ChangeCamp Sault in 2010: Experiments in the Power of We
"[ChangeCamp] helped me feel more like part of the community," she said. "I'm a newcomer, but after today, I'm in it."
- Shirling Kao, owner of Jade Yoga Studio and Boutique
ChangeCamp was launched as an experiment in community engagement. Time to look back on what has been an incredible first 6 months for ChangeCamp Sault.
Was it just 6 months ago over 40 of us gathered at ChangeCamp Sault on a sunny Saturday in June? Many new connections formed and ideas deliberated. Some plans were made to continue on action items, though many fizzled. Change is hard.
That led to a smaller, more intimate ChangeSalon in June to explore the question: can we uncover the keys to lasting change? Many obstacles were identified and ideas to overcome them (see writeup and photos), including personal pledges to take a step towards making change happen.
Vision: Build Community Infrastructure
It was after these events that I had my big aha(!) moment of the year:
- bringing people together to spark change is a lot of fun
- I can manifest the changes I want to see happen through others by helping people achieve theirs
- change at the community level needs infrastructure - tools, processes, gardeners who will tend the soil and nurture change efforts*
* Just like we need infrastructure for things like transportation, energy and communication, community change needs support. Just as we have help for businesses to grow, imagine what we could do by harnessing the power of we. By the end of the summer, I had discovered my calling - to be at the heart of building this community infrastructure.
Elections 2010: Engagement Showcase
The 2010 municipal election created the opportunity to showcase new tools and ways of engaging each other. In particular I wanted the future council and mayor to taste and see for themselves what is possible, so that post-election there would be support by council to continue this work. Thanks to a small, dedicated crew and a partnership with the Sault Youth Association, in very short time:
- ChangeSault.ca launched as an online gathering place for change agents to connect, share ideas and provide tools to organize around initiatives. The primary focus at launch was on helping election candidates and citizens engage each other. Some progress was made, but given the late launch (mid Sept), only a few candidates took advantage of the platform.
- An ideas forum gathered people's ideas for a more vibrant community. In a short time with little publicity, over 20 ideas were posted and more than a hundred votes cast, confirming people have creative ideas and passions waiting for a chance to be shared.
- Two events, a virtual café using an Innovation Game® tool, and another café called Civic Speed Dating designed for citizens to interact with candidates in meaningful ways.
Mayor Amaroso, and the era of Your City, Your Say
The election delivered a tremendous gift for community engagement in Mayor Deb. She ran on a platform of giving people an active say in their city. She has a vision that aligns perfectly with the aims of ChangeCamp Sault. Now it's time to roll up the sleeves. Wow, this dream is turning into reality.
If 2010 was the showcase, 2011 is the year the hard work begins. Debbie and I have already had conversations about where to get started, including collaborative sessions for council to set their 2011 priorities and for getting people engaged in the budget planning process. Much more to come on this soon.
Winds of Change
A shift is happening. I've had several conversations with people who get visibly excited when they speak about this time in the Sault. I can feel it. The mayor feels it, and so do many of you. There is this wave of grass roots change rising, gaining momentum. You've been anticipating this. Now is the time to grab your surf board and ride together to new shores.
There is much work to be done to build this community infrastructure. ChangeSault.ca needs community hosts. We need to build our network of change agents. People are crying out for a decent community calendar. That's just the start.
I'll be reaching out to many of you to step forward and lead this change effort. It's a fun time to get involved. For once, those who lead the way *will* see their efforts rewarded quickly.
All the best to each and every one of you in the coming year.
Together for a vibrant Sault,
Gerry Kirk
founder, ChangeCamp Sault
Posted by Gerry Kirk
