Re-imagining your neighbourhood is Imagine The Future Inc's schools-based futures education program in western Melbourne, Australia. 

Artwork by student Laura Murphy, Community Poles Project, January 1999. Photo by Carmen Stewart.

The concept emerged from cultural development work by ITF's coordinator, Merrill Findlay, in the 1970s and 80s, and was successfully refined, piloted and developed further for ITF by youth worker Carmen Stewart over a decade later.

Carmen's first project, Re-imagining Sunshine, was completed with Sunshine Secondary College in 1997. The following year she sought funding to take Re-imagining your neighbourhood further and received significant sponsorship from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (Vic Health).

The life-changing impacts and practical outcomes of Re-imagining your neighbourhood are clearly outlined in her 1998 report and in her research paper Young people and the future: a futures education model.

Set of painted tiles by students, Brimbank Library, Sunshine, December 1998.

Carmen Stewart worked with artist Anne Riggs, who has written her own report, Imagine a better Sunshine, on the experience.

In January 1999 Carmen expanded Re-imagining your neighbourhood with the Community poles project sponsored by Brimbank Council.

Re-imagining your neighbourhood was conducted on the eastern suburban fringe of Victoria's basalt plain, a unique bioregion which is the focus of Redreaming the plain. Re-imagining your neighbourhood and Redreaming the plain are expected to be more closely linked in ITF's ongoing futures work.