Chair’s Report to the
Cycling Advisory Committee
A number of activities were undertaken in support of Committee
Self Development and these included:
Meeting with Committee Coordinator
Rosemary and I continue to meet on a monthly basis to finalize the
agenda and discuss other committee related matters. Starting with the June
meeting Rob will be joining us.
An update of committee activities was submitted to the spring
issue of Better Bicycling published
by Citizen’s for Safe Cycling. The article appeared in both official languages.
Another submission will also be made to the fall issue. I am also hoping to
attend the next CfSC board meeting.
An update of activities was submitted for the next issue of The Spokesperson
the Ottawa Bicycle Club newsletter. I am waiting to hear back regarding my
request to attend an OBC board meeting.
An update of OCAC activities will be submitted to the nest issue
of the KNBC Newsletter. I am also
trying to coordinate my schedule to attend a KNBC board meeting.
I attended the Mission and Values workshop on April 26. The day
was spent developing an advisory committee mission statement. (A summary of the
day’s proceedings is attached.) While a mission statement that the group agreed
to was developed, the majority of attendees felt this was just the first step
in an ongoing process. Some advisory committee members indicated that roles and
responsibilities for both the city and advisory committee members should be the
next step.
I
pinched hit for Anne on the selection of the consultants for the cycling plan.
I helped staff a booth on the canal path (near Dow’s Lake) on bike
to work day (June 3). In addition to providing cold drinks to cyclists we
distributed a variety of informational brochures.
As part of the agreement with the city, some members of advisory
committees who had received facilitation services from the volunteer
facilitators were asked to present a summary of the training that was received
at a session of the IAF conference that has held here in June. I was asked to
represent the advisory committees that had participated in the Introduction to
Facilitation Training and Meeting Management workshops. (The IAF
Outreach Project Activity Report is attached.)
Both work shops offered excellent opportunities to meet members of
other advisory committees and discuss issues of common concern and determine
where we can work together.
Starting with the Environmental Advisory Committee on July 10, I
will be attending as many other advisory committee meetings as possible to
determine how best to work with other advisory committees. Chairs and members
of other advisory committees will also be attending our upcoming meetings.
Advisory Committees Mission and Values Workshop April 26,
2003
Facilitators: Joanna
Barclay and Julie Francisco
Recorders: Christine Manery AM
Lisa Gall PM
1. Expectations for this session |
|
Council needs to listen Results will contribute to the councillors listening
– no point in having Adv. Com. if they don’t listen Unified version for a better city and communication
with Council Define where we stand in terms of Council, staff and
committee How can we get Council to listen? We need to receive feedback to track results of
recommendations Vision, foresight, insight for future Greater sense of accountability Where do we fit in the decision making model To be more effective Clarify roles, cooperative input and how to convey
this to Council Anti Harassment policy that protects Adv. Comm.
Members Strengthen the nature of democracy Communal appreciation-getting the message out to the
public Code of conduct How do we accept and deliver public input Need tools to help us Clear and easy
formal vision How to be
proactive Create an outcome
for the community Meaningful Work better as a
group Attain a common
goal Define values |
|
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2.0 Appreciative Inquiry Exercise |
|
Discovered they
have a lot of commonalities Would like to
network with other committees Would
like to this exercise with all other advisory members People expect
others to take care of them, here we make it happen ourselves Appreciated the
Volunteer Awards since it rewards what we do but also shows that the City
expects the Community to volunteer |
|
|
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3.1 Motivators / High Points |
|
|
Change is seen as
necessary and possible Civic
Mindedness Importance of
recognizing the skills and knowledge of the group Opportunity to
participate Opportunity to
express oneself To learn and grow To give back When there is a
challenge Perceived need
and we can contribute in finding a solution Sense of
responsibility and duty Opportunity to
make a difference / seek solutions Enthusiasm,
Engagement, Frustrations Altruism |
|
|
3.2 Hopes |
|
|
Improved City of
Ottawa Improved
relations with staff, community, Councillors To recognize that
the City has a rural community New image has to
forward Put aside
personal agendas and work for the public good Council considers
recommendations Need to be
involved early in the process and the whole way through in order to make a
valuable contribution – Being at the end of the process is not working – no
influence Want to see
results Work plan
is activated and not just simply talked about Foster a
consistent buy in from the community Need to consult
more with the community which means decisions might take longer Need more time to make decisions Play a leadership
role in community building Promote a better
sense of community from amongst divergent interests Common vision for
community Initiating and
following through on community projects |
|
|
|
|
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3.3 Assets of the Advisory Members |
|
|
Leadership Have a connection
with the community Existing
networks and connections with
others Organisational
skills Communicate needs
of the community Look at diverse
needs to find a fair solution Bring a lot of
experience with them Team building Takes the best
from around the table Core of
sustainable workers that move things along – worker bees Patience and
perseverance Ability and
desire to learn Resolve conflicts Focus on the big
picture Passion Analytical
skills Listening skills Foster a sense of
community Long term –
continuity |
|
|
3.4 Vision |
|
|
Good results come
from active committed open, energized members Need to feel
positive Need to bridge
the gaps between City and community Different
solutions to one problems and each has a value learned Need to move
forward together to a common goal Council look at
AC as a source of information prior to
making a decision Valuable
contribution |
|
|
4.0 What we have learned so
far? |
|
|
Need a mechanism
to receive input form the public City should not
be inhibited by cost – if volunteering it is because they want to Too late to
provide input on a document that is already finished Need to be at the
beginning of the process Can also help
City with research aspect of issues Crushed by
bureaucracy Our comments are
not being taken into account in final decision Looking for ways
to be functional and create change Not tapping into
existing structure; i.e. Ward Council meetings Are we here to
provide only our opinion or the community voice? Too many
different processes in the City inhibit contributions, City needs to
formalize the way it does things and
everyone do it the same way Need a better
understanding of what is happening in wards We should share
information and knowledge between AC – if something is working in a AC, it
may work in another Do not know all
the AC and their mandates – should be more communication between us 1 issue may
affect more than 1 AC, we should work together on certain issues
(interdependency) to find a common answer |
|
|
5.0 In terms of Collaborative Participation
with the City, what will the Advisory Committees accomplish in the next 12
months? In our ideal AC community… |
|
IAF Outreach Project Activity Report
Goals of the IAF Outreach
Project:
- To give something back to the city hosting the IAF conference by working with local community organizations
Twenty-five volunteers from the Ottawa
Facilitation Community provided facilitation services from October 2002 - June
2003 to the City of Ottawa Advisory committees. The following is a list of the
activities performed and who was involved.
|
Advisory
Committee |
Requirements
& Activities Provided
by Ottawa Facilitation Community |
Volunteer
Commitment |
|
Meeting of Chairs and Vice Chairs of all
Advisory Committees |
Semi-annual
meeting of all Advisory Committees (AC) and city AC committee coordinators. Feedback
and input was gathered to assist the city and ACs on best practises, AC roles
and responsibilities, policy implementation, training and tools for committee
members. |
2
Facilitators: -
Julie Westeinde -
Joanna Barclay |
|
Equity and Diversity |
Met
with AC and provided a communications questionnaire used by the Committee to
develop a communications strategy and determine what public consultation was
required. |
1
Facilitator: -
Sylvia Laale |
|
Poverty |
Facilitated
AC retreat that focused on community building and process development |
2
Facilitators: -
Sylvia Laale -
Julie Francisco |
|
Accessibility |
Housing
Policy Public Consultation: To
share information and perspectives on the major issues affecting
accessibility in housing and to generate a set of criteria to form the basis
of a housing accessibility policy Designed
the processes, worked with AC organizers to set up logistics and communications,
facilitated 2 public forums |
4 Facilitators: - Wanda Généreux - Lisa Jordan-Weiss -
Kate McLaren -
John Butcher |
|
Environment |
Public
consultation to receive prioritized input that speaks directly to the
strategic questions they will be seeking to answer during their up-coming
Official Plan and Environmental Strategy planning activities. Facilitation
team: -
Met with EAC to document needs, discuss context -
Refined needs through telephone, e-mail -
Meeting of facilitation team to draft process, included EAC and City Staff -
Discussions with EAC/City Staff to draft approach -
Met with City Staff to finalize agenda, session questions and approach -
Documented approach (see attachments) and delivered to team -
Undertook facilitation during event -
Facilitated 12 breakout sessions at the one day public consultation |
12
Facilitators: -
Richard Delaney -
Wanda Généreux -
John Butcher -
Susan Carlton -
Sara Chen-Wing -
Valerie Delaney -
Julie Francisco -
Lisa Jordan-Weiss -
Christiane Kirkland -
Tara Lapointe -
Pamela Schreiner -
Jan Yuill |
|
Transportation |
Assisted with developing a model for Public Consultation, and facilitation of a Community Outreach program that would gather feedback from citizens about their perception of the transportation facilities in their community such as biking, walking, pathways. Activities: 1.
Pulled together a team that included members of the various
stakeholder groups and the four facilitators. 2.
Had several meetings to include the needs of the committee and to
co-design the event and plan for marketing the event. 3.
Facilitated the community outreach meeting. 4.
Left the committee with a plan that they could reuse in a different
setting. |
4
Facilitators: -
Janice Calnan -
Sara Chen-Wing -
Lee Wallace -
Katrin Smith |
|
Youth Cabinet |
Public
meeting on the subject of building an indoor skateboard facility Brainstorming
with the youth (skateboarders, BMXers and in-line skaters) on the subject of
building an indoor skateboard facility. Shauna Denis (subcommittee chair)
needed to write a position paper on this subject and she wanted input from
the youth. |
4
Facilitators: - Linda Vanderlee - Wanda Généreux -
Susan Carlton -
Steve Gauthier |
|
Wild Life Panel |
Facilitated
two meetings for the Agriculture and Rural Affairs AC with invited members of
the public to discuss, make recommendations and consider serving on a Wild
Life Panel. |
2
Facilitators: -
John Maskell -
Lisa Jordan Weiss |
|
Ottawa Forestry |
There
were two distinct volunteer activities facilitated by the same team for this
committee: 1. Process design and
facilitation support for the OFAC forum -October 26, 2002. 2. Process design and facilitation support for the OFAC (work plan) action-planning exercise - April 28, 2003 Activities: 1. Assisted with forum
process design and developed reporting template for breakout groups,
delivered facilitation training to breakout group leaders, conducted opening
and closing plenary sessions 2. Designed a four-phased action-planning exercise: 1. undertook research; 2. developed, delivered and analyzed a committee member survey (to help determine strategic priorities and establish a volunteer hours/monthly budget); 3. developed and delivered a report of findings and PPT presentation to OFAC members; 4. designed and facilitated action-planning sessions |
2
Facilitators: -
Valerie Delaney -
Rick Delaney |
|
Parks and Recreation |
A series of public consultations to focus on recreational facilities in the city of Ottawa. -
Met with sub-committee to clarify objectives, -
Facilitated a full committee meeting to develop consensus on the objectives
for the consultations -
Public consultations are currently planned for the fall |
4 Facilitators: - Wanda Généreux - Sylvie Laale - Helene Lamoureux - Lisa Jordan-Weiss |
|
Facilitation Training |
Phone
calls with city coordinator and AC co-chairs to get background/needs
analysis. Attended meeting to observe meeting and also elicit input from
members as to their training needs. Informed them of the two upcoming
training workshops: meeting management and facilitation skills Designed and delivered one day Intro to Facilitation skills training to approximately 35 volunteers from the ACs and city staff |
5 Facilitators: - Joanne Daykin - Wanda Généreux -
Catherine McKenna -
Julie Westeinde -
Pamela Shreiner |
|
Meeting Management
Training |
Provide
forum for discussion on best practises in meetings (planning, promoting and
controlling participation, and producing results) - Discussed training needs and context with
cycling committee chair - Observed meeting in progress - Refined needs through telephone / e-mail - Meeting of facilitation team to establish
approach and draft processes Delivered
training to members of cycling, heritage and poverty committees: March 3, 7:15-9:30 Post
training observation of same advisory committee to see impact of the training
and lessons learned |
2
Facilitators: -
Bill Clarke -
Susan Carlton |
If you have any questions
concerning the project please contact one of the Outreach co-chairs.
IAF Outreach Project was
lead by Co-Chairs:
Julie Westeinde - learning@magma.ca
Joanna Barclay - jbarclay@collaborativeconnections.ca
Engaging Citizens in Public Issue Dialogue …
Facilitating Participation Among the Many
June 19, 2003
Facilitators:
Julie Westeinde, Joanna Barclay, Lyle Makosky, Sylvia Laale, Julie Francisco,
Wanda Génereux, Lisa Jordan-Weiss, Kate McLaren, John Butcher, Richard Delaney,
Susan Carleton, Sara Chen-Wing, Valerie Delaney, Christiane Kirkland, Tara
Lapointe, Pamela Schreiner, Jan Yuill, Janice Calnan, Lee Wallace, Katrin
Smith, Linda Vanderlee, Steve Gauthier, John Maskell, Helene Lamoureux, Joanne
Daykin, Catherine McKenna, Bill Clarke,
City
of Ottawa: Stephani Roy McCallum, Manager of Policy and Projects
Guest Speaker:
Councillor Janet Stavinga
Some
members of Advisory Committees and facilitators had the opportunity to talk
about their experiences. The results were very positive and helped establish a
stronger framework for members who participated. Here are some of the
highlights:
·
Build capacity — provide participants with tools to
increase effectiveness and ability to engage the public.
·
Increase clarity on their roles in the citizen
engagement process and the direction they want as a group.
·
Assist members to accomplish tasks and engage the
community on specific projects.
·
Create a synergy and enthusiasm.
·
Great learning exchange between facilitators.
·
Opportunity to give back to the community.
The first question was what do
people want to see moving forward from the Project:
·
Creating
a friendly safe environment to encourage citizens passion and responsibility.
·
Develop
and define roles and responsibilities for Advisory Committee.
·
Empowering
people to be involved in the community.
·
Find
additional ways to encourage public participation.
·
Retreats/workshop
and training mandatory for all Advisory Committee members.
·
Ongoing
communication – encourage, improve.
·
Facilitation
training 101 broadened for community groups.
·
Emphasis
on openness and holistic human approach.
·
A
clear and concrete outcome should be followed so as to solicit a positive
environment for influence in the municipal government.
·
Those
who participate in public consultation should be updated with the reasons and
conclusions reached from the dialogue.
·
Interconnection
between Advisory Committees — remove the walls.
·
Showcasing
Ottawa’s Advisory Committees to other cities
·
Enable
potential leaders in Advisory Committees.
·
Don’
t settle for what is — have a vision for what could be.
·
Keep
your vision big, you can reach it through baby steps.
A workshop was designed asking
participants on where they feel there are opportunities to build capacity to
support facilitated dialogue.
Government
·
Facilitate dialogue between different levels of
government to increase their effectiveness (i.e. Provincial and City).
·
Encourage facilitation between Advisory Committees
and Council.
·
Councillor’s constituency meetings.
·
Set up Advisory system for a provincial riding and
provincial interests.
·
City Council Meetings.
·
Encourage facilitation between Advisory Committees
and the public.
·
School Boards and the public, i.e. Closing of some inner city schools have been discussed with
no real dialogue.
·
Police Services.
·
Keep government from being affected by private
interest.
·
Public involvement of priority settings prior to
budget.
·
Explore Epilot – public government learning
opportunities on emerging issues.
·
Site plan requirements for shopping malls.
·
Community Centres.
·
Inter Faith Communities.
·
Utilize any activity that has a potential impact on
the security of our kids as a means to attract the community to meetings (i.e.
bullying).
·
Facilitate dialogue to bring in a multiple cultures
at meetings.
·
Community Design Plans.
·
Community assessment tools (i.e. indicators of
quality of life).
·
Health and Safety issues, rural issues, forestry
issues.
·
Engage youth.
·
Create local Committees to provide more
relevant involvement.
·
Coaching in sports.
·
Charity associations.
·
Between Advisory Committees.
·
Outreach Activities — Public input into advice.
·
Public Meetings.
·
Facilitation between the general public and
Advisory Committees.
·
Training on facilitation skills for members.
·
Set some governance practises to be used by all
group.
·
Help
businesses and business leaders understand their contribution to the community
and the impact that they have and build capacity with a possible partnerships.
·
Training
businesses to offer training on meeting management and facilitation to non
profit organizations.
·
Provide
funding/sponsorship to non profits to support public consultation.
·
Private
public partnerships.
·
Cycling community working with business community
to ensure proper cycling facilities, safe and secure bicycle parking and end of
trip facilities.
·
Dialogue between poor/working poor and retailers to
demystify misconceptions.
·
Build structures in business meetings, create
culture that sustains
·
Integrate financial community early in process for
better buy in.
Here
are some resources/assets that could be used in helping build capacity:
·
Business leaders.
·
Centre for conflict resolution.
·
Grrenprint R-T
services.
·
Media.
·
Unions.
·
CAMC — Canadian Association of Management
Consultants.
·
Business Organizations, i.e. Chamber of Commerce.
·
Certified management consultants.
·
Professional facilitators.
·
ODNOO — Organization Development Network of Ottawa
Outaouais.
·
IAF members.
·
Network Facilitation community.
·
John Cleese videos as training tools.
·
Teachers, religious leaders, volunteers, seniors,
community associations, athletes, charitable associations, schools.
·
Recreation association, Friends of “ “, i.e.
library, community activists, informal, cultural leaders, neighbourhood groups
i.e. schools/day care coops.
·
Service organizations i.e. Rotary club, special
interest groups.
·
High school council.
·
People who applied for Advisory Committee but did
not get selected.
·
Youth groups, cultural community, artistic
community.
·
Message boards to defeat graffiti.
·
Taking advantage of the wisdom of our senior
population.
·
Community newspapers.
·
New residents in community-foreign experience.
·
Volunteers.
·
First Nations .
·
List serves.
·
Elected officials, Advisory Committees, law
officials, Councillors and staff.
·
Police.
·
Ongoing involvement with Advisory Committees.
·
Linkages with community health centres to engage
diverse populations.
·
Work with community associations to make them more
effective.
·
Youth initiatives.
·
Ward based web page.
·
City report card.
·
Encourage business to play a more involved role in
community dialogue.
·
Community tree planting, choosing the species,
where what, when — how to get people involved.
·
Develop and external network of community experts
for various Advisory Committees.
·
Facilitate the meetings of the Advisory Committees
co chairs twice a year with a defined agenda.
·
Some cities have used performance measurements to
increase effectiveness i.e. Charlotte North Carolina.
·
How the recommendations of the Advisory boards are
being used or not used.
·
Training for community associations that will in
turn establish an educational dialogue with the City and it’s community.
·
Best practise — OCDSB (Ottawa Carleton District
School Board) It uses the public as a barometer of the activity of the board.
·
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (Halifax
Conference August) talked about International Best practises and diversity, cpc.Doherty@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
·
Include “Asset based community development” – ABCD
Institute, North eastern University, Mcknight, Krietzman, Bebyfox.
·
Include “40 Developmental Assets” from Search
Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
·
Calgary performance measures.
·
Research Dialogue processes i.e. GreenPrint.
·
Advisory Committees – lessons learned.
·
Reference material from; Gail Stewart and Dialogue
Networks, Len Potechin, Ed Aquilina
·
Previous generations and lesson learned, research
the past
·
Steering Committee created in order to build
capacity to engage citizens in public issue dialogue from interested
participants
·
Committee would hold a Search Conference in 6
months
·
City has committed to evaluate the project in 1
year
·
Walk before you run
·
Focus on 2-3 areas with high potential for value to
the community.
·
Make effort to be inclusive and truly represent
Ottawa residents and their interests.
·
A representative cross-section of community
members.
·
Focus on projects with high visibility and
manageable risk.
·
Meetings done in reasonable times and locations.
Interest in Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee
·
Bob Nichols
·
Larry Arpaia, Rand International
·
Diane Dupuis
·
Paul Koch
·
Mary Hegan
·
Lynn Nightingale
·
David Vukovic
·
Susan Cannon,
Suggested names
·
Jim Libbey, Chair OCDSB
·
Colleen Hendrick IDP of
City of Ottawa
·
Lamar Mason, Chair of the
Special Education Advisory Committee of the OCDSB
·
Deborah Doherty,
·
Specifically getting ideas on process design to
engage the whole person in true dialogue
·
Learn more about what others feel is important to
them in the community and whet they feel needs to be accomplished
·
To endorse the future of public participation using
facilitators and process that will leave a lasting impression on Ottawa
·
Hearing the stories of how facilitation empowered
citizens
·
Learned the extent of community consultation that
exist
·
Good to see that the City id committed to engage
the public
·
Participatory democracy
·
Beginning of a process
·
Lots of tributaries to come together to make this
City work
·
Council refer items to Advisory
Committees before making decisions
·
City staff makes decisions that may run counter to community
desires. Artificial public consultations in which there is a decision has
already been made
·
To maximize participation; authenticate
community association lists
·
Use address list for questions/opinions
·
Allow dissemination to public by
community association
·
Compile data for setting policy and
council voting
·
Compulsory community service –
sentencing for crimes committed
·
Large number of people are frustrated
by ineffective public meetings
·
Have master contact list available to
Advisory Committees
·
Government and business volunteer days
(1 per year per person)
·
Consultants / contractor firms paid to
develop recommendation for policy
·
Acknowledge the views of the community and that
they are being heard
·
Keep government from being affected by private
sector
·
Utilize any activity that has a potential impact on
the security of our kids as a means to attract the community to meetings
·
Ensure that each issue is considered and evaluated
appropriately. When people see an issue of individual concern taken seriously
they will be moved to greater involvement in the democratic process