Future Tracts

Making Future Tracts
Building Community

Workshop Two – 18 May, 2005

Education Development Centre

What would it take to build an ideal community?

Attendees:

Julie-Anne Farrer	Jude Allen	Donny Walford
Bill Cossey	Jim Hullick	Gildi Carty
Karen Grogan	Andy Scott	Phillipa Guigan
Joe Radice	Stephen Blight	Vanessa Kidd
Donna Stevens	Jane Daw	Gianna Tridente
Angela Yeoh

Facilitator: Max Dumais
Contact max@aheadofthegame.com.au
Mob: 0438213532

An ideal community of the future

Our ideal community would provide a sense of belonging, safety, opportunity, and connection. It would be clean and green

Adelaide is building an a tremendous foundation by offering such a great range of amenities and events, taking initiatives for the environment, building a sense of social capital and, in particular, being a multicultural and tolerant community.

There is a need to explore alternative energy options, alternative transport options, to build greater awareness as the basis for all citizens realising their leadership potential and the need to involve local governments in real ways.

Building a welcoming, neighbourly and interesting community requires a degree of commitment on everyone’s part – whether it be getting on your bike for work, volunteering in your local community or reaching out to newcomers and neighbours alike.

Adelaide will thrive as a community of the future if its individuals thrive as human beings. We need to encourage people and their ambitions. Get involved, confront our own prejudices and lay them to rest and, we all need to become a part of the many cultural and community festivals and celebrations that make Adelaide so liveable.

What is needed most is to build on Adelaide’s tolerance as a community and to remain open to new ideas, new people and new energy if it is to become the outstanding community in Australia in which to live and work by 2015.

But it can’t stop there with rhetoric alone and must be followed up with tangible, effective and specific programs and support.

An important strategy is to promote Adelaide as a sustainable city and a landmark in its commitment to the environment.

This means exploring alternative energy and transport options, building widespread community awareness, changing our behaviour in relation to packaging, recycling and the judicious use of chemicals. Adelaide is the right scale of a community to trial and demonstrate new ways of living in harmony with the environment in the 21^st century and, after all, it is no more than enlightened self interest for ourselves and our great grand children.

What city or town in real life or fiction best exemplifies a real ‘community’ to you and why.

Molfetta Italy, there is a sense of belonging, family and everyone is not treated is an outcast but as one of the family.
Bali mountains – peaceful, people know each other and exist in harmony
Drogheda, strong supports and connection, extended families. Each responsible for others, communal responsibility for kids, acceptance, freedom, belonging
Public spaces – for people to come together. Spaces for random encounters with others.
Futuristic community – connected in diverse ways enabling individual & community development
Integrated communities, with global & local connections – feeling close to people far away
Semaphore– People from all walks of life tolerant of each other proud of the heritage
Davis – Antarctica, People come together in unusual circumstances and community feels real
Austria – open spaces, the countryside, also a place with many clubs, and sporting areas.
Baghdad, Tasmania – no locks
Maine – because there is a feeling of community there – I lost my visa card and was tracked down by a shop assistant who had no idea who I was
Adelaide – safe, big fish small pond, networks, weather, beaches, environment
Sydney – water, light, space, action, fun, safe connections with local community,
Norfolk Island – Serenity, avoidance of big fast city
Ulong – little place in the clouds in northern NSW- lots of neighbourliness.
Israeli Kibutz– Community living that supports the group-everyone is equal
Camelot-where chivalry was the norm and the strong supported the weak.
Ballykilleen (?) – The village in Ireland in which John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara starred. It was a friendly, idyllic place where all were supportive of each other.

Themes: safe, friendly, connection, supportive, welcoming strangers, peaceful, feeling of belonging, harmonious, pleasant environment, layout, equality, opportunity, inclusive, connectivity access, global connection, neighourliness

What are we doing well right now that helps build Adelaide as a community to live in?

Offering a great range of amenities

Technology in the workplace and schools and a range of private and public schools
Range of sporting clubs
Access to organic foods
Many shopping centres e.g Harbour Town, Adelaide Central market
Wine and aquaculture industries
Ease of getting around. No traffic jams to worry about compared to Sydney or Melbourne.
Cafes
The hills and the wineries
Good Mediterranean weather- warm and sunny and you can see the blue sky.
Improving health system
The OLD tram-not the new one
Promoting an active life – parks, beaches, etc…

Taking environmental initiatives

Campaigning on ‘green bags’
Improving usage of domestic water
Beverage container legislation – The Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) and more widespread recycling facilities
Improvements to Lake Torrens which are working
Vegetation clearance controls
Solar energy and solar panels and our wind Power approvals are the highest in Australia

Offering a wide range of events

The vast range of cultural festivals – Cabarets, film, WOMAD,and arts festivals
Thinker in residence program and festival of ideas
Tour down under
The Clipsal 500 and re-stealing the Grand Prix back from Melbourne.

Improving infrastructure

Improving public transport
North terrace redevelopment – bringing a new face to our main street
Emerging Port Adelaide

Law and order

Hoon Laws beginning to work.
Government seems to be serious about crime reduction

Building social capital

Everyone knows everyone
Promoting community activities – radio, web, Advertiser
Passionate people who really want to see Adelaide be successful
Highest rates of volunteer participation in Australia. Higher percentage of Adelaide people involved in helping Community
Career Summit 2005 – helping young people make more informed career choices
Whole of Government approach to solving social justice issues
Drawing light on important issues, drugs, health, education
South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)

Community levels of tolerance and acceptance

Acceptance to a range of different cultures and offering services to give everyone a chance in life despite socio economic situations
Greater recognition by government of importance of Aboriginal heritage
Acceptance of human diversity. Creating diversity amongst the community
UNISA – city west campus, first university to ensure an Indigenous department – playing a role in reconciliation

Priorities in what Adelaide is doing well as a community:

Being a multicultural and tolerant community
Promoting sustainable energy and a commitment to the environment
Educational initiatives eg SARDI, Uni SA
Commitment to thinking and innovation
Entertainment, festivals, shopping, food and wine
Volunteerism and community involvement.
Safety and crime reduction
Infrastructure
Being an accessible city:
Enviable climatic conditions

Given it was seen as the first priority. What can we do to build on Adelaide’s record to become an even more multicultural and tolerant community?

Take responsibility

Act as ‘peer support’ leaders.
Not turning a blind eye – all take responsibility for each others behaviours in terms of community standards.
Introduce another daily newspaper which is more tolerant and sympathetic to multiculturalism.
Allow your own prejudices to surface.
Open Port Adelaide (Outer Harbor) as a free entry port for boat people.
All new people to Adelaide to be cared for their first six months and networked in the community and business.
Integrate people of different backgrounds and abilities. Help the less fortunate.
Business acceptance and visible promotion of multicultural employment.

Enhance cultural exchanges

Promote more multicultural events and community events allowing various cultures to be explored.
TV shows from more countries…not just American and British shows.
Sponsor cultural identity in schools, workplaces. Kids to come to school in their National Dress.
Reconcile with aboriginal people and be prepared to learn and understand about them.
Provide more opportunities for those from other culture to take leadership positions in our community.
Promote city exchanges with other cultures ( e.g. like Penang week used to be).
Encourage more people, especially young people to volunteer time to charities and not for profits.
Introduce all South Australians to the Central Market.
Sponsor young people to be educated in other countries with the specific purpose of returning to share a broader understanding of cultures within Communities and commerce
Adopt a refugee family. Sponsor a migrant. Invite refugees in to your home.
Promote study abroad and cultural exchange programs.
Celebrate all culturally significant days within schools not just Christmas and Easter.
Premier to welcome new visitors by race group regularly

Foster partnerships between business and community

Businesses to put more money into community organisations and educational institutions to educate people in diversity and tolerance.
Business to sponsor the VIVASA project team, Diversity – In My Shoes
Business involvement in Cultural Promotion at school level

Active promotion

Community champions, role models and the promotion of people from diverse backgrounds.
Value our current multicultural society – don’t take it for granted, continue to strengthen it through international festivals and food/sport/arts celebrations and awareness programs using many different media mediums.
Adelaide Advertiser to promote tolerance and diversity via case studies of tolerant and diverse work places.
SA Great to give an award at their annual South Australia Day – Proclamation Day Awards.
Business and Schools systems to promote ethnic and cultural celebration

More education initiatives

Education – the true facts of our heritage and the situations faced today. The truth in text books!!!
More emphasis in schools about cultures around the world.
Promote acceptance of diversity, not being patronising or paternalistic. Could be through better mix of school groups, educational programs or awareness.
Learn to speak more than one language and understand their culture.
At least one second language compulsory at every level of schooling
Languages break barriers and understand cultures.
Training employers and employees in accepting diversity.
Compulsory units in school and TAFE and universities to promote awareness and understanding and value of difference.

Change policies

Improve diversity policies within the workplace and communities.
Address the issues that affect the community, get rid of policies that seem outdated and promote policies that achieve social cohesion and social progress.
Legislate against the level and cultural influence of USA TV.
Eliminate mandatory detention of asylum seekers – Get rid of Baxter.
Promote learning foreign languages, to promote understanding of other ways of thinking.
Compulsory diversity management training for all Managers, supervisors, teachers and community groups.
Have road signs in more than one language.
More studies in schools about various cultures and allowing schools to accept people of different religions.
Address discrimination. Ensure the public service is a multicultural employer. Promote more indigenous people within government

Themes: Educate and raise awareness, cultural exchanges, first hand and eyeballing, change cultures within organisations eg school, business, govt agences etc, diverse leadership from different cultures, acceptance, refugee policy changes, media issues, Include indigenous, reaching out and embracing cultural diversity, flush out our own prejudices, empower non dominant cultures, deal with the reality of indigenous suppression.

What can be done to ensure further emphasis on sustainable energy and a greater commitment to the environment?

Explore alternative energy options

Wind farms, solar energy, hydro-electricity,
Fuel types and solar cars. Cars running on water, oxygen, etc.

Promote alternative transport options

Walk or cycle to work. Provide sufficient alternative transport so we can reduce car usage. Promote cycling with better bike pathways on the roads and parks with better bike facilities – bike racks throughout Adelaide, better bike lanes, more limits set on where cars can go.
Introduce car free zones i.e. CBD, Semaphore road. No cars in the city. Car-free zones in the inner city. Go back to horse and cart
More green public transport

Build awareness

Organisations to introduce weekly walk or bike to work day with a gold coin donation – funds can be used to raise funds for charities
Understand the impact of not aiming for a sustainable future. Educational institutions should include a subject of sustainable living.
Evolving and continuous education on environmental issues and futures as well as the economic impact of greenhouse.
Immersion in nature’s life cycles – e.g. Gardening, raising chickens, planting trees. Encourage a hands-on experience with nature and earth sciences.
Promote clean air as the only option.
Business to encourage schools to visit and recommend actions that will assist that business to achieve a Sustainability rating.

Change behaviour

Introduce more advanced recycling systems. Biodegradable packets – No plastic bags.
Action not rhetoric. Invest in green technologies and green research.
Work from home
Don’t use poisonous sprays – Stop using chemicals on our food. Increase natural fertilizer i.e. fruit scraps etc.. Rather than chemicals.
Get rid of cats
Composting in every household
Get rid of chemicals. Use natural household products; Enjo, Enjo, Enjo
Don’t export uranium and don’t build uranium power stations in SA – clean energy
Government should ban glossy brochures for its own publicity.

Offer incentives and recognition

Tax breaks for environmentally sound developments and enhancements.
Introduce waste driven costs i.e. the more environmentally friendly a product the cheaper it should be.
Establish government agency Key Performance Indicators with pay related to low level of paper and energy use.
Loans for energy efficient home improvements with repayments linked to energy savings.
Give recognition to those organisations which pursue sustainability.

Consider new legislation

Legislate for clean green housing and transport.
Legislate for the rental market to provide environmentally friendly services for tenants
Increase the building code rules to be more stringent
Ban fossil fuels. Stop burning fossil fuels.
More preventative measures to stop the introduction of fruit fly.
Stop dipping fruit in chemicals.
Stop pollution of our little stream-the Torrens and give more power to the River Murray for SA.
Produce a New Triple Bottom Line with Quality, Sustainability and Social Responsibility as the key parameters. These should be recognised by government as a pre-requisite for any business operating in SA.
Increase harsher penalties on importing fruit and vegetables on the states borders.
STOP the trawlers.

Focus on sustainable design

Limit size of engines of cars to reduce pollution and put funds into an environmentally sound fuel – reduce pollution from petrol.
Support green architects. Make sustainable architecture a must.
House design – All homes to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. More emphasis on solar power. Greener buildings: more energy and water-efficiency.
Plant more trees to stop urban heat islands in city centres
Less burning of fossil fuels, engines, and artificial surfaces e.g. concrete, plastics
Less concrete surfaces…less albedo ( reflective surfaces)
Influence Delfin Group or other housing groups to build an environmentally focused community housing project.
Non flushing urinals

What specific steps could we take now that would make Adelaide the type of community we would want to live in over the next decades?

Encourage attitudinal change

Engage an aboriginal thinker in residence to take us back to our environmental roots.
Higher level of patience and tolerance on the roads.
Walk to work days for all corporate groups

Support greater Council involvement

Create community environment events – where citizens of each council are invited to attend only if they walk or bike, and there they can discuss how their district can become environmentally better
Lobby government and councils to improve bike facilities.
Each council should invite its citizens to decide and define what is social capital and how it can be achieved within the area
Each council is to introduce a reconciliation day, where it is a cultural awareness event learning of the indigenous culture and how reconciliation can be bettered
Councils to decide what cultures are within their community then provide cultural awareness and events in order to display to other citizens culture and life within other countries
Community groups to plant trees around both suburban and city areas

Take a leadership position

Create a work or social group where each member walks or cycles to work
Understand the impact each and everyone of us can have if we make the effort
Cultivate your ideals & high hopes, talk about them with others, and get together with other inspired individuals, make things happen!
Implement an energy reduction commitment to your workplace
Leaders to mentor other potential leaders. Try to encourage more leaders to become effective leaders
Allow the post baby boomers to fast track into positions of influence
Use your networks to promote the ideas of sustainability in SA
Inspire others with your own passion, inform others from your own knowledge, engage in dialogue with others
Promote very active ‘BENCHMARKING’ of those who already promote tonight’s ideals.
Give the task of developing tonight’s good ideas to a suitable government Minister who will ‘walk the talk’

Make an extra personal commitment

Look out for people in the city who are obviously lost and help them find their way around
Get on your bike – Walk or ride to work rather than driving
Engage with people of other nationalities
Volunteer in a local activity e.g Retirement home
Visit the children in Baxter
SMILE – it’s infectious. The more people who are happy the more productive a community will be!
Pick up pieces of littler just lying around – every little bit helps.
Go plant a tree
Don’t use plastic bags
Turn off the lights and taps
Buy green
Write to your local MP to introduce Community Championship your area
Buy and read the Big Issue…then recycle it
Smile at a stranger. Be friendly to strangers – e.g. On the bus, on the street, like in Belfast (Ireland)!
Review and evaluate your own involvements and contributions – then prioritise and refocus
Invite people from different backgrounds into our own homes.
Join and be active in a community group. Become an active member of environmental groups, community groups.
Make the commitment not to use plastic bags
Help someone without receiving recognition
Stop using chemicals on foods – use organic
Become social with different cultural groups, identities
Open your home and heart to new community members
Get involved in one – extra voluntary organisation
Help one unemployed person get a job
Say ‘hello’ each time you walk into a lift

Embark on personal development around the issues

Encourage people and their ambitions.
Confront your own prejudice. Debate prejudice and inclusion with people you know.
Think before you drive.
Introduce educational ideas to your local school that will promote cultural embracement.
Talk and think about the issues from this evening and spread the ideas through your networks.
Get involved in a local group. Talk to other people to raise their awareness of these issues
Truly listen and absorb someone else’s issues
Become a part of cultural celebrations, festivals etc
Increase the number of skilled people. Target volunteer programs to assist people to learn different skills. Teach people how to fish – rather than being fed.
Invite more young people into your workplace and provide a space for them to contribute.
Promote English writing, reading and encourage use of good manners by all.
Develop a school curriculum that recognises what business wants in skill sets
Improve personal development by educational programs and community involvement
Sit and listen to other people. Sit around a campfire and talk about important things in life. Make others aware of the consequences of their actions e.g. regarding the environment.
Plan more learning together opportunities-young, old, multicultural. Have more clubs.
Have a go at being a minority voice – experience it for all it is worth.

Implement Policy changes

Supermarkets to ban plastic bags and to encourage ‘Go Green’ bags
Have more areas like the botanical gardens
Harsher penalties for people who break the law
Drop the voting age
Reduce urban heat islands. Plant trees amongst the urban heat islands
Have an educational campaign about the dangers of chemicals and people have to register to use them…and have good reason…consider environmental alternatives
Establish Kangaroo Island as a national park
Encourage Government to recognize individuals, communities and businesses who promote sustainability, diversity and social responsibility.