Inspire Team

Community Walk

by for .  
#the power of community
60 - 120

Goal

The "Community Walk " activity is designed to engage learners in a group exploration of their physical community to identify and document local assets and resources. This experiential activity helps participants practice community asset mapping and gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and opportunities within their community.

Materials

    Instructions

    Getting Started

    • Gather the group at a central location in the community. Provide a brief overview of the activity's purpose: to identify and document assets and resources that exist within the community.

    • If the group is large, divide participants into smaller groups, ensuring each group has a designated area to explore.

    • Distribute notebooks, pens, cameras or smartphones for taking notes and pictures.


    Community Walk

    • Instruct each group to explore their designated area, observing and documenting assets and resources they encounter.

      • Encourage participants to consider both tangible and intangible assets, such as grocery stores, convenience stores, government services (Band offices, Territory government offices, Indigenous programs and services), parks, community centers, local businesses, skills, and knowledge within the community, as well as important actors.

      • Encourage participants to look with “new eyes”, looking deeper and past the things they see every day.

    • Provide participants with a copy of the Community Canvas prompting questions, or a separate list of questions to guide their exploration, such as:

      • What businesses or services are available in this area?

      • Are there parks, green spaces, or recreational facilities?

      • Are there community organizations, schools, or places of worship?

      • What unique talents, skills, or knowledge do community members possess?

      • How do people connect and communicate within the community?

      • What cultural or historical assets can be identified?

    • Emphasize the importance of engaging with community members and seeking their input if appropriate.

    • Alternative: If walking around the community is not possible, have the learners draw out their communities on chart paper and create a community map and go through the steps of this activity using their community map.


    Asset Sharing

    • Gather all participants at the central location.

    • Ask each group to share their findings, including photographs and notes, with the whole group. Encourage discussion and questions about the assets identified.


    Reflection

    • Facilitate a reflection session where participants discuss what they learned and how they felt during the Community Walk.

    • Encourage participants to think about how these assets can be leveraged for community development, and what additional resources or connections may be needed.


    Action Planning

    • Conclude the activity by guiding participants to brainstorm potential action steps for utilizing the identified assets to address community needs and foster positive change.


    Background

    Preparation

    • Ensure you have reviewed the types of community assets (tangible, intangible, important actors) with your group prior to this activity.

    • Select a central meeting point for participants to gather and distribute materials.

    • Decide on and create a list of guiding questions to help participants identify community assets.

    Technology Considerations

    • In a virtual setting, participants can explore their own neighborhoods or communities and share their findings through a video conference call, accompanied by photos or notes. Preparation is required to ensure learners are clear on the activity.


    Additional Context

    • This activity can be adapted for various group sizes and is suitable for both urban and rural communities.

    • Encourage participants to be respectful, non-intrusive, and considerate of privacy while exploring the community.

    • If there are learners in the group with mobility challenges, ensure that they are assigned to a group that is exploring an area that is accessible.


    Tips for Localization

    • Customize the guiding questions and areas of exploration to fit the specific characteristics and culture of the community being studied.


    Debrief Questions:

    1. What were the most significant assets and resources you identified during the Community Walk?

    2. What was it like to try to look with “new eyes”? Were there any challenges in identifying assets in your community?

    3. How do these assets align with the needs and challenges of the community?

    4. Do you see any links or connections between these assets?

    5. Did anything surprise you during this exploration?


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