We’ve discusssed seven key things we had learned by the fifteen-year mark in our twenty-five years of community organizing. Current projects offer us opportunities to learn a few more things. 1. Some people excel at strategic thinking It’s valuable to have the opportunity to consult with individuals who excel at strategic thinking. 2. Motivation is a key variable […]
I’ve been involved in volunteer work, with a focus on community organizing, for twenty-five years. After fifteen years as a volunteer active at the local, national, and international levels, I spent several years making keynote presentations at conferences, sharing what I had learned. Usually I would talk about seven key principles. 1. Some projects are too […]
We owe many thanks to Daniele Rossi for sharing with us the following BBC overview regarding contributors, access agreements, and editorial independence As well, he has shared with us a link dealing with the CBC’s policies regarding journalistic standards and practices as they relate to interviews. We have spent several years planning for the design […]
My work as a volunteer has a strong intellectual component. Much of what I do involves extensive work. Strategic thinking is another key ingredient. Usually I consult with people who have more experience than I do, in order to develop a strategic plan that is suitable for a given situation. Aside from engaging in strategic […]
Securing the future of heritage trees: a protection toolkit for communities (2011) is based on work by the Ontario Heritage Tree Alliance. This publication, devoted to the topic of heritage trees, is available from the Toronto Public Library. The publisher is the Ontario Urban Forest Council. The discussion that follows includes comments from David Switzer. […]
The text for the 2011 Parkview School letter was developed with input from many sources From time to time, we’re asked to share details regarding the text that we used in the letter writing campaign connected with the successful effort to keep Parkview School in public hands. The letter went through several versions, in the […]
Pamela Gough is the Trustee, Ward 3, Etobicoke-Lakeshore, for the Toronto District School Board. She has recently been appointed to the City of Toronto Board of Health (BOH). Through that appointment she has had her attention brought to a report on Walkable Communities that came to the Board of Health recently. “You would be very […]
I’m impressed with this blog, which I learned of through Twitter via @ArchaeologyTO. “This blog,” as the blog explains, “tries to provide further information about events as they happen in 1812. It is meant to provide some context and the sources for the tweets found in @1812now.” This blog offers a great way for a […]
You may have heard of communities that have tried to set up a heritage conservation district but that have not achieved success in completion of such a project. From what I’ve learned in my recent research, and twenty-five years of volunteer work as a community organizer, the process of getting a heritage conservation district designated, or any […]
As we begin work on planning for a Heritage Conservation District designation for Long Branch, it’s useful to consider prior designation projects. Some such attempts in Toronto have achieved success. Some have not. I’m looking forward to reading a report that was written in 1981, on the occasion of a previous attempt to set up […]