Community Week 2024
Community Week 2024: Let’s Shape it Together!
Mark your calendars—Community Week 2024 is happening from November 18 to 24, 2024, and we want YOU to be a part of it!
Whether you’ve been here for a week or a lifetime, Community Week 2024 is your chance to
· Celebrate the Bow Valley in all its diversity,
· Foster relationships between newly arrived, short-term, and long-time residents,
· Help community members connect to services and resources.
This year is extra special because, for the first time, we’re introducing themed events.
These themes were chosen based on early data from the Bow Valley Integration Assessment and valuable feedback from our community. Now, we’re inviting local groups and organizations to help bring these ideas to life by hosting events that connect and inspire!
Here are the Themes for 2024:
Contribution: Help people discover volunteer and leadership opportunities.
Cultural Sharing: Celebrate and share cultural heritage with our diverse community.
Emergency Preparedness: Help residents learn how to stay safe and prepared.
Family: Create or promote family-friendly events that connect newcomer families to the community.
Mental Health & Well-being: Offer support to promote mental health and reduce isolation.
Recreation: Organize fun, social outdoor activities for everyone to enjoy.
These new themes reflect what we are hearing from our community, and we’re excited to see how you can help make Community Week 2024 unforgettable!
Interested in Hosting an Event?
Here are the four benchmarks that all events need to meet to be included.
Tell us how your event will …
Build Social Connections – Help foster friendships between newcomers and long-time residents.
Promote Community Resources – Make sure your event helps people discover what support services are available in our community.
Encourage Collaboration – Work with other groups or organizations to reach a wider audience.
Focus on a Theme – Align your event with one of the new themes we’ve selected.
Remember, all Community Week events must be either FREE or at LOW COST to attendees.
You can include an existing event or create something new. Either way, we’re here to support you every step of the way to ensure a successful and engaging Community Week!
Ready to Get Involved?
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of something special!
Submissions for the printed calendar close on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, but the digital calendar will be updated until Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
BVIP will be promoting Community Week all the way through, so get your event registered and help us make a lasting impact!
Community Week Toolkit
Getting Started
Attendees at the Primary Care Network’s ‘Smores & Mores event, Community Week 2022.
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During Community Week 2024, we invite community groups, organizations, and businesses to host events that:
Build Social Connections – Help foster friendships between newcomers and long-time residents.
Promote Community Resources – Make sure your event helps people discover what support services are available in our community.
Encourage Collaboration – Work with other groups or organizations to reach a wider audience.
Focus on a Theme – Align your event with one of the new Community Week 2024 themes.
Community Week events should be:Welcoming and inclusive
Planned with accessibility in mind
Free or low-cost
Resource: Community Week Event Ideas
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Think about who hasn’t come to your events in the past. What might stop them from attending or learning about your services and resources? Look for ways to reach more people and include everyone!
When you plan your event, think about inclusion from the start and throughout every stage of planning:
Generate ideas that connect people to your organization, service, or resource.
Identify and address potential barriers for participants and volunteers.
Allocate time, money, and other resources. Consider what changes you may need to make (accommodation needs) in your budget and timeline.
Communicate clearly about your event.
Evaluate your event and gather ideas to make your next event even more inclusive.
Resource: Inclusivity Checklist for Event Planners (WAGE Canada)
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Your Planning Committee
To reach a wide audience, include people with different experiences and perspectives in your planning committee.
Identify barriers that might stop people from joining, such as conflicting responsibilities, limited access to technology, or transportation issues.
If possible, provide support like compensation, childcare, transportation, or language interpretation to help remove these barriers.
Volunteers
When you recruit volunteers and event helpers, consider the same factors as with your planning committee. Think about how to make it easy and rewarding for people to help with your event.
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Collaboration
Collaboration sparks creative ideas and offers new perspectives on inclusion! When you plan your event, think about whether another agency or organization can co-host with you.
Partner with a community group that has different resources or the capacity to help. This partnership can support broader participation from both organizations and potential participants who you might not reach otherwise.
The Bow Valley Immigration Partnership includes diverse organizations from Lake Louise to Kananaskis. We believe in the strength of collaboration, so reach out to other organizations or groups if you want to partner or co-host an event.
Consultation
To ensure your event meets the needs of all community members, seek guidance from groups and organizations with the right expertise and connections, including:
Indigenous community
Immigrants and newcomers
Language, faith, racial, ethnic, and cultural minority communities
2SLGBTQIA+ community members
Community members with disabilities
Children, youth, families, and seniors
Resource: Newcomer Serving Agencies, Cultural Associations & More
Resource: Bow Valley Pride Network
Resource: Bow Valley Non-Profits
Resource: Contact Us for more collaboration & consultation support
Venue & Logistics
Panelists at the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership’s Workplace Inclusion Charter Celebration event, Community Week 2022.
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The ideal venue for a Community Week event:
Has accessible parking, access, and facilities
Can be easily accessed by public transportation.
Has experience accommodating diverse audiences.
Has all-gender restrooms available. Sometimes gendered signage can be changed to make restrooms suitable for all attendees.
Can meet the accommodation requests you anticipate.
You might also consider whether there is an opportunity to provide a space for quiet, prayer, meditation, or reflection.
Resource: Inclusive Event Planning (WAGE Canada)
Resource: Voice of Albertans with Disabilities (VAD)
Resource: What Are Quiet Rooms? (Video, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo)
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Many Bow Valley locals speak English as their second, third, or fourth language. Depending on your event, you may want to provide interpretation (for spoken language) or translation (for written language).
As of June 2023, Settlement Services in the Bow Valley recommends considering these languages for translation and interpretation:
French
Ukrainian
Tagalog
Japanese
Spanish
Amharic
Tigrinya
Hindi
Resource: Find a Certified Translator or Interpreter in Alberta
Resource: Best Practices for Communicating Via an Interpreter
Resource: Using Language Interpretation in Your (Zoom) Meeting or Webinar
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An accommodation is a change you make to your event to ensure that everyone can participate fully, regardless of mental or physical disabilities, religion, gender, or any other protected ground. People might request accommodations such as:
Interpretation
Captioning
Reserved front row seat
Large print
Advance copy of slides to be projected
Wheelchair access
Wheelchair access to working tables throughout room
Scent-free room
Lactation room
All gender bathroom
Dietary restriction
List adapted from: Cornell University Department of Human Resources
Tips:
Consider what accommodations you will be able to offer.
Consider the timeline you’ll need to confirm accommodations.
Adapt your budget as needed.
Be prepared to share information with attendees about accommodations you can and cannot offer.
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All Community Week events must have a health and safety plan. Assess the risks and take steps to reduce or respond to those risks for hosts, volunteers, and attendees.
As you plan your event, consider inclusion and the barriers people may face, such as:
Understanding communication about health and safety policies or changes to your event plan
Accessing or exiting facilities during an emergency
Follow your organization’s guidelines, or contact us for support.
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Hosting a zero-waste event shows your commitment to sustainability and helps educate people on how to reduce waste. It also supports local municipalities’ waste reduction initiatives. Community Week offers a fantastic chance to explore ways to make all your events 100% fun and waste-free.
Resource: Banff Zero Waste Trail
Advertising Your Event
Attendees at the Town of Banff’s Community Table Lunch event, Community Week 2022.
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Consider whether your communications and marketing materials welcome and respect everyone who might enjoy your event.
Include information about what to expect, such as pricing (Community Week events should be free or low cost), availability of childcare, whether the event is family-friendly, and any other relevant details.
If your event will include visual or auditory stimulation, like bright lights, flashing lights, loud noises, loud music, or sound systems, mention this in your event description. This information helps attendees with disabilities prepare their own accommodations (e.g., bringing noise-canceling headphones) or inquire for more information.
Explain how attendees can request accommodations. You can ask, “How can we make this event more accessible to you?” in your registration form. Clearly state how to request accommodations and provide the name and contact information of a team member who can assist. You can also list the accommodations you are able to offer in your advertisements.
If your marketing images include people, choose photos that reflect the diversity of the Bow Valley. If you use your own photos, ensure the people in them have given you permission to use their images for marketing.
Clearly state that your event is inclusive. For example, if you host an event designed for women, specify that individuals who self-identify as women or non-binary individuals who feel comfortable in women’s spaces are welcome to attend.
We encourage you to include the Community Week logo in your communication materials. (See Logos, Graphics, & Branding)
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Use gender-inclusive language in all event materials and communications. Avoid making assumptions about gender or sexual orientation.
Write in plain language. Plain language helps your audience understand information the first time they read or hear it. It improves communication and helps people find the information they need quickly and easily.
Here are some tips for communicating in plain language:
Use headers and sub-headers to organize information.
Place key information first, followed by details.
Choose everyday words.
Use strong verbs and an active voice.
Write in short sentences.
If you need to use technical terms, abbreviations, acronyms, or jargon, explain them on first use.
Consider translating written materials into additional languages. (See Translation & Interpretation). If you translate advertising materials, think about offering interpretation at your event.
Provide important information as text that can be copied for translation. Use images to reinforce or clarify information, but avoid using them to share key details.
If you include important information in an image, repeat the text somewhere that can be copied for translation or read by a screen reader. For example, if you share event details in an image file on Facebook, repeat the information in the post description.
Resource: 27 Tips for Plain Language Documents
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BVIP will help market your Community Week event, but you may also want to:
Reach out to equity-deserving communities and groups when appropriate. Be careful not to overwhelm volunteers and contacts with outreach requests.
Use multiple channels to expand your outreach. For example, use email, social media, websites, posters, and messaging apps.
Resources: See Collaborating & Consulting in the Getting Started section above.
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We’d love to help share your event posts!
● Event hashtags:
#BVCommunityWeek
#BowValleyLocals
#BowValleyWelcome
● Tag BVIP: Please tag Bow Valley Immigration Partnership (BVIP) in your social media posts so that we can Like and Share your events and stories.
Instagram: @BowValleyLocals
Facebook: @BVIPartnership
LinkedIn: @BVIPartnership
Suggested Social Media Posts:
Posting about Community Week 2024? Here’s some suggestions for your social media posts:
Whether you’ve just arrived or have lived here for years, we’re so happy you’re with us! Join us for #BVCommunityWeek in November 2024. Discover free events, try fun activities, and meet your neighbors! Visit bvipartnership.com/community-week for more info!
No matter where you’re from, you belong here! Join us for 2024 Community Week. Find free events and exciting activities at bvipartnership.com/community-week! #BowValleyLocals
New to the Bow Valley? Welcome! We’re thrilled you’re here! Join us for 2024 Bow Valley Community Week. Enjoy free activities, discover resources and services, and connect with your community! Check it out at bvipartnership.com/community-week!
Join us for the 2024 Bow Valley Community Week! Try out free activities, discover resources and services, and meet your community! Find out more at bvipartnership.com/community-week! #BVCommunityWeek #BowValleyLocals #BowValleyWelcome
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These points can help guide your communications and outreach for activities during Community Week in discussions, interviews or other media:
● Bow Valley Community Week is a celebration of our vibrant, welcoming Bow Valley. Whether you have been here for a week, a season, or a lifetime, we want you to feel supported and connected to people, resources and services that can help you thrive. That’s what Community Week is about – helping you to make connections in the community and working to make everyone feel welcome.
● This year, we’re hosting a Bow Valley Community Week event because it’s a great opportunity for us to reach out to all Bow Valley residents and introduce [ADD: activity / service / resource]. We’d love to see you at community events this week whether you’ve just arrived in the Bow Valley or you’re a long-term resident. The Bow Valley has so much to offer, and Community Week is a great chance to explore what’s available. Try out new activities for free and meet other Bow Valley locals.
● Bow Valley Community Week is an opportunity for people across the Bow Valley to welcome newcomers, strengthen community connections, and celebrate how diversity contributes to our vibrant communities. When we support welcoming, inclusive communities, we create an environment where everyone can thrive.
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● Logos, social media graphics, and other visual assets are available in this Google Drive folder (you don’t need to sign in to access the materials). We invite you to download and use these assets to support the promotion of Community Week and your event.
● Colours: The three triangles of the Community Week logo represent newcomers and long-time residents coming together to strengthen our mountain community, with the three colours of the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership’s logo (blue, orange, and yellow) representing our diversity.
Community Week Colours:
Blue #50AFCA
Orange #F8901F
Yellow #FFBF00
Purple #550070
Red #8F0000
Please note that BVIP reserves the right to revoke use permission if the visual assets or marketing materials are used in any way that does not align with the BVIP mission, vision, values, and mandate.
Resource: Community Week Visual Assets
At the Event
Attendees at the Biosphere of the Bow Valley’s Beers & Networking Night, Community Week 2022.
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It’s essential for everyone helping with your event to understand your values, expectations, and plans. Make sure they know about any accommodations, health, or safety measures they should pay special attention to.
Talk to your team about:
How to greet and address attendees (check out the Welcoming Language section).
The importance of respectful behavior for staff, volunteers, and attendees.
Your plan for dealing with any incidents of discrimination or harassment.
If needed, the reasons behind any rules or procedures that may be new to your team.
Who to contact for support during the event.
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Consider offering a written or spoken land acknowledgment to welcome and open your event.
Land acknowledgments can spark transformational change. They create space for us to reflect on how we work, interact, and engage with one another, as well as our role in reconciliation. As you think about your land acknowledgment, consider these questions:
Ancestry & Identity: Who are your ancestors? Where do you come from? What aspects of your identity do you want to share?
Location & Acknowledgment: On whose lands did you grow up? Whose lands do you live on now, and how did you arrive here? How can we change the way we acknowledge these lands?
Connection & Relationships: How are you connected to colonization? How does colonization and discrimination affect your relationships? How are you creating space for different narratives and shared histories to exist?
Resource: An Introduction to Land Acknowledgements (webinar)
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Event organizers can help to celebrate and affirm the full diversity of community members by:
Addressing people the way they want to be addressed: Promote the use of personal pronouns to avoid people being misgendered, ask staff and participants to use pronouns when introducing themselves.
Avoiding assumptions about gender or sexual orientation and words like ‘sir’, ‘ma'am’, ‘guys’, ‘girls’, and ‘ladies’.
Providing name tags for events with a template that shows name and pronouns.
Resource: Diversity Welcome (Training for Change)
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Community Week 2024 objectives are to:
Create opportunities for new locals to build social connections in the Bow Valley.
Improve availability and accessibility of settlement and community resources.
Ensure foreign-born locals feel seen, heard, celebrated, and valued.
Increase community awareness of the diversity of the Bow Valley.
Strengthen Bow Valley residents' sense of connection to the community.
To help measure whether we achieve these aims, we will send you a questionnaire you can share with your event attendees. If you have your own evaluation plan, we will ask you to include a few key questions.
You may wish to include questions about how to make your next event more welcoming, inclusive, and accessible.
Submit Your Event
To host a Community Week 2024 event, you must submit your event to BVIP.
Submitting your event helps us measure the impact of Community Week and ensure all events support our goal of creating a welcoming and inclusive Bow Valley. It also help us to curate a well balanced calendar of events and foster collaboration between organizations.