A Story of Hospitality at the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion

By Brian Smith

This is borrowed from the Philia Dialogue on Caring Citizenship:

Hospitality is a concept that hardly needs explaining. Look it up in any dictionary and you'll find a definition something like this: "hospitality (noun): the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers; the quality of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way."

It's important to note that hospitality is not restricted to friends and people we know. The definition always includes "strangers", and indeed, the highest form of hospitality has always been the welcome and care of strangers. In ancient Greece, hospitality was considered so important that it was under the protection of Zeus. A stranger lost in the night could be invited into a Greek home, given food or wine, and only asked for their name once they felt at home. In the Biblical tradition, Abraham was so overjoyed at the arrival of unknown guests that he ran toward them, bowed, and begged them not to pass by without accepting his hospitality.

Our modern-day understanding of hospitality may be somewhat less elaborate, but welcoming others with warmth, kindness, respect and celebration is still central to the concept.

When the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI) began exploring ways to transform itself based on Philia principles, one of the core goals they identified was to increase hospitality within the organization. They created a Hospitality Team to make this happen, and the team has continued to carry on the traditions of hospitality that began so long ago....

The Hospitality Team at BACI began by transforming the inside of the building into a bright, warm and welcoming environment that people would want to visit. The front lobby, which used to be blank tile, was filled with colourful seasonal and cultural displays. The cafeteria was repainted and decorated with art made by people at BACI. Pictures and mosaics were hung throughout the centre. A Friendship Garden was built and filled with plants. The building became a vibrant visual expression of everything BACI is about: "a place that feels like it belongs to the people who spend time there," as one staff person put it.

The new sense of hospitality was not restricted to the physical environment. The Hospitality Team infused all BACI events and celebrations with a welcome to family, friends and strangers that was fit for Greek gods (and goddesses).

The first thing they tackled was BACI's membership meetings, transforming them from dry business sessions to social events that people looked forward to. A greeting crew now welcomed members at the entrance with smiles and cries of "Welcome! Come on in!" Seats were arranged in a circle instead of classroom-style, to make it easier to talk to each other. The Hospitality Team added name tags and introductions, refreshments and a raffle – and of course, built in time to socialize.

And the hospitality didn't stop within BACI's walls. The warmth and welcome were extended to the larger community. BACI invited neighbours to open houses and garage sales at its homes and child care centres. They recruited community members to help develop an art centre at a local school. They hosted a dialogue series on caring in community featuring local thought leaders. And they hosted a summer barbecue that was attended by more than 350 people.

Over the past five years, the dedicated individuals from the Hospitality Team have volunteered their time to infuse a sense of hospitality into all BACI events. They attend every event, and with open arms gladly meet and greet everyone with warmth, kindness and respect. And whenever BACI has wanted to make organizational changes, it has always made sure to provide an opportunity for hospitality, for sharing a meal or a drink, and for celebration.