I seem to have been involved in some form of community engagement or local development work in Canada and overseas for all of my working life.
Many of the factors that shape the health of communities are increasingly outside of our control (e.g. international trade patterns, administration of education, environmental legislation). But, there is a great deal that local residents can do to create the worlds they want.
Right now, I am pre-occupied with two particular elements of community work.
The first is collaborative, comprehensive community initiatives. They bring together a diverse range of local leaders and organizations in an attempt to tackle complex social, environmental and economic issues. I really want to explore how organizations like Tamarack can make comprehensive community initiatives even more effective.
The second area of community engagement I am exploring right now is evaluation and learning. If done well, evaluation and learning can be powerful processes that help communities focus on ways to get the biggest impact possible.
There is so much to explore. I feel that Tamarack and its many partners can work to substantially strengthen community engagement across Canada.
If you would like to engage with me in your
community, please email me at mark@tamarackcommunity.ca
or call me at 780-451-8984.
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