Supporting Community

Description

There is something incredibly beautiful and rewarding about being part of a community. Communities provide us with a sense of belonging and allow us to seek comfort in difficult times. Community—or rather, the nurturing of human connection—is our means of survival.

In this section, you will explore different opportunities to support your community and build community resilience while maintaining the standards of physical distancing during these trying times.

Photo Credit: Monica Phung

Opportunity A: Online Skillshare

A Skillshare is an event where people gather to share their skills. A Skillshare can be focused on one specific topic or can be open to people who simply want to share what they know “how to do”. Sharing skills empowers people to learn practical knowledge that may otherwise be inaccessible to all--making learning fun, affordable and accessible.

Interested in hosting an online Skillshare? Here's how:

Decide which skills you want to learn and/or share
Find others who want to learn, share, and/or host
Draft your list of costs, supplies, time, and other needs
Set a date and create an event online or with a local organization
Invite friends, post on social media, and talk about the event

Examples of skills:

Making your own beeswax wrap, making your own all purpose cleaner, fermenting your own kombucha, making Sourdough bread, sewing your own clothes, or repairing your own bicycle.

Opportunity B: Online social gathering

Checking in on your family, friends, colleagues, and community is always important. But during these trying times, it is more important than ever. You may not be able to meet face-to-face, but luckily, there are many social gatherings that can easily be adapted to an online platform.

Here are a few examples to get you started:

Host an online documentary screening

Host a Netflix Party
Host an online book club
Host an online trivia

Opportunity C: Blog or podcast

In these trying times, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the negativity of the media. What we need instead is a reassuring voice to inspire feelings of positivity, gratitude, and most importantly, hope. Blogs and podcasts are a great opportunity to do just that.

Creating a blog post for Ocean Wise's AquaBlog is a great place to start. For more information, contact Ben (communication specialist) at benjamin.aube@ocean.org.

Opportunity D: Be a guest presenter

With children at home, many parents are struggling to keep children engaged in online education. Consider connecting with parents in your community to offer your support.

Here are opportunities to be a guest presenter:

Here are some additional online learning resources for parents:

Overall outcomes of supporting your community:

Brings people together and builds community resilience
Draws on the local skills of community to build self-reliance
Establishes and nurtures connections between youth and elders
Creates a sense of “can do” and feelings of positivity, empowerment, and hope

Continue to Opportunities with Ocean Wise »