The 2024 Teeny Tiny Summits, held in the rural communities of Holstein, Tweed, and Minden, brought together community leaders and enthusiasts to discuss proven ways to revitalize teeny tiny places. Peter Kenyon’s address was the highlight of the three events, offering valuable perspectives on community building and rural revitalization. 

“Whatever is the issue, community is the solution.”- Peter Kenyon

During his keynote address, Peter emphasized the importance of local engagement and creativity in community development. He shared stories and practical strategies for teeny tiny places to build from within. His central message resounded with the idea that in the face of any obstacle or dilemma, the collective strength of a community remains the answer. He shared examples of how fostering strong connections and leveraging community resources paved the way for overcoming challenges and meaningful progress.  

Peter shared that 80% of Australian towns are declining and losing their populations, and he has opted to explore the distinctive factors that enable the remaining 20% of towns to thrive and prosper.

Peter focused on the seven factors of a strong community and encouraged communities to rank themselves on each factor:

1. Local leadership: Ensure community leaders provide effective guidance and stewardship, empowering members to achieve their goals 
2. Active Community Engagement and Connection: Cultivate a vibrant, interconnected community where individuals are encouraged to actively participate, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships. 
3. A positive and can-do mindset: Create optimism and resilience among community members 
4. Asset and opportunity obsessive: Concentrate on the community’s existing assets, resources and talents rather than what it lacks 
5. Community Wow-Factor: Showcase unique aspects that make the community stand out 
6. Lifestyle Appeal: Create an environment that attracts and retains residents and visitors alike 
7. Support for entrepreneurial aspirations and initiatives: Empower entrepreneurs in the community to take their ideas and turn them into reality 

Peter’s ideas resonated deeply with the participants at the Teeny Tiny Summits. Peter emphasized the importance of leveraging local assets and the need for communities to build on what they have. For example:

“Talk up your town – not down your town” and “Do things with people, not for or to people”- Peter Kenyon

Want to learn more? Please see Peter’s slides and a recording of Peter’s speech below.

He shared facilitation techniques that could be used at a community level such as appreciative inquiry – which allows people to understand whose gifts are being underutilized in a community. As well as the Open Space facilitation technique that allows participants to speak about topics they care about.  

Peter Kenyon, a renowned community development expert and keynote speaker at the 2024 Teeny Tiny Summits, shared his extensive experience and insights with attendees in Holstein, Tweed, and Minden. As a dedicated community enthusiast and social capitalist, Peter’s rich background includes roles as a youth worker, teacher, lecturer, and senior public servant. His work through his social enterprise, the Bank of I.D.E.A.S., has been dedicated to fostering inclusive and enterprising communities worldwide. 

The Teeny Tiny Economic Development Summits are delivered in partnership with Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), supporting Ontario’s smallest communities. Since 2016 the Summits have reached over 3000 participants from across Ontario.  

Learn more about Teeny Tiny Summits and view the resources from past events at this link.