The Community Game to have its world launch in Motueka

October 9th, 2015

A new initiative aimed at up-skilling communities in creative ways to solve problems and make projects happen is having its world launch in Motueka.

Running over a whole weekend "The Community Game" will take place in Motueka, October 30th to November 1st at MOTEC, on Pah Street beside Parklands School.

Invitations have been going out to community organisations, schools and businesses to put forward 'players' so that all ages and sectors are represented.

"We envision parents, grandparents, youth, accountants, health workers, plumbers, electricians, farmers, educators and all sectors working together for their community during the game," says co-founder, Zahra Lightway.

"By bringing together a diverse group of up to 100 people from different ages and sectors for a whole weekend, we create a phenomenon of real community and expose the talents, skills and capacity to make things happen that every community has, but doesn't always realise," says her partner Laurence Boomert.

Players engage in various collaborative game-like exercises with the very serious goal of mastering a variety of new ways for groups to work smarter and faster to meet their community's needs and aspirations.

Much of the learning is achieved through application to real projects that participants choose.

"There are lots of really good tools available but that's of little value if people don't know what they are or how to use them," says Lawrence.

"That's why we developed The Community Game, to put the tools in people's hands and get them using them so they can enjoy the benefits."

"These are fast moving times and we have to be adaptive and innovative if we want the best future outcomes for ourselves and our communities. There are lots of challenges and opportunities that we need to sort out for ourselves that nobody else is going to sort out for us if we don't."

Lawrence has spent the past 25 years working on a wide range of community and environmental solutions especially with an economic focus. Zahra has worked on new education models in Europe and the United States and is applying these new learning techniques to The Community Game.

"People of all ages learn best when its experiential and fun," she says.

News of the upcoming games has spread quickly, with eight communities in the North Island already saying they would like to hold them in 2016 and even some interest coming from offshore.

Participation in the Community Game weekend costs $115 which includes morning and afternoon teas. "Although this is a value-for-money learning experience we understand that it will be difficult for some people, so there are scholarships," Zhara says.

"Anyone who really wants to be there will not be excluded because of a lack of funds. We are inviting businesses and organisations to send representatives to the Games."

People come to a Community Game weekend to:

Network with other community members
Increase their skills in community development
Start and develop community betterment projects
Learn how to start and build new projects
Learn how to use 21st century economics to fund projects
To have a fun, productive weekend.

For more information about the game, visit the website at www.thecommunitygame.com.

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