Great to learn that your community (by Keith Lyons) is so committed. I hope every one is well. And with the support of so many other enthusiastic volunteers in the community, I am sure that your community would be able to overcome the threats of fires.
This also brought me back to my memory on community service.
When I was in my early twenties, I participated as a volunteer in the Community and Youth Office, part of the social welfare department in the government. I was elected as the Vice Chair of a Volunteering Association called Dawn’s Association after a series of events were organised and run for the poor families in a community (with a few thousand people). Our Association was made up of youth volunteers between the age of 17 to mid 20’s. We organised game stalls, cartoon shows, visit to soft drink company, picnic during a summer vacation for the young kids of poor families. On one occasion, whilst I was leading the kids to a picnic, I witnessed one of the most memorable incident on our way in a coach. I noticed a small kid (may be 7-8 years old) was really enjoying his ice-cream cone. After a while, I was surprised to find that he has finished eating it without any wrapper left behind. Oh dear! The kid has eaten the ice-cream cone with the paper wrapper. On the same occasion, I noted another kid dropped his red-bean popsicle on the deck of the coach, but he immediately picked it up and continued eating it without any hesitation.
What was the lesson I had learnt? Kids of a poor background needs education, or at least they need to learn about what is edible, and the health, hygiene and safety aspects! Besides, they need strong support and care of peers and adults throughout their early stages of development in the community.
Everyone needs such support through social networking, and learning could be greatly enhanced through those valuable connections. And that’s education! And we could then be able to better understand each others’ needs through the networking processes at this digital age.
In our community, we need to support the poor and disadvantaged too, just like the kid’s example, so they could live with pride, confidence, and decency.
Are we all born with compassion towards our fellow citizens? How could we show such compassion towards our community? Is it through our continuous involvement in our community?
So, I echo with Keith on the needs of building our community, to make it a better place for everyone to live in. Social networking and education are just like the two sides of the coin. They work side-by-side.
Are these also the result of valuable connections – to the community? Does what you give and contribute to the community make a difference? Is it the learning we share through Connectivism?
We are already witnessing all these community building through our blogs, networks – and the New ConnectivismEducationLearning network as well!
Hoping that we will continue our contribution to the community through our wonderful acts of love, care and support.
Learner Weblog 
We do need to think clearly and with foresight in how we go about helping others.
For instance with developing countries we need to ensure developed countries balance exporting and importing so developing countries can be part of international trade. In turn this will bring money into the country, increase employment and the ability to produce goods for sale, etc. making the country self-sufficient rather than relying on aid from other countries.
The same needs to go for education. Students need to become autonomous in their learning so they can achieve international goals for learning rather than basic skills that limit their potential.
The more diversity we have in our thinking the more potential we have to create sustainable solutions to the many problems in our world, country, community and families.
I agree with your comments. Students need to become autonomous learners. Diversity in our thinking have more potential in creating sustainable solutions.
I greatly appreciate your insights into education and problem solving.
Many thanks.
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