Community Collaborations often slow down in the summer. People head out on holidays, meetings are postponed to the fall and community engagement work is suspended.
I like it this way and welcome a more relaxed summer pace. However, I know people who never take summer vacations (most prefer fall and winter). When I ask them why, they say, “summer is the perfect time to do the strategic and reflective work that you never get to do the rest of the year when the external demands are ever constant.”
Read Paul’s tips for making summer work fun and productive
Last month, more than 400 people registered to participate in – or receive information about – an audio seminar Tamarack hosted on Developmental Evaluation (DE) with Michael Quinn Patton. This tremendous interest speaks to Developmental Evaluation’s usefulness in monitoring and supporting social innovations that are tackling some of society’s toughest challenges.
Developmental Evaluation has emerged as a response to situations where more established forms of evaluation are not appropriate and may even be counter-productive.
In his latest book, Developmental Evaluation: Applying Complexity Concepts to Enhance Innovation and Use, Michael Quinn Patton – one of the world’s leading authorities in evaluation – provides real-life examples and frameworks that offer concrete ways to help – not hinder – the work of social innovators and change makers in an increasingly complex world.
Read Mark’s article and win a copy of Michael’s book
On June 16th the Poverty Elimination Act was introduced into Canada’s House of Commons – marking a new level of federal engagement in poverty reduction. This Act, when combined with work already underway at the provincial and municipal levels, could generate real momentum and impact in reducing poverty in Canada.
Access the Act and related links
Last year nearly 500 members of Tamarack’s learning community shared their thoughts about community in a survey that is now being released one question at a time. Below you will find the survey results and analysis results for the question:
What does “the benefit of community” mean to you?
To me, the benefit of community is…
“A sense of belonging, a beautiful place to live, strong friendships and supports for all when they need it with the opportunity to give back when they can.
A true community means everyone is using the talents & gifts they have to contribute to a greater whole and they have the freedom to ask for support when they need it so that we have a society that relies on each other rather than government & institutions for our help...”
Access this full article, survey results and related links
I admit it. Every time I tried opening my Facebook and Twitter accounts, I seemed to run into password walls and treacherous sinkholes. Why was this so hard?
I was seriously contemplating hunkering down and waiting for the social media parade to pass. And then, in early June, I experienced the second MyCharityConnects conference in Toronto. Part of Net Change week at MaRS (#ncwk on Twitter), the sold-out event took me from avid avoider to ardent adopter.
Access Anne’s full article and related links
Think of a story of a place where you experienced the greatest sense of aliveness, vitality and connection? How did this connection to place shape how you think of your leadership and your community?
The power of a place is that it is not only a destination to return to - all places are fleeting – it is also a presence to grow out from. From this first primary love of place we learn over time to also love other things.
In a time when everything around us looks the same, we need to re-align around the emerging work of leaders as place–makers. To partner with place in a way that ensures it is free to express itself, as itself, in a manner that is true to its own nature, through the work of our communities, our leadership and ourselves.
Read Michael’s full article and related links
Here is one of my favorite (and very simple) summer recipes. It’s a real crowd pleaser.
This recipe was inspired by a roving neighbourhood picnic – something of an annual summer tradition in our rural sub-division.
Access this full article and fabulous recipe
