Connecting to nature & place – slowing down; enjoying the outdoors and all that nature has to offer; caring for planet, environment and other living things; feeling at home, a sense of belonging, and rootedness
Inclusive – welcoming all members of the community, regardless of age, culture, background or experience; strengthening community through embracing difference; connecting, making friends and finding mutual support
Learning for life – planting the seeds of curiosity, breeding confidence, and empowering people to increase their understanding of themselves, others, and the environment and places where they live and work
Playful & creative – encouraging play for children, families and all ages in the community; being spontaneous; using head, heart and hands; developing resourcefulness; having fun and celebrating together
Supporting families – respecting children’s rights; understanding it can be tough to raise children; engaging with others in the community to support the needs of parents, carers and extended families
Participatory – enabling co-creation and shared ownership of what happens at the centre; nurturing independence and inter-dependence; building resilience
Ethical – cultivating kindness, respect, and cooperation; walking our talk in the way we behave towards others and the environment and the way we use resources
Financially sustainable – ensuring that the centre can flourish and fulfil a useful role in the community in the longer term
Being a force for positive change – generating new ways of working and organising; leadership and learning that harness the energy of community, and inspire hope; harvesting what we learn, so it can be shared with and replicated by others.
