The NextGen Committee is currently looking to fill two volunteer positions: Communications Co-Chair and Volunteer Engagement Co-Chair.

To apply please send your resume and cover letter to:  by May 5th. We will be holding interviews sometime in May and invite those shortlisted for an interview with our recruitment committee.

We are looking for two (2) individuals who are within the next gen demographic, who live in Edmonton, are interested in volunteering on a City of Edmonton committee. Also, individuals who have a keen interest in community development, civic participation and working on projects and events that are part of NextGen’s work plan, strategic goals and that are of interest to next gener’s.

 The responsibilities of the Communications Co-Chair position are:

• Works with the NextGen Communications Co-Chair and leads a Working Group (subcommittee) of 15 volunteers who work on communications related projects

• Assists with the coordination and hosting of monthly Working Group meetings

• Works with the NextGen Committee and NextGen Coordinator on City of Edmonton and NextGen communications

• Facilitates the communications needs of the NextGen Committee and Working Groups by providing overarching communications support

• Assists with managing the Edmonton NextGen website for copy writing and maintenance; local skill procurement for graphic design, photography and videography; and the use of multi-social media platforms

Term and Commitment:

Participation on the NextGen Committee is a volunteer position.

Members sit on the Committee for two (2) -year terms with the opportunity to extend their term.

The time commitment being a Committee member on NextGen is approximately 10-15 hours a month for meetings and Working Group projects.

Meetings:

There are approximately 2-3 meetings a month that includes:

• Monthly NextGen Committee meetings every second Monday from 5:30-7:30pm

• Monthly Communications meetings the last Tuesday from 5:30-7:00pm

• Monthly NextGen Sustainability Working Group meetings every 3rd Thursday from 11:30am-1:00pm (if available to attend)

If you have any questions about the Communications Co-Chair position, please contact: .

And

The responsibilities of the Volunteer Engagement Co-Chair position are:

• Works with the NextGen Community Volunteer Engagement Co-Chair and leads and manages a Working Group (subcommittee) of volunteers on projects that focuses on volunteer engagement activities

• Assists with the coordination and hosting of monthly Working Group meetings

• Acts as the point of contact for individuals interested in volunteering on a NextGen Working Group

• Provides information on the type of volunteer opportunities available

• Helps to recruit volunteers for NextGen events and projects

• Assists with orientation of new members

• Helps plan and organize fun volunteer social events

• Assists the NextGen Coordinator and Committee Co-Chairs with the recruitment process of new NextGen Committee members

• Attends community events and manages NextGen info tables and promotional activities

Term and Commitment:

Participation on the NextGen Committee is a volunteer position.

Members sit on the Committee for two (2) -year terms with the opportunity to extend their term.

The time commitment being a Committee member on NextGen is approximately 10-15 hours a month for meetings and Working Group projects.

Meetings:

There are approximately 2-3 meetings a month that includes:

• Monthly NextGen Committee meetings every second Monday from 5:30-7:30pm

• Monthly NextGen Sustainability Working Group meetings every 3rd Thursday from 11:30am-1:00pm (if available to attend)

• Volunteer Engagement Working Group meetings (date depends on availability of volunteers)

If you have any questions about the position, please contact: Christine.Causing @ edmonton.ca

What is the NextGen Committee?

The NextGen Committee is an Administrative Committee of the City of Edmonton that was established in 2006 in the Department of Community Services. The Committee reports to the Corporate Leadership Team that includes all the Department General Managers and the City Manager. NextGen and the Committee act as a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas together. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development NextGen fosters young leaders and support initiatives and ideas of interest to the next generation.

There are currently 15 members on the Committee who volunteer their time on various projects and events and work with other community volunteers organized into working groups (subcommittees) that include Pecha Kucha Nights, Communications, Sustainability, Ignite and Voice. Members on the Committee represent the community and the City of Edmonton. There are also two ex-officio Councillors: Knack and Oshry who provide advice to the Committee and a full-time Coordinator from the City of Edmonton who supports and manages the Committee.

 Thanks for your interest!

Pecha Kucha Night 19 | Call For Presenters

Are you feeling inspired? Have you had a spark of genius lately? Share it with us – and 700 others – at the next Pecha Kucha! Now is your opportunity to present your ideas to some of Edmonton’s most engaged and creative young people. Edmonton’s NextGen is currently accepting presentation submissions for Pecha Kucha Night 19 to be held on June 5, 2014 in Churchill Square. More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton Pecha Kucha Nights, and most recently some of the topics ranged from donairs to nanotechnology, and everything in between.

If you’re interested, you can submit your presentation using our handy form!. Deadline for submissions is May 8 and will be reviewed the following week.

While you’re waiting to hear from us, you can prepare yourself by checking out our 10 steps to a great Pecha Kucha presentation.

What is Pecha Kucha?

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.
For more information, visit pechakucha.org

Friendly and fun loving individuals exchanging words and laughter over excellent beer is what took place at The Yellowhead Brewery last Wednesday, April 2 for The Local Good’s monthly Green Drinks event – featuring Local Literature.

As participants walked through the door, they received a unique mad lib, containing content crafted by a local author. Completing the mad lib granted submission for a chance to win stellar prize draws and interacting with others was the only way to do it.  Everyone wore a name tag dictated if they were a “noun” or a “verb” and this corresponded to which applicable words they would supply for the mad libs of others.

Well-known and respected individuals who are actively involved in Edmonton’s literature community later took center stage and shared their achievements and passions for the audience. Avid writers and readers weren’t the only ones in attendance at the event. A few folks from Rapid Fire Theatre gave entertaining performances in promotion for the upcoming Bonfire Festival taking place April 8 – 12.

The Brewery was packed and the event was a success – filled with good conversation, love for literature, and quality beer to accompany. The next Green Drinks event, taking place Wednesday, May 7,  will be exploring the theme of Good Business – Local, Green and Social Enterprise. Get your tickets here!

 Dark MEAET saw the gallery Latitude 53 transformed into multi-sensory experience, as over 80 attendees agreed to be blindfolded for the course of the evening.

 Volunteers were there to guide the participants to and from tables, serve dinner, clean up spills and keep the art from falling off the walls. When asked what it felt like to dine in the dark, one participant said, “It was messy – a little scary to find my water glass, but not seeing anything really brought out the taste and smell of the food.”

Diane Bergeron of CNIB spoke about the reality of the participants’ experience for many Canadians. “What you are seeing right now is what I see every day.” She went on to explain the services CNIB provides to Canadians who are blind or partially sighted, such as rehabilitation for mobility, orientation, socialization. But the support does not stop there, as it is also an advocacy group fighting for a barrier-free society. Bergeron, who is a triathlete, urged participants to consider volunteering with CNIB to help people who are blind to fulfill their passions, as she has been able to do because she races with a person beside her.

Diane Bergeron and guide dog Lucy

Attendees enjoyed a three course meal, several performances by Story Slam winners and, of course, pitches for five local start-ups and projects vying for the $850 prize to use as seed money to grow their ideas. The contestants were Chris Floden of The Bee Pilot Project, Trina Shipanoff with Night Market Edmonton, Amy MacKinnon for KwadSquad, Linda Ritter with Selgado Fenwick, a local clothing company, and Kassie Burkholder with a pitch to begin her own workplace wellness consulting business.

They are all compelling initiatives, locally grown here in Edmonton, but there can only be one winner and NextGen is pleased to announce that Chris Floden of The Bee Pilot Project was awarded the prize money by a vote of attendees. Proceeds from the event’s ticket sales will go to support the project and promote the cause of urban beekeeping in Edmonton.

Chris Floden – The Bee Pilot Project

The sold out event was a huge success. Delicious food was eaten, hilarious stories were enjoyed, and when the blindfolds came off and the lights came back on, we each looked around with a bit more perspective.

All photos courtesy of Karen Lee.

The next Green Drinks event will take place on Wednesday, April 2^nd at the Yellowhead Brewery.

This month’s theme celebrates Local Literature. Come to mingle with local authors, poets, editors, and storytellers. You might even take own your own piece of local literature as a door prize.

For more information, visit The Local Good or purchase tickets on Eventbrite. Act soon — tickets are selling fast.

See you there!