Good early childhood programs, schools, and services build
vibrant communities that draw knowledge workers.
Communities are important. They are where families live, practitioners work, and public policy hits the road and comes to life. Each community is unique, and has diverse cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic characteristics. Each has its own array of challenges and assets, making a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to early childhood programming a missed chance to effectively match resources with local needs. Yet communities share common challenges and opportunities. Exchanges among communities build energy, expertise, and accelerate action.
A community’s capacity includes all its resources that are, or should be, linked to early child development programs—schools, child care programs, family support, hospitals and other health services, social services, recreational programs, libraries, colleges and universities… and so on.
Communities that come together to build on their strengths create social capital.
Socially cohesive neighbourhoods are better places to live, characterized by less crime and isolation, more public and community spaces, and greater volunteerism and intergenerational reciprocity.
There is also some evidence that regions with a large measure of social cohesion tend to be stronger and better able to cope with the challenge of changing economic and social pressures.
