This is the
registration page for The Community Resilience Manual: A Resource for
Rural Recovery & Renewal, a publication available free of charge
from this website in portable document format (PDF). Go
to registration form. Print copies (unbound, 3-hole punched) are also available at cost. E-mail us your name, address, and phone number or phone (toll-free) 1-888-255-6779 to place your order.
THE PROJECT IN BRIEF
Download a summary of the Community Resilience Project in PDF
Since 1998, with the assistance of a number of funding agencies and other contributors, the Centre for Community Enterprise has been exploring the concept of community resilience. At issue is the economic and social vitality of rural communities across Canada and the United States. Many have deteriorated in the past decade due to drastic changes in mining, the forest industry, agriculture, and fisheries.
Yet others have prospered. They have taken steps that have enabled them to survive crisis, influence change, and become healthy, vital places for their citizens. What must we learn from their success?
On the basis of research into proven strategies of socio-economic revitalization, including its own experience as a practitioner of community-based economic development (CED), the Centre developed a model of community resilience. This model expresses in terms of 23 resilience characteristics a community's capacity to shape its own ways of life and work. The Centre also designed and field-tested a process by which small towns could use this model cost-effectively to assess their situation, and focus their economic and social planning accordingly. Finally, we began to compile a "Catalogue" to which communities could refer for proven tools of community renewal, contacts, and additional resources.
In November 1999, the Centre released in draft form The Community Resilience Manual from this site. Over 500 communities, government agencies, researchers, and CED practitioners downloaded the draft in portable document format (PDF) in the subsequent 12 months. Although specifically addressed to the rural communities of British Columbia, the Manual offered valuable assistance to any small community (including some in Australia and New Zealand) that wanted to make better decisions about mobilizing and investing its resources.
|
In light of many thoughtful critiques and additional field tests we revised and expanded the Community Resilience Manual for this, its first edition. Moreover, the growing size (and enthusiasm) for the Catalogue warranted it a life of its own. We have designated it as a separate publication, Tools & Techniques for Community Recovery & Renewal - a companion to the Manual, but useful in its own right. (Click here for a more detailed description of these publications and the Community Resilence Project.) |
 |
 |
These remain works in progress. We look forward to responses, suggestions, and news from the people who use them. Please e-mail them to the Community Resilience Project. If the volume of response warrants, we may also create an on-line forum to encourage and display the dialogue. The Centre is committed to making these two of the premiere resources in North America for people committed to building sustainable communities.
So that we may track the location and sector of respondents, please complete at least the initial five fields of this registration form. Once you click the "submit form" button at the bottom of the page, you will be forwarded to the PDF download site for The Community Resilience Manual.
If you wish us to alert you to the release of subsequent editions, please complete the remainder of the fields as well.
Copyright © Centre
for Community Enterprise
2001-2005 All Rights Reserved