Community Alphabet

APPLY TO JOIN CA 2025-26!

Application deadline 18 April. Q&A session 4 April. To find out more, contact Helen at helen.lenda@nadacevia.cz or:

Watch this video to see what CA participants have to say:

CHECK OUT THE NEW CA WEBSITE!

See videos, case studies, ebooks and profiles of community builders at https://trustcommunity.nadacevia.cz

ABOUT COMMUNITY ALPHABET

COMMUNITY ALPHABET (CA) is an international peer learning program that broadens practical knowledge of inclusive, participatory community development approaches among community leaders and active residents, primarily in Central Europe & Southern Europe.

program vision

Our vision is to ensure that community initiatives in Central & Southern Europe have the knowledge, tools and support to confidently pursue inclusive participatory processes sot act they can play a meaningful role in developing places where:

people with different opinions and lifestyles work towards shared community goals in an environment of listening, trust, respect and mutual recognition,
people thrive on a shared yet inclusive identity and strong sense of belonging,
people enhance the community through use of local skills and resources,
and people assume shared responsibility.

PARTICIPANTS

The program works with active residents and community practitioners who are nurturing civic engagement at local level. People who are supporting local citizen-led action are in a unique position to help local communities search for common ground, increase social trust and work with divergent views. In 2025-26, we are looking for up to 25 active residents/community leaders from at least 5 countries to take part in the exposure workshop in June 2025, and 22 to participate in the intensive track. Read more in the Call at https://trustcommunity.nadacevia.cz.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

In 2025-26 CA offers 2 levels of engagement: 1) Exposure workshop on 15-19 June 2025: 4-day workshop and site visit in Czechia offering an introduction to key themes and approaches in inclusive participatory community building. 2) Intensive track: At least 1 additional 4-day workshop/site visit (6-10 October 2025) to deepen your understanding, skills, and exchange with peers; peer & expert support linked to your community initiative and possibility of a small grant.

Read more in the Call at https://trustcommunity.nadacevia.cz.

2023-2024 PROGRAM

The 2023-24 program engaged active residents and community practitioners from 8 European countries (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Spain, Albania, Sweden). They learned from experts and each other at workshops and online sessions, saw innovative community initiatives during site visits to Czechia, the Netherlands and Sweden, and helped each other as peers. To learn more about their work in their communities, see the videos and case studies on our new learning website at https://trustcommunity.nadacevia.cz.

2020-2022 PILOT PROGRAM

Through the 2020-2022 Community Alphabet pilot program, we guided 26 community development practitioners and program managers from three non-profit organizations from Serbia, Hungary and the Czech Republic (TRAG Fondacija, Via Foundation and Közösségfejlesztők Egyesület – Köfe/Hungarian Association for Community Development) in advancing their knowledge and skills around inclusive community building, participatory mapping, resilience and conflict/tension transformation. The pilot program included online and in-person workshops, a site visit, peer exchange and support and staff guidance to participants as they applied the learning to their practice.

BACKGROUND

Community Alphabet responds to societal fragmentation and citizen disengagement in public deliberation. Disheartened by the multiple stresses that societies face today, many people turn to their closest environment - their neighborhood, district or village - to find sure footing. But even at local levels, it can be challenging to bridge differences in views and experience. Increasingly, it seems, people are fragmented into narrow social bubbles that afford little interaction with divergent viewpoints. When citizens cease to exchange opinions and discuss their differences, when there is little motivation to find shared aspirations amidst those differences, social cohesion becomes strained and fragile.