Nineteen Council of Canadians chapters took part in an online conference call last night to discuss how chapters involve members in their shared work.
The Comox Valley, Vancouver, Edmonton, Quill Plains (Wynyard), Regina, Calgary, Northwest Territories, Northumberland, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Peel Region, Quinte, South Niagara, Toronto, Windsor, and Kent County chapters joined the one-hour call hosted by organizers Robin Tress and Diane Connors.
The discussion was initiated in part because more than 2,200 people said in a recent survey we conducted that they would be interested in participating in a local chapter.
The questions that were posed to facilitate a peer-exchange of practices and experiences included:
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Think of when you first got involved in the Council, or when you got engaged on a deeper level (ex: moved from casual supporter to chapter activist). What made you take that step? -
What does your chapter actively do to engage new people and make sure they stick around? -
What needs do you have for new members? If someone keen joined tomorrow, what would be the most useful thing for them to do?
The discussion brought forward individual stories and experiences, chapter history, challenges and concerns, best practices, innovative ideas, political opportunities, a shared commitment to making political change, as well as the understanding that community, social connection and fun are core to the experience of being a chapter activist.
Extensive notes were taken and the discussion itself was recorded to enable chapters to share it among themselves as a resource and to facilitate further conversations.
Emails will be sent shortly to survey respondents to provide them with the information to contact their local chapter.
For more on our organizing model, please see Join a Council of Canadians chapter, evidence shows protests make a difference and The Council of Canadians seeks to inform, connect and engage.
To read daily blogs about chapter actions across the country, please click here.
You can also connect with chapters via Twitter.
