Importance of Community

The importance of community can be classified in several ways. Connection occurs when community members engage in various activities such as work, school, cultural ceremony, religious and spiritual practices, sports, hobbies, social events, and other cultural gatherings. Members also experience a sense of belonging within the community. This feeling of community enhances the confidence and safety of its members and increases the community’s integration and engagement.

The community serves as a source of both formal and informal education. Informal education is not structured; it has no structured curriculum or set times. Community members can attain some informal education through traditional means such as storytelling, land-based teachings, cultural ceremony, children’s/adolescents’ traditional education, friends, social groups, neighbours, families, museums, artifacts, wisdom, and Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Formal education is structured, has schedules, and can be attained through writing, social media, educational institutions, books, technology, newspapers, and others, such as the internet or YouTube.

Some individuals within the community serve as sources of inspiration for other community members. For instance, children often learn from adults who serve as role models and traditional teachers. Adults also inspire and learn from each other through mentorship, oral stories, cultural ceremonies, traditional practices, and land-based teachings. Communities are places where members can access resources and services to meet their needs. Individuals or groups in communities also provide various forms of assistance to others. These aspects underscore the importance of communities as vehicles for uniting people to support each other in achieving common needs and goals.