ACT 1 Recap: A Community's Call for Deeper Participation

“It felt like a party…”

That’s how one person described arriving at the ACT (Adapting Communities to Thrive) event during Climate Action Week back in April. And in many ways, it was.

There was food, art, music, and kids weaving their own magic between all the adults. People arriving not just to watch films but to feel part of something. The space was alive with warmth, curiosity, and connection. For a moment, it felt like the kind of future we’re all working toward. And the kids were the stars of the show, bringing a sense of playfulness and joy that reminded me of a big reason why I care about transformative climate adaptation in the first place. Seven generations from now, I want my kids, their generation and their great-great-great-great grandkids to inherit a world where they can thrive, not just survive.

They actually had their own impromptu panel after the evening wrapped, which was a highlight for sure! I believe we actually need to more kids on the panels in future events like this.

But underneath that joy was a quiet longing. A hunger to participate more deeply.

While the format of screening the films followed by a panel was well-received, we heard clearly from many that they wanted to share more: their stories, reflections, lived expertise. People wanted to be in the conversation, not just witnessing it.

That’s not a failure. That’s a signal. A signal that there’s energy to harness, readiness to engage, and community wisdom waiting to be invited in.

What we’re learning

The ACT initiative is rooted in an approach that values participation, pluralism, and lived experience. This first event was always intended as a perpetual pilot, guided by a Generative Action Research approach. One where the intention is for action, reflection, and learning to evolve together to adapt and respond in real time.

Here’s what we’re taking forward:

• Inspiration is just the beginning. The next iteration must invite reciprocity. Creating space for people to speak, dream, and shape what comes next.
• Participation needs design. We need formats that go beyond stage/audience and create conditions for collective sense-making, meaning-making and paths to action.
• Family friendly events are a game changer. They bring a different energy, break the formality, and remind us that adaptation is intergenerational.
• Music, art, playfulness and food are powerful ingredients. They create a sense of connection that transcends words and make the hard conversations easier to start too.
• The kids’ panel was exactly what we need more of if we are to be good ancestors. We need to create more spaces for young voices to lead, share, and shape the future they’ll inherit.

What comes next?

What does thriving mean in your neighbourhood? What actions, rituals, or relationships have helped your community adapt? How might we deepen these connections and expand our collective wisdom seven generations deep?

Keep participating

• Share your views on adaptation and see how they resonate with others via pol.is

Shape what emerges

• Explore and contribute to a vision of transformative adaptation via Mural

These tools allow the conversation to extend beyond the space and experience people shared back during that event.

These aren’t just surveys or cool tools. They’re spaces for shared imagination and wisdom. Your story, your vision, your local insight and lived experience matters. Grab a beverage and take 5–10 minutes to add your voice.

Your ongoing contributions will help shape the next phase of ACT, leading into the upcoming AdaptNSW Forum in November 2025. Last year’s Forum x Purpose Conf was pretty epic, and this year promises to be even more so.

We’re exploring how these insights can weave into the AdaptNSW Forum in November 2025 too. So think of this as just the first pulse in a longer rhythm of community co-creation.

And yes… there will be snacks and maybe, just maybe, a family-friendly vibe again 😉

With gratitude to everyone who showed up, shared energy, and reminded us that transformative adaptation begins with care, communing and community.

Let’s keep futurecrafting together.

Connect with broader adaptation initiatives and trusted, localised climate information on the AdaptNSW website.

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