Ask not what your City can do for you!
The sheer number of candidates and volunteers who were engaged in last year’s municipal election clearly demonstrated that the citizens of Brantford both want to be involved in local government and that they are willing to invest their time, energy and expertise to ensure a better Brantford. But what’s a citizen activist to do if there’s no election on? One avenue of opportunity open to all is participation and service on City Committees and Boards, a number of which are actively recruiting at this time.
I serve as Vice Chair of both the Sanderson Centre Management Board and the Economic Development Advisory Committee. In this capacity, I was asked to attend an information session at City hall to help answer questions regarding public service and my specific Board and Committee. For me, it was a great opportunity to meet individuals actively seeking ways to get involved. Throughout the evening the questions I was asked were very similar and I thought it would therefore be of interest to others who were not able to attend to share some of the discussion via this forum.
The most common question I was asked was “what do these committees do”? The answer depends on the nature of the committee or board however at the risk of oversimplify things: advisory committees advise council on subjects and issues offering insight, detailed analysis and expertise to assist in the overall management and governance of the City. Management boards on the other hand, have limited autonomous responsibly to actually manage City facilities like the golf courses or the Sanderson Centre with Council acting as the final authority on all matters.
The next most common question was “what will be expected of me and how much investment of my time is required”. This is a tricky question and the answer really depends on you. Public service and volunteering is a very personal thing. A City committee requires a 1 or 2 hour monthly meeting commitment plus addition time to prepare. This may increase with participation on sub committees. Therefore it is possible to put in as little as 4-5 hours per month or as much time and energy as you feel comfortable with. In terms of getting started, joining a committee and being the new member at the table can be intimidating. The best advice I can offer is: don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just remember, everyone else was new once too. If you are committed, willing to learn and driven to succeed as a volunteer you will do just fine. As you grow more comfortable with the subject matter, the procedures and the people around the table you will naturally begin to share more of your own thoughts and ideas and possibly even assume leadership roles within the group.
Volunteer Committee work is perfect for those of us who want to be involved but are not interested in running for office and also for those who want to find out if a political career would suit them. It provides an opportunity to better understand your City’s government and community and to make a positive personal difference. It’s also a great way to meet new and interesting people and learn valuable skills that can be applied in other areas of your professional and personal life. Whatever your age, skill set, experience and background, if you feel that public service is something you would like to try, I encourage you to ask your councillor for more details, read up on the committees who are seeking volunteers and if you are truly committed, just do it.
Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com
Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2975115
“Friending” advice for Council
Politicians are not generally early adopters of new technologies, however when they do, and they get it right, it can yield incredible results. With an informal opening of “Good evening Friends” a depression stricken nation tuned in their radios to listen to Roosevelt’s fireside chats. It’s hard today to imagine that a radio address was a big advancement; however at the time the ability to speak directly to citizens provided hope, reassurance, transparency and leadership which when scaled to a national level was unprecedented. This small technological step was in fact a phenomenal leap forward in the modernization of government. Radio, and later Television gave citizens a means to both hear directly from their leaders and know them a little more intimately; yet these mediums still only enable one way communications. Broadcasts do not enable actual interactive “chats”.
During the municipal election many candidates gave Social Media a try yet it was largely underutilized. Most councilors stuck with tried-and-true methods such as door knocking. While face to face interaction can never be replaced by online methods, there is a place and a purpose for both. It is in knowing that purpose and acting with purpose that will yield the results that Councilors need and constituents deserve. In conversation with Mayor Friel during our Editorial Board roundtable last week, he assured me that he will encourage City Hall and Council to embrace new technologies and modernize our municipal government. He also agreed that there is an opportunity to enhance, innovate and rewire the local political operating system for the next generation of constituents and politicians and that perhaps it’s time for Council to “friend” it’s constituents.
It can be a little scary to take that first step online and I would therefore like to humbly offer to our new Council some friendly and “friending” advice to help them get started:
Don’t accept the status quo: If you were given the opportunity to speak with hundreds, possibly thousands of your constituents simultaneously and have immediate feedback on any issue or question that would help you make better informed and quality decisions would you not take it? Framed this way, it’s difficult to argue that there isn’t any time for Social Media. Invest your time where your constituents are whether that’s at the Farmer’s market on Saturday morning, the Civic Centre for a hockey game or Facebook.
Leverage passion: Don’t just tell your story online, connect with and enable like-minded people that are passionate about the things that matter most to our community. Imagine a vast untapped talent-pool of individuals and groups who can help you deal with every conceivable problem that we collectively face. It already exists, now go make use of it.
Show interest, be authentic and listen: Remember, it’s not all about you.
Be yourself: Talk about what interests you. Share as much of your personality and personal life as you feel comfortable with. But please no press releases, no canned political messages and also keep in mind we really don’t need to know what you had for breakfast.
Don’t just follow, lead: Influence online is a function of the consistency and quality of your content and interactions. It’s who you are and what value you bring to the greater community that will determine your success.
There exists today an unprecedented opportunity for leaders to make a significant impact for our community online and it may even help you get re-elected in 2014. My final advice would be to seize this opportunity, take action and lead the way.
Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee
The Sanderson Centre: A Theatre for all Seasons
“All the world’s a stage and one theatre in its time plays many parts”. Borrowing rather liberally from the Bard, such is true of our very own Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts. Cast in many roles throughout her ninety year career, she has endured, evolved and played a leading part in the story of our hometown and many of our own lives.
At the official anniversary celebration last December, I was asked to help out by leading backstage tours. It was a wonderful experience, with many people sharing their own real life stories of drama, tragedy and comedy all set in the theatre. Fond memories that after all these years came immediately back and rekindled personal connections to one of Brantford’s greatest treasures.
There were many stories of first-time performances on stage in dance competitions, plays and concerts. There were many more of proud parents, in turn, watching their own children perform on the very same stage. One notable tale recounted a concert performance by Duke Ellington Music, during which there was a complete power outage mid-show. Both the band and the audience sat in the darkness waiting for the lights to come back on and when they didn’t, the band struck up and played in the dark, with everyone enjoying an impromptu jam session.
Over the years, the theatre has hosted many great performances and performers, including immortal stars such as Red Buttons. Yet the immortal performances that garner the most discussion seem to be those of the ghosts. There are many accounts of strange noises and moving furniture in the lighting booth at the back of the theatre, so be sure to look up and behind you next time you visit to see if you can catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary!
For my own part, my connection with the theatre spans most of my life. In 1978 I sat front-row centre in the balcony at the then-Capitol theatre for Star Wars. For a five-year-old boy, it was an incredibly exciting and life-altering moment! Twelve years later and only a few seats away in the newly renovated Sanderson Centre, I saw the Second City Players perform, on my first date with a very pretty young lady who is now my wife. More fond memories of New Year’s Eve parties, the Northern Pikes, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Camelot, the Brantford Memorial Concert Band (with one of my best friends playing trumpet) –and, of course, the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi come easily to mind, as well.
My most memorable performance, though, was that of HMS Pinafore. The cast and crew crossed into Canada during a border guard strike and made it though without incident; however, the props and costumes did not. The show must go on, of course, and therefore the production was staged with everything improvised. The officers wore umbrellas as swords and the admiral even donned an Admiral’s Sub hat to distinguish himself. The professionalism and extra creativity of the actors certainly made the evening very enjoyable and memorable for those in attendance.
The new season of Sanderson Centre performances is now upon us, with something for everyone on the playbill, available online at www.sandersoncentre.ca. If you haven’t been out to the theatre in years, why not take the opportunity to get reacquainted? Or if you’ve never been, then why not become formally introduced to the Sanderson Centre?
Treat yourself to some old memories and create some new ones! I’m certain that you will find it, as you like it!
Kevin Magee is Vice Chairman of the Sanderson Centre Management Board and a member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee
Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2772993
Venture Philanthropy: Investing in a better world
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Let’s face it the adage is a little dated and overused but as a philanthropic philosophy it has persisted because there is value in it.
What happens though if you’re like me and want to help but have no idea how to fish? I figure our aspiring fisherman could probably use new and better equipment or working capital to start a fishing business more than a fishing lesson anyway. He or she may still need a “hand up, not a hand out” but perhaps the adage needs to be updated with the times to: “Give a woman a fish you feed her for a day, help her start a fishing business and you change her life”. A few months ago I did just that.
For the past two years Juanilyn Bacala, a 20 year old single mother, has owned and operated a successful fish selling business in the village of Bitibut in the Philippines. The profits however have not been enough to grow her business sufficiently to provide for her family. She needed $225 in working capital to expand and along with 7 other investors worldwide I loaned her the money to make it happen.
I may not know how to fish, but I know a thing or two about investing and running a business. Juanilyn is a driven hands-on proprietor with a track record of success. She knows her business and has a solid plan to expand into a growing market. The opportunity had a low risk / high reward ratio and that’s why I invested in her. Doesn’t sound like traditional charity? It’s not and that’s why I like it.
I get the most satisfaction out of working with a charity or not-for-profit when my values are in sync with theirs and when I feel I’m investing my time and money, not just giving it away. I’ve had amazing life changing experiences with local organizations; however, I wanted to find a way to use my skills and expertise to do something bigger and with global impact. Luckily I found a way to do it. I found Kiva.
Kiva (www.kiva.org/lender/kevinmagee) is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates microfinance loans directly to entrepreneurs in developing nations. Generally the loans are small however the impact they make has remarkable potential to change a person’s life and a community’s future.
In Microfinance lending individual lenders, not banks, each contribute a small portion of the total loan which is made to the entrepreneur directly. The loan is then repaid over a set term and the interest collected funds the in-country lending organizations. While I don’t get a tax credit, when the loan is repaid I have the opportunity to re-invest the same $25 again and again in new entrepreneurs or even withdraw the money.
So far I’ve had unprecedented success with Kiva. I’ve made over 60 loans worldwide with no defaults to date. I think this is because I take the time to really qualify each investment that I make. It’s not all work though, I greatly enjoy reading the business plans and personal stories and really come to know the people that I have helped. As a bonus, I’ve also learned a great deal about other countries and cultures.
If you have $25, an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to better the world why not invest it directly in someone’s future? Over time, you may find you’ll get a greater return on investment than you can possibly imagine.
Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee
Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2743312
Brantford 2.0
The future leaders of our community have grown up in a world in which there has always been an Internet. So, too have future voters. Tech-savvy and sophisticated, this new generation is completely comfortable with online participation and collaboration and cannot conceive of a hierarchical and closed government that denies them a voice, an opinion, a say.
This generation will not patiently wait for one opportunity every four years to express their concerns, hopes, and ideas by checking a box in a voting booth with a No. 2 pencil. They expect to be consulted, to be involved in real-time, to be heard and surprisingly, to contribute.
Most importantly they expect to be able to do it all online.
Governments should not fear this paradigm shift but instead embrace it. The best place to make a difference is where government most often interacts with citizens, and 80% of the time this occurs at the municipal level.
In a world where we can trade derivatives on an iPhone, telecommute to work and even eFile our taxes, what can we accomplish online as a citizen of a city? Not much yet, but we’re beginning to imagine the possibilities and they are indeed boundless.
Like most cities in the world today, our municipal government’s “operating system,” let’s call it Brantford 1.0, was developed and installed during the Industrial Revolution and it’s due for an upgrade.
So what is a Brantford 2.0, anyway? Well first off, let’s deal with what it isn’t. It’s really not about technology! It’s not about having a Twitter account or a Facebook page and most of all, it’s not about politics. Call it what you will– e-government, Government 2.0, whatever — the idea is simply to leverage technology and citizen engagement to continuously innovate our local government to a new and better version.
A 2.0 world is coming and the evolution of government can no longer be the exclusive domain of the politician. It’s not simply an IT project, either, nor is it fair to task the tech folks with modernizing the very source code of democracy.
Rather than striking a task force or hiring a consultant to complete a paper-based master plan, why not crowd-source the solution using online tools and ask the actual users what they want, need and can imagine? Why not even ask them to help build it?
Citizen engagement is imperative for a successful upgrade, anyway.
If we citizens are willing and able to contribute to the future of our community, then why not empower us to do so? The debate regarding the Southside, attendance at various city-sponsored town halls and open houses, the conversations on Facebook and Twitter and most revealingly the number of candidates already declared for the fall election all indicate our citizens want to engage, be heard and make a difference. To borrow liberally from late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, “We’re from the electorate and we’re here to help!”
So how do we begin the upgrade to Brantford 2.0? Why not start by leveraging what we already have rather than completely rewriting? Take, for example, our current citizen committees: community- minded volunteers bring their expertise, experience and passion to the table to tackle municipal challenges and provide advice to council on such diverse topics as economic development and the control of vicious dogs.
Why not then establish a Brantford 2.0 or, at the very least, an e-government citizen advisory committee? It would be a good place to start and if nothing else I hope the idea can spark a valuable conversation and perhaps even give a few of the candidates something to Twitter about!
Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, capitalist, community builder and member of The Expositor’s Community Editorial Board.
Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2642452
