How is a Collective different from a community? A community is a group of people who share a sense of belonging and common values, while a collective is a group of people who work together for a common purpose. A collective might be more inclined to make a positive impact on a wider society, while a community might be more concerned about relationships and impacts with one another. Collectives make use of local knowledge, skill and creativity to tackle complexity.

Why (em)brace for impact? We live in a time of great change, challenge, and stress; it feels as if we live our lives bracing, or braced for impact. When will the next punch, kick, crash hit us and where will it come from? The Collective team wants to recognize the stress that young people are experiencing, yet we also want to help them find creative and supportive ways to deal with the world. One way to deal with challenge is to gather a supportive group – to embrace each other, hold each other in care and authenticity. And so, we (em)brace one another. We also want to feel that we can create positive change in our lives and in our world – we want to leave an impact. And so, we (em)brace for impact.

We do all this only as we recognize that our Creating God breaks into our lives and into the world. We do this as we follow in the way of Jesus, who collected and embraced friends, followers, and even foes to create change and challenge systems of evil and destruction. We do this as we trust in the Holy Spirit to bring us comfort, courage, and power to make a difference in Christ’s name.

JR LaRose is a 2011 Grey Cup champion. A proud member of One Arrow First Nation, he is an ambassador for Aboriginal peoples. He is an accomplished speaker speaking and facilitating over 400 presentations throughout Canada and the United States since 2008. A proud family man JR’s path to success has been a long and hard fought journey. Growing up in low incoming housing in Edmonton’s inner city didn’t exactly set JR up for success but it did give him the drive to succeed. JR grew up without a father. His father, of Nigerian heritage, was deported back to his native country before JR was born. JR never met his Dad.

The family JR did have, he watched struggle with drug addiction, specifically his Mom. JR’s Mom, Barbara, was a survivor of the Residential School system, where many First Nations children were torn from their families and culture only to be abused by those who promised them an “enlightened life”. The abuse experienced by Barbara not only affected her life but also the lives of her children. Turning to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of an abused past, turned Barbara away from her responsibilities as a mother to her two children. Without the guidance and support of parents in his life JR easily could have fallen into a life of crime and drugs, like many of those around him.