In a world of democratised artificial intelligence, smart homes, and video conferencing, the notion of “a village” feels almost quaint, a relic of a bygone era when family extended beyond the nuclear and work was distributed according to ability, not earning capacity. But what if the village wasn’t merely nostalgic reminiscence but a living, breathing, well nurtured community?

When I was a kid imagining my future, community wasn’t something I thought much about. My mental checklist of adult achievements included having a partner, a couple of kids, a safe home, a meaningful career, a dog, the occasional holiday and Cher’s computerised wardrobe from Clueless. Simple things.

If you want to reap the rewards of the village, it requires effort in return.Credit: Getty Images

My fantasies of a life-sized Barbie dream house never extended to who lived in the house next door or around the corner. Perhaps that’s because children are generally born into communities. They don’t – or at least they shouldn’t have to – develop it for themselves. Their communities are inherited through extended family, their parents’ friends, school and sporting clubs. And when you don’t have to work for something, it’s easy to take something as ephemeral as a sense of community for granted.

In the various realms of human relations, community can be........

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