Map It

If you are defining your community by a geographic area, you might like to create a “social map”.  This is a tool that was used by the Vancouver Public Library system for its Community-Led Community Engagement Toolkit.  They suggest you take a walk or get on a bicycle to experience your neighbourhood directly and note the people, places and things that can be found: a person, a shop, a park, a drop-in centre, a library, a place of worship, a restaurant. And what about arts related places? Do you see a local gallery or museum? A pottery store? A dance school? A sign in a window about piano lessons?

Try to mark where each thing is located and make a note or two about it. Who is there? Is that corner quiet or busy?

Here is a link to the Theatre Centre, Toronto and their approach to walking and mapping their local community.

Link: Social Asset mapping with a group!
A sample map from the Vancouver Library’s Community-Led Community Engagement Tool Kit.
(link to page 58-59, in pdf format in the resource center)