Original article: Fast Forward to Flourishing: Collectively stewarding the conditions for our community to thrive
Education News Canada (release from Foothills School Division No. 38), October 23, 2026
Read the full story at Education News Canada →

Foothills School Division gathered 80 educators, parents, business leaders and community partners in Okotoks, Alberta, on October 15 to ask how their whole community can help young people flourish. The session, part of the division's Fast Forward to a Flourishing CommUNITY project, was led by Dr. Jessica Riddell. Its big idea is simple: flourishing grows through relationships, not through any one organization working alone.

What Foothills School Division did

The division describes a day built around connection:

• People from schools, local government, public safety, business, non-profits and post-secondary institutions sat together at tables led by 12 facilitators.
• They named “glimmers”, moments when young people already feel belonging, purpose and connection.
• Each person looked at what they can control, what they can influence and what they cannot carry alone.

Why it matters for your organization

Every organization sits inside a wider network of people who shape whether its members flourish. Foothills chose to start with what is already working and invite every partner into one conversation. Employers, churches, associations and schools can do the same: notice the glimmers, share them, and keep the conversation going after the event ends.

Frequently asked questions

What is community flourishing?

In the Foothills framing, flourishing is not something one person or organization creates alone. It emerges through the relationships people build, the opportunities they create and the ways they care for one another.

Who attended the Foothills flourishing gathering?

About 80 people took part, including educators, parents, municipal representatives, public safety professionals, business leaders, community organizations, non-profits and post-secondary partners. The Town of Okotoks provided the space.

How can an organization start a flourishing conversation?

Foothills began by asking people to recognize what is already working and the conditions that make it possible. Mapping what each partner can control, influence or only care about helps turn a good conversation into shared next steps.

Who are the partners outside your walls that help your people flourish? Share it in the comments.