Before launching a new initiative, I often advise groups to have “100 Cups of Coffee.” Not to be confused with the popular Futurama Frye video clip, 100 Cups of Coffee is a way to understand the complexity of an issue, build relationships with key people and organizations, and discover opportunities for synergy.
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As governments and organizations increasingly recognize the importance of online citizen engagement, here are 7 trends to watch as we start the new year.
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Have you ever considered that maybe your ask is too small?
When I work with communities, the thing I hear myself saying over and over is to make sure you are always offering people ways to get involved. Often, the organizers will go through all the effort to get people out to an event, or to participate in a consultation, and then they don’t capitalize on the momentum. It could be as simple as inviting the community to stay informed with a newsletter or it could be a bigger commitment of time, money or effort.
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There is a lot that we share with our colleagues in Australia. Both Canada and Australia are countries with big spaces between cities, it can take over four hours to travel from Sydney to Perth. It takes a little longer to travel from Halifax to Vancouver. Both countries have British roots although Canada’s seem to have dimmed with the diversity of our population. Both countries, or at least community change leaders, are deeply interested in the intersection between community engagement and collective impact.
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Earlier this Fall, academic researchers and professionals in government, business, and environmental organizations came together to explore the potential for creating FutureTalks – a large-scale community engagement program on urban sustainability and climate change issues.
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Over the past 150 years Canadian communities have flourished with the help of volunteers.
In fact, Canada is known for its generosity. In 2015, we ranked sixth in the World Giving Index which provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world.
Many people and organizations have an important role in sustaining the well-being of communities. They share a common goal with many of us: to make a difference.
Recognising such efforts is why the Canada’s Volunteer Awards are so important.
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