Thanks to everyone who attended the NextGen kick off event last Wed with the proclamation from Mayor Iveson.

Check out our photos from the event that took place at Latitude 53 and featured breakdancers from United 1ne.

A big thank you to TD for sponsoring our NextGen kick off event and the Mercer Summer Super Party.

Also, special thanks to Famoso for providing free gelato at the Mercer Summer Super Party and those awesome gift cards!

And thank you to Mayor Iveson for proclaiming June as NextGen Month.

In case you missed our events, here are photos taken by David Rauch.

PKN 19

Thank you to our sponsors of Pecha Kucha Night!  And thank you to the Edmonton Pride Festival Society for partnering with us on PKN 19.

A crowd of 400 people attended Pecha Kucha Night 19 (PKN 19) on Thursday, June 5, outside in Churchill Square. Thoughtful, musical, and informative presentations were shared as well as a greeting from Mayor Iveson.

#yegpkn

Mercer Summer Super Party

A big thank you to host partners Mercer Warehouse, Make Something Edmonton, Startup Edmonton, The Culture Collective and TD.

#superparty #nextgenmonth

Pride Parade

Thanks to everyone who walked with us in the Pride Parade last Saturday. We had over 50 people who joined us in the parade!

Thanks to Mediaco, Thomas Culture, Ampersand Grey, Fabulous Balloons, the City of Edmonton and Edmonton’s Pride Festival Society.

#yegpride #nextgenmonth

Many thanks to our volunteers who helped make all these events happen!

NextGen, an initiative of the City of Edmonton is proud to be working with the next gen community and TD to create and promote NextGen Month. 

Check out all these events taking place in June! #nextgenmonth

If NextGen Month is new to you and you want to learn more about how to engage Edmonton’s next gen demographic in your organization’s activities, we’d love to talk to you. Come to our NextGen Month event or the other events taking place in June and hear all the great things that NextGen and community organizations are working on!

Celebrate the kick off to NextGen Month, June 4

Celebrate the kick-off to NextGen Month on June 4 at a reception at Latitude 53, featuring music, entertainment and the NextGen Month proclamation by Mayor Don Iveson.

When: June 4

Where: Latitude 53 at 5:00pm, Speeches at 6pm

Thanks to everyone who RSVP’d!

It’s okay!

Because we are still accepting submissions for Pecha Kucha Night 19! Happening June 5, 2014 in Sir Winston Churchill Square, this is your chance to present your amazing incredibly fantastic idea to some of Edmonton’s most engaged and creative young people. Some of the most recently presented topics ranged from donairs to nanotechnology – we just want to hear what you’re passionate about!

Just submit your presentation here, using our handy form. The deadline for submissions is May 8, and we’ll review them all in the following week. Can’t wait to see them all in June!

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase 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. Presentations consist of 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.

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen, an initiative of the City of Edmonton, is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.

At a variety of events throughout the month of June, Edmontonians ages 18 – 40 can connect with Edmonton’s next gen community, get involved, share ideas, be creative, meet new people or help shape the city’s future.

Are you hosting an event this June that you think may be a fit to be promoted as part of our NextGen Month? Let us know about it.

NextGen is proud to be working with the City of Edmonton and TD to create and promote this year’s calendar of events. NextGen Month is an exciting time to connect with young people in Edmonton, and we want to help like-minded organizations throughout the City be a part of that success.

If you have an event in the month of June that focuses on engaging next gener’s in YEG and you would like to propose it for addition to the June calendar, please email details to nextgen@edmonton.ca by Thursday, May 8.

To apply please send your resume and cover letter to: Nextgen @ edmonton.ca  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: Angela.Saveraux@cwbank.com.

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!

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

PKN 18 presentations included:

• Omar Mouallem, Writer | Dinner of Champions
• Rohan Nuttall, Co-Founder of Lone Pine Apparel | Combating Homelessness? It’s easier than it seems
• Lisa Workman, Exercise Physiologist | Why do You Move? The Missing Question to Our Physical Activity Habits
• David Jackson, Policy and Research Analyst & Wildrose Official Opposition | High Speed Rail, It’s Not Enough
• Robyn Jacobsen, Senior Manager of Program Planning and Development at the Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) | Building Consensus for a Sustainable Future
• Allen Ball, Associate Professor, & WenJuan Huang, Post Doctoral Fellow | Consumption: The Art of Nanotechnology
• Amee Barber, PhD Candidate | From Brothels to Love Hotels: Re-imagining Sexualized Space
• Adrian J.A. Louden, Artist | What Is Graffiti and Why Do We Need It?
• Joshua Kupsch, Co-founder of Edmonton Bike Polo | WTF is Bike Polo?
• Randy Boissonnault, Founder and Volunteer Executive Director at Literacy Without Borders | Around the World and Here at Home
• Matthew Jacula, Strategic Coordinator at Kids4Cameras | [per-spek-tiv]
• Kassie Burkholder & Lisa Michetti, Communications at Volunteer Alberta | Volunteerville
• Jabir Devjee, Account Executive at Aurora Flags | Flag Histories and Designs

PKN 18 was sponsored by: City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase 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

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!

But we are still looking for pitches. Visit www.meaet.com for more information and to submit a proposal and pitch your idea! 

Guests will enjoy a three course meal that appeals to the senses: smell, touch, and of course taste. The catch is, you will be blindfolded, to let your other senses take the lead. The food will be gluten and nut free, and a vegetarian option is available (option upon registration).

During dinner, we will have winners from previous Story Slams in the city join us to entertain your ears, and you’ll hear local pitches for home grown ideas. You’ll then have the opportunity to vote for the pitch you’d like to help fund.  After dinner, you’ll have a chance to mingle with your sight back, and check out the gallery’s installations.

Out of the $25 ticket price, $10 goes towards the pot for the evening. Though no matter which side of dining table you are on; you will  enjoy a dinner with excellent conversation with like minding philanthropists.

This is your chance to: Share a meal. Connect. Enjoy performances. Cast your vote. Make a difference now.

There are 2 ways you can enjoy a MEÆTing:

You can (1) apply to have a project funded and come enjoy dinner, and present your project or (2) come enjoy dinner, experience the presentations, vote for your favourite, and donate $10 to fund something awesome.

The best presentation (as determined by the votes) receives the night’s funding.

MEÆT is an event designed to bring us together for a meal and together fund home-grown projects. By getting together and pooling our wealth we can avoid bureaucracy, get right down to the meat of an idea and make it happen.

Dark MEAET

PKN 18 also featured music by DJ Thomas Culture and photography by Warren Fenton of Fenton Photography. Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returned with gift cards for all ticket holders.

NextGen would like to thank its generous sponsors – the City of Edmonton, Graphos, and Klein Dytham, the energetic organizing committee, the outstanding presenters, and the attentive audience for making PKN 18 such a great success!

A big thank you to the presenters, volunteers, our NextGen Coordinator and everyone who helped make PKN 18 a great event!

Photo and video coverage of the evening’s festivities will be posted soon. For information on future PKNs, watch our website, subscribe to our newsletter, like our facebook page, or follow us on twitter @EdmNextGen using the hashtag #yegpkn.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase 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