What is Community Minded Families
Community Minded Families (CMF) initiative aims to inspire, educate, and engage parents/carers of children to model community mindedness to their children and as a family work together to do good and positive things for others and their community.
The main activity under these initiatives is our CMF sessions, usually run-in schools, and community-based venues. Sessions entail a presentation, discussions and a lot of interaction and sharing stories!
Sessions focus on:
- Providing parents with ideas of how they can better model kindness and community mindedness to inspire their children.
- Sharing and exploring small acts and changes families can make that can make a positive difference in their local neighborhoods and communities.
- Diverse ways of giving back that doesn’t necessarily involve monetary or material contributions or exchanges.
Other activities that are part of this initiative include:
- Parents in Community: A focus on volunteering and building stronger community connections and networks
- Family Feastings: A cross-cultural event-based activity, where parents and their children learn about other cultures through a hands-on culinary journey, which includes a sit-down lunch and storytelling.
- Community Building Course: 3 sessions that cover the basics of community development, community projects/campaigns and how to get more support for your great community idea.
Longer Term projects we can support:
- School Community Gardens/Kitchens
- Community Based projects or programs. The project could involve a school and community partnership that requires planning, resources, and marketing.
Benefits of Being a Community Minded Family
As a family, being involved in community activities and serving others, helps children and young people develop a sense of community and the importance of giving back. When parents model community mindedness, children are learning firsthand how they can be part of and contribute to their local environment (school, neighbourhood, community).
Community Minded families learn skills to become innovative, organised, and compassionate, and in a world where technology is always changing the way we interact and manage our time, being community minded is fundamental in contributing to our development as human beings.
When children are provided a means and opportunity to be involved and give back to their community, this in turn helps them creates a sense of belonging and can boost their self-confidence and self-esteem by learning to deal with challenges, communicate with a diverse range of people and feel they have purpose.
Lead by example
Let your children see you volunteering or being engaged in broader activities and issues. Encourage them to seek out community events or opportunities to be involved in giving back with you. Include them in the planning of volunteering your time, donating items, or helping out at the local sports club.
Build on what you are already doing
Being community minded can be as big or as small as you want to make it. Chances are you or your child is already contributing in some way in the community; in school fundraisers, donating unwanted items, supporting community events, or promoting an awareness of an important community or societal issue.
We acknowledge that parents and carers play an important role in influencing children to think and act in a community minded way and are often the ones that inspire their children to spread kindness and do good in the world.
Inspire others with your story!
Share with others what you have done in the community as a family.
How are you a community minded family?
What impact or changes do you see in your children?
What are your thoughts about the CMF initiative and how we can grow this movement in communities?
