Groups coming together to enhance community connections

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 12, 2024.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

Anabell Marroquin, a community resource worker with community development at the City of Medicine Hat, sits on several community agency partner groups that are all having conversations around coming together again post-pandemic – from individuals isolated to those wondering what agency to approach for volunteering again, or how to reconnect within the community.

Interestingly, the film The Great Disconnect was created before the pandemic when loneliness and self isolation were already being highlighted as an issue both in Canada and the U.S., one which was exacerbated by enforced isolation during COVID.

The Digital Wellness Coalition (digitalwellnesscoalition.weebly.com), established in 2018, was the first group to begin educating and bringing awareness around the harm of extended screen use. Extended use of technology can lead to isolation and continues to be a significant issue, particularly for youth.

“We are stuck to our phones and that is how we communicate, but then we don’t see the rest of what is around us and we aren’t giving them that opportunity,” stated Marroquin. “How do we encourage our community partners to restart and youth to volunteer along with our newcomers? Our community is growing with newcomers, how do we invite them to participate in the community they are hopefully choosing to live, work and play in?”

What Matters to Hatters and the Digital Wellness Coalition were the two groups, along with FCSS, to approach community development about screening The Great Disconnect in Medicine Hat.

“I love the film, there were so many things that resonated with my role as a community resource worker and how we move forward in encouraging our residents and community members to participate,” said Marroquin. “At The Great Disconnect we have roundtable discussions and that opportunity has brought so many other community partners to the table.”

The city’s community development department has a series of microgrants available to encourage neighbourhoods to reconnect. It’s not just the available grant funding though, as Marroquin and her team are also having safe conversations to encourage those applying.

At the roundtable discussions following the first two showings of The Great Disconnect, many expressed concern about not knowing where to start, but Marroquin says it’s about small actions and starting conversations.

“It’s not for us to take lead, we want to be able to provide the supports they need, even for an individual or a couple of households applying for a grant. It’s been neat to see those conversations bringing neighbours together.

“We’ve had great success with the microgrants in 2023, but we hope as word gets out to neighbourhoods and community to apply that we will see other unique initiatives come out of it.”

In closing, Marroquin shared a quote from the film, “Beautify your surroundings first to make and create a community. What I love about that, as a resident, and as someone who works for the municipality, who volunteers, and who has family here, where in my mindset do I have to change moving forward? The film also talks about it’s not just about bringing stuff in and building, it’s about our mindset and how we approach our neighbours and strangers and where we take those small actions and seeing that as a success. From there it creates those ripple effects, so from the four films we’re hoping we’ll be able to create those conversations and carry them on.”

The next screening of The Great Disconnect is Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at the Medicine Hat High School theatre with a panel discussion following the film. The final showing is Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon at Medicine Hat College theatre with roundtable discussions following.

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