From Fragmentation to Alignment: How Communities Tackle Complex Problems Together

Nanaimo has no shortage of ambition — or awareness. So why do our biggest challenges keep outpacing our best intentions? An internationally recognized researcher is coming to VIU with some answers.

You’ve been in that room. The one where everyone agrees something needs to change. But the housing crisis drags on. The health gaps widen. The economic promises stall. It’s not because no one cares. But because working together (really working together) is a skill most of us were never taught.

Join Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation in partnership with Nanaimo Foundation and Vancouver Island University, for an inspiring public lecture with Dr. Paul W. B. Atkins, lead author of Prosocial and visiting Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.
Drawing on insights from evolutionary science and organizational psychology, Dr. Atkins will explore a powerful question at the heart of thriving communities:

How do we build the collaborative muscle needed to tackle complex challenges—together?

This lecture will explore why collaboration succeeds or fails and how communities can build systems and cultures that support equitable, high-performing cooperation. This makes his lecture especially relevant for anyone engaged in cross-sector collaborations, complex problem-solving, and community transformation.

Whether you work in government, non-profits, business, or community leadership, this session will shift how you think about collective action, and equip you with the right tools to make it work in your own community.

Seats are limited. This is a conversation Nanaimo is ready for.

Presented by Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation in partnership with Nanaimo Foundation and Vancouver Island University