I have long been a student of community. I am curious about people's varied definitions of it and how the sense of belonging to something beyond oneself, while at times a burden, can serve as a source of inspiration for generosity and shared action. Often, people's definition of community includes a specific physical place where one lives or works, a place whose well-being is linked to that of your own. Innovation - finding new ways of thinking about and addressing long-standing issues - is another concept I have studied for some time. Throughout much of my adult life, my work has focused on the intersection between community and innovation: nurturing new approaches to address the social challenges that exist within communities by working together. This is community innovation.

Community innovation is not a new concept however, to respond effectively to today's growing ecological and economic chaos the need for every community to strengthen its capacity to invite, host and sustain community innovation is a growing imperative. A recent editorial published in the Vancouver Sun made this point well. It stated, "Finding solutions to our communities complex challenges is beyond the scope of a single entity. And, rather than one singular approach or plan, a multitude of ideas that hold the promise over time of solving some of society's most intractable and vexatious problems will need to be generated, refined and implemented. That's why the emergence of a movement - let's call it the Collective for Social Innovation - aims to bring together people from different sectors with big ideas on how to tackle the most difficult problems society faces." This same editorial also points out that the ability to work collaboratively is "easier said than done."  Among the reasons given: finding common ground may be difficult; ambitious goals have to be set against stressed budgets and available time; and, measuring outcomes is not always straightforward.

Since 2006, we at Tamarack have hosted the Communities Collaborating Institute (CCI) with the aim of helping leaders from various sectors and communities to enhance their capacity to initiate, lead and sustain community innovation. This week-long learning event offers participants an opportunity to come together; learn from one another and thought-leaders in this field; and, find a range of resources and tools to support successful innovations within their own communities. The fact that the past several CCIs have been over-subscribed confirms that the CCI has become the premier learning event of its kind in Canada.

Work being led and championed now by CCI alumni - who draw on and have contributed to a growing body of knowledge for effective community innovation - demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-sector collaboration in addressing the complex social issue of poverty. Here are just two examples:

• Abbotsford, BC - Vibrant Abbotsford collaborates with existing poverty reduction efforts and focuses on efforts that will contribute to moving people from poverty, including: employment and entrepreneurship; housing; education and the personal development financial assets; building social connections and health activities. They also champion efforts that that build local understanding about poverty. Most recently they have successfully starting a working group in partnership with the City of Abbotsford to begin the development of a city wide poverty reduction strategy.
• Halton, Ontario - The Halton Poverty Roundtable (HPRT) recently launched their community plan and secured three years of funds to support their continued collaborative effort to reduce the cost of poverty in Halton. Their priority focus areas are: housing, healthy families, and income security. The HRPT believes that poverty hurts Halton and that every citizen can be part of the change.

While the work championed by these initiatives is somewhat different, they share a common commitment to community engagement, multi-sector collaboration and collaborative leadership to address the complex issue of poverty. These are fundamental ingredients for effectively incubating and sustaining community innovation.

If you are interested in enhancing your capacity to lead and host such work, we hope you will consider attending the 2012 CCI: Innovating Together from October 1st- 5th, 2012 in Kitchener Ontario. Our list of thought-leaders continues to evolve however we are very pleased that the following dynamic individuals have confirmed:

• Margaret (Meg) Wheatley is one of the most well-respected writers, speakers, and teachers of leadership and systemic change of our time. Meg has been a major inspiration to the Communities Collaborating Institute and we're thrilled to be welcoming her in person for the first time to share her ideas and engage with learners at the CCI. Learn more.
• Tim Brodhead is an inspirational leader and innovator who is recognized as one of Canada's great champions for collaborative community change. Learn more.
• Al Etmanski is an author, advocate, and one of Canada's most important social entrepreneurs embracing the importance of innovating together. Learn more.
• Michael Jones is a Juno Award Nominee pianist and composer (12 albums) and leadership educator who will inspire our mind with his words and our souls with his music. Learn more.
• Joe-Anne Priel may just be one of Canada's most passionate civil servants. As the General Manager of the Community Services Department, Joe-Anne oversees a budget of over $350M and full-time staff of 1752. Learn more.
• Jenny Kain is a community innovator having worked to advance new ideas with the City of Edmonton for over 20 years. Learn more.
• Alan Broadbent is one of Canada's most influential social visionaries and philanthropists. As a business leader, his work in social policy, poverty reduction and collaborative leadership has generated unprecedented national and international outcomes. Learn more.

We hope you will join us and our fellow thought-leaders at the 2012 Communities Collaborating Institute so that, together, we can accelerate our communities' capacity to effectively "innovate together" and find new enhanced ways of addressing the complex social challenges facing us by working together.

Related Links:

• Learn more about Tamarack's 2012 Communities Collaborating Institute: Innovating Together
• Register to attend the 2012 Communities Collaborating Institute
• Find resources from the 2011 CCI and other tools for community impact at tamarackcci.ca
• Learn more about cities innovating to reduce poverty at vibrantcanada.ca
• Read the Vancouver Sun Editorial: Collaboration, innovation key to solving social ills (published with permission)
• Listen to 2012 CCI though-leader Al Etmanski speak about Innovating Together in this Tamarack audio seminar