MAKING COLLECTIVE IMPACT HAPPEN

This is an effective community development model that would work well for Engaged Citizenship

I have been a student of Collective impact for over a decade. The concept is is a practical way of thinking and organizing for action to deal with complex social problems like changing the political culture in Alberta.

I believe Collective Impact is be best organizational framework for CITIZENSHIP MATTERS to be relevant and effective for those who seek political culture change using the Power of Citizenship.

It has evolved from Organizational Managements to Shared Management into Movement Building. Each stage of the evolution keeps and build on the previous iterations. It’s a “Yes-And” form of change not an “Either-Or” where the new abandons the past.

Collective impact is a network of community members, organizations, and institutions that advance equity by learning together, aligning, and integrating their actions to achieve population and systems-level change.

There are five conditions of Collective Impact that are very applicable to becoming a more effective and assertive citizen advocate about changing things that matter to you systemically through the Power of your Citizenship:

COMMON AGENDA: that reflects a community aspiration, is responsive to concerns and includes diverse voices, based on the reality that all of us are smarter than any of us.

SHARED MEASUREMENT: means efforts are data and evidence based so participants stay aligned and hold each other accountable while exploring ideas, tracking progress and defining desired results.

MUTUALLY REINFORCING ACTIVITIES: Participants do not give up their identities to the group, instead they work through a coordinated focused systematic plan of action that weaves in the skills and experiences of the participants.

CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION: helps build and sustain trust amongst the participants who share a common motivation and shared objectives through transparency and ongoing engagement.

BACKBONE SUPPORT: is where the management of the various initiatives takes place with dedicated staff with skills to facilitate, convene, coordinate and keep momentum.

There are many areas of citizen engagement that are possible in provincial government policy, programs, process and political reform. What will actually happen depends on the interest and commitment of time talent and other resources from those citizens who truly want to Press for Change.

Some of the major areas of concern are Provincial Policing, replacing the Canada Pension with an Alberta only pension, Energy Transition and Electoral Reform. There are many other areas of engagement in provincial policy impacts on education, social justice, healthcare, infrastructure, just to name a few. As well there are the specifically personal concerns like AISH fairness, services for vulnerable fellow citizens from disabilities to affordability.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST IN YOUR NETWORKS SO OTHERS CAN BECOME MORE AWARE AND BETTER INFORMED ABOUT CITIZEHSHIP MATTERS. We need Alberta Moderates to become involved in making the needed changes we see actually happen.