Meet “Average Joe” this July!
If you were asked to think of someone who embodies Alberta’s spirit, values and beliefs, there is a good chance you would visualize a hard-working, rugged guy named Joe (aka Average Joe).
The Common Ground initiative, led by the University of Alberta, met with more than 500 Albertans and surveyed almost 10,000 more over the past four years. Alberta Municipalities has been following the team’s research into Albertans’ opinions, values, and beliefs closely from Day One.
When researchers asked Albertans to imagine the average resident of their province, their responses created a detailed description of a middle-aged man who works in the agricultural or energy sectors, lives near the mountains, enjoys outdoor pursuits, values his family and community, and believes hard work is the key to success. When asked to name their average Albertan, Joe was the hands-down winner, beating out Bob, John, Richard, and Tom. Remarkably, this common picture appeared despite the respondents’ own backgrounds and political predispositions.
Now, the Common Ground team is taking Average Joe on the road to create conversations about what an average Albertan values and how that impacts the political narrative in media and conversations with neighbours, friends, and family.
A series of FREE evening events that combine entertainment with learning will take place this month in Calgary, Edmonton, Hanna, Lethbridge, and Red Deer. Learn more by viewing the Common Ground article and register for one of their events.
