What is a Community of Practice
“A Community of Practice is a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”

Key elements are:

  • Shared Motivation: members are brought together by a shared learning need (members are motivated to learn collaboratively) 
  • The Community: their collective learning becomes a bond among them over time (learning is experienced in various ways)
  • The practice: their interactions produce resources that in turn shape and influence their practice (whether they engage in actual practice together or separately)

Source: Wenger-Trayner

As a Community of Practice, OIFN is committed to creating a common agenda for ongoing, shared learning among and between its diverse participants by:

  • Nurturing safe, reflective spaces to deepen our understanding, learn and grow collaboratively, and operate with integrity.
  • Connecting at local, regional and provincial levels through person to person meetings and various electronic means.
  • Developing and maintaining clarity about the roles and responsibilities of independent facilitators and the contributions of Independent Facilitation to a broader vision for a just and inclusive Ontario.
  • Engaging in deep listening, conversation, and reflection regarding the values, knowledge, experience, resources, issues, and initiatives that are relevant to our collaborative efforts.
  • Upholding human rights and the civic responsibility that we all share as Canadian citizens.

OIFN’s Community of Practice operates out of the following convictions:

  • We all have something to teach and something to learn from each other.
  • Everyone has gifts and everyone is able to make valuable contributions.
  • We recognize and appreciate our diversity and respect differences of opinion as valuable learning moments.
  • Mindful and reflective practice leads to better outcomes.
  • Meaningful and inclusive dialogue about things that matter can help to safeguard people and families and the work of facilitating change.
  • Strong relationships are a key component in community development, personal and professional development, and capacity building.