Next Gen News
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Thanks to everyone who came out to the Justin Trudeau Speaking Event on Wednesday, April 28 at Grant MacEwan University.
Register a team in the Edmonton Community Challenge!
Next Gen and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) are organizing a fun event, open to all ages, that will reward participants for their participation, civic pride, and their desire to do some good for the local community.
Thanks to everyone who came out to Pecha Kucha Night 6 last Thursday at the McDougall Church!
Engage: Your City, Your Voice inaugural event on January 28, 2010 at City Hall was an evening to remember. There were over 80 individuals from various walks of life who helped to contribute ideas and suggestions on how we as a City can improve Edmonton's Downtown Area.
Next Gen has a new special event in the works and we are looking for volunteers to get involved.
The idea for this new event, scheduled tentatively for the end of January, will be to to create an opportunity for discussion around topics that interest people of the next generation, and to help make sure that when it comes to decisions that affect Edmonton, all of our voices are heard.
Next Gen wants to give young people a chance to get together and talk, discuss, share ideas, and enact change. And, since this is a Next Gen event after all, we want to do it in a way that is as fun, exciting, creative and cutting edge as possible.
Initial planning has only just begun so there's still lots of time to volunteer and make your mark.
Meetings for this working group will be monthly on every 4th Tuesday during the evening.
If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please contact: Christine Causing, Next Gen Coordinator at: nextgen@edmonton.ca.
For those of you who attended the Next Gen Community Challenge at Orange Hall on July 8 co-hosted with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) or if you missed this event and want to know what happened, here is a recap of the discussions that took place that evening!
Two questions were asked to those who participated at the Next Gen Community Challenge:
1. What sort of projects appeal to the next gen demographic?
Some of the suggestions were:
- Friendly community competitions - Outdoor movie nights - Make public facilities such as the community hall free for activities and events - Coffee shops poetry slams/music - More cultural events like aboriginal night - Block Parties and other events that are not too intimidating. - More flashy events (wine and cheeses, zombie walk, Hawaiian party).
One of the biggest inhibitors to involvement for young people was raising awareness that the league exists. Leagues need to work on identifying new and innovative ways of marking their communities and directing new residents to the hall or central meeting place. Building relationships with local businesses, services, and taking any opportunity to recruit new members is crucial to building the next generation of community leaders.
2. How can Community Leagues better engage the next gen demographic?
-Go Digital, use Social Media
-Each league should have a Facebook group or fanpage
-Marketing efforts and outreach campaigns (increase)
-Reach out to schools and post secondary/colleges in the city of Edmonton
-Leagues should offer free memberships to students in post-secondary to increase awareness and to get volunteers
-Each Community League should send out a welcome to new residents in their area
Detailed info on the outcome of the Community Challenge can be found at: http://efcl.org/NEWS/tabid/145/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/246/Default.aspx
For more info on the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues please contact: Michael Janz: michael.janz@efcl.org
Cary Williams, the Community Co-Chair of Next Gen, wants you to know more about Next Gen and its priorities for the next couple years!