When: April 3rd from 9am-4pm

This workshop will be hosted in Calgary by the Ramsay Community Association, which helped pilot and make improvements to the Amazing Neighbourhood Guide in 2012.

Edmonton Workshop – April 5th

• Where: Edmonton, AB, (Rossdale Community League, 10135 96 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5K 0A5)
• When: April 5th, 9am – 4pm

Space is limited so sign up now to secure your spot!

Workshop Details

In this one day workshop, you will learn how to design a fun and meaningful process to engage residents, businesses and other groups to make your neighbourhood an amazing place to live work and play.

In particular, you will:

• Discuss and explore the process of designing a fun and engaging process to create your sustainable neighbourhood action plan
• Explore how to make the most of the new Amazing Neighbourhoods Guide and other resources
• Explore how to engage and collaborate with people, businesses, and other neighbourhood groups to create a useful sustainability action plan and implement projects
• Describe and discuss the sustainability challenges and opportunities that face communities and neighbourhoods
• Develop a deeper understanding of the framework for strategic sustainable development and sustainability at a neighbourhood scale.  (What are the characteristics of Sustainability at a neighbourhood scale?)
• Strategize how to mobilize residents/neighbours, address objections, and get buy-in to advance sustainability in your neighbourhood or community
• Reflect on how to celebrate and build on the amazing sustainable neighbourhood projects you are already working on
• Hear and share stories on how other groups engaged residents, partners, the municipality and others to create a clear vision for a sustainable future

Interested in hosting a similar workshop in your own community? Please contact John Purkis (jpurkis(at)naturalstep.ca) for more details.

Coming Soon…

We’ll also be launching a national version of the Amazing Neighbourhood Guide and web page at the Accelerate: Collaborating for Sustainability conference this June.

Thank you to our Sponsors: