Many Albertans have lived here for some time, but they have family heritage from other countries. They continue practising traditions and customs from their heritage. Other Albertans might be new to Canada and are trying to balance the way of life they knew with the way of life here.

People are more likely to participate in community activities if they feel they have social connections and a sense of belonging. It’s important for community leagues, recreation centres and lodges to help facilitate this social connection and belonging.

This article gives you ideas for what you can do in your community to bring people of different cultures together.

Talk, involve others and learn
Get to know your neighbours. Talk to youth, seniors and everyone in between. Invite neighbours of different cultures to participate in community planning. In addition to reaching out to individuals, you may also reach out to groups. For example, a Scottish society could plan an event with a Chinese society.

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Investigate if community members would be interested in helping to create new programs and outreach services for different cultural groups. They may have insight into what different members of the community want and need. By involving community members in the creation of new programs, you will encourage participation and help to increase their sense of belonging in the community.

Take the time to learn about traditions, customs and holidays of ethnic and religious cultural groups in your neighbourhood. You can accomplish this by heading to the public library, researching on the Internet or simply talking with your neighbours and friends from different cultures.

You will probably find that learning about other cultures is fascinating, and showing an interest in someone else’s culture is often a great way to build rapport.

Here are some lessons learned by community organizations in Alberta:
• In many cultures, health involves life balance and spirituality, which is not quite the same as the typical western idea of health. This is important, as it may affect how a recreation centre organizes and promotes programs.
• Be aware of how holidays affect people’s participation in activities and events. For example, holidays where people fast may affect their ability to do leisure activities and participate in some programs.

Opening doors and creating a safe, accepting place
It can be hard for people to get involved with community programs and recreation centres when they don’t feel comfortable. Creating a safe and accepting place is key to inviting people of different cultures in and making them feel welcome.

Here are some ideas to help you open your doors:
• Provide a women/men’s only hour or evening at the community hall, recreation centre or pool.
• Provide space and time for different ages and also for intergenerational activities.
• Target specific groups in your messages and programs.
• Offer rooms that can become private if needed. For example, put blinds on windows into classrooms.
• Provide interpretation services. Gather employees and volunteers who can help with literacy and communication barriers for your members.
• Hire a diverse group of staff and volunteers.
• Celebrate the different holidays of your members. This creates a festive feel all year round!
• For people who are fasting and can’t participate in certain activities, offer a rebate on programs and memberships for this time period. 
• Allow and accommodate different clothing. For example, allow other clothes besides bathing suits in the pool, and provide more fans in the fitness centre to help prevent overheating for members who wear more clothing.

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Try new things
Many people do not like change, but quite often change can lead to great things. Try new things in your community. This doesn’t mean you have to replace the old, but providing new opportunities helps to invite new members in.

Here are some great initiatives community groups can do in their neighbourhoods:
• Organize a community garden.
• Encourage physical activity programs to encompass other aspects of wellness (mental, spiritual, social) that may be more meaningful to different cultures.
• Offer classes for different cultural dances (e.g. salsa, African, Mexican). Put on performances where cultural groups can display their dances. Dance is a beautiful connection to culture.
• Throw a festival of foods from around the world. These are always a hit.
• Provide the opportunity to play sports from different cultures (e.g. cricket).

A community is a great place to help make people of all cultures feel at home. Together we can celebrate the many things we all have in common, and also our differences. As the diversity of Alberta continues to expand, it’s key for community groups, cultural centres and recreation facilities to open their doors to other cultures. This will help build social connections and instill a sense of belonging for all of us.

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Learn more
Diversity in Practice: Becoming Culturally Competent
This article from the Alberta Centre for Active Living’s Wellspring newsletter focuses on the concept of cultural competence and ways for practitioners to work effectively with people from different cultures.

Alone in Canada: 21 Ways to Make it Better
A self-help guide for newcomers to Canada from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Multilingual Physical Activity Guides
Canada’s Physical Activity Guide translated into a variety of languages.

Multicultural Scouting Diversity and Unity
An article from Scouts Canada about promoting cultural diversity in youth groups.