Each year, Communities ChooseWell hosts the Alberta Healthy Communities Symposium. This event brings together leaders in the area of healthy community development and offers them a chance to learn how other communities are advancing healthy eating and active living.
2020 Alberta Healthy Communities Symposium
What an incredible two days we had at our Alberta Healthy Communities Symposium in Calgary last week on March 5 – 6, 2020! Together we “Strengthened Our Roots, and Grew Our Impact” through facilitation, learning, dancing and connecting. Along with our amazing presenting partner, Alberta Blue Cross, we’d like to thank each of you who attended and helped make the symposium a huge success for all.
ChooseWell Indigenous Champions Gathering: We would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to all of the participants in the ChooseWell Indigenous Champions Gathering on March 5, 2020 in Calgary. Over 50 champions, from across the province, came together to discuss how collective action can take place in their communities. Discussions focused on topics such as resilience, cultural strength, and holistic wellness as well as the power of collaboration. ChooseWell would also like to thank Elder Edmee Comstock for being part of this journey with us and for her abundance of kindness and wisdom.
Conference Resources:
A big thank you to Aaron Russell from Alberta Health Services, for creating this graphic recording throughout the event!
2019 Alberta Healthy Communities Symposium
Communities ChooseWell and the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund once again partnered to bring you the 2019 Alberta Healthy Community Symposium! The event was held in Edmonton, March 7-8, 2019 and focused on ‘Connecting Changemakers’. Changemakers use a deep-rooted sense of empathy for others, identify a specific problem or opportunity to tackle, and give themselves permission to do something about it.
INDIGENOUS CHAMPIONS’ GATHERING: Communities ChooseWell and ACPLF were also excited to offer a pre-conference Indigenous Champions’ Gathering on March 7, 2019. Indigenous champions and allies from across the province came together and we saw the largest Indigenous Champions’ Gathering we have ever hosted, with 80 people attending.
Keynote Speakers: Andra Auger and Mark Cabaj
Presentation Videos:
- Andrea Auger: Just Because We’re Small Doesn’t Mean We Can’t Stand Tall
- Mark Cabaj: Changemaking in Action
- Ben Weinlick: Tackling Complex Challenges Together
- Naomi Mahaffy: Introduction to Social Innovation in Alberta
- Allanna Pettigrew, Sarah Bruinsma, & Brianne Fredel: Community Showcase – Changing the Way People Eat
- Tracey Coutts & Siksika Nation: Community Showcase – Engaging Children and Youth in Changemaking
- Jennifer Wilson & Jackie Belcourt: Community Showcase – Changing the Way People Move
2018 Alberta Healthy Communities Symposium
For 2018, Communities ChooseWell teamed up with the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund to bring you our annual Healthy Community Symposiums from March 5-8, 2018. The theme revolved around creating communities that enhance the health and sense of belonging for all community members, and the title was ‘Creating Communities for Everyone’.
Keynote Speakers: Jim Diers and Tracy Vavreck
Presentation Videos:
- Tools for Community Engagement: Sharing Stories Builds Stronger Communities (Edmonton)
- Panel: Creating Community Belonging Through Multisectoral Collaboration (Edmonton)
- Tools for Community Engagement: Sharing Stories Builds Stronger Communities (Calgary)
- Panel: Creating Community Belonging Through Multisectoral Collaboration (Calgary)