Moving to a new community can feel intimidating —
Especially if you’ve been dreaming about running for office.
One of the most effective tools for a base in running for political office is often the roots you’ve put down in your community — the relationships you’ve built, the people you’ve met, the organizations you’ve volunteered for, and the causes you believe in. But what do you do if you’ve recently moved to a new area?
To this, we say:
All hope is not lost.
Seriously. You can make this work. You can still run for office. You can still figure this out.
And we’re going to help you do that.
#1. Read Local Newspapers.
We know that this step seems simple, but it is incredibly effective in helping you get to see the community that you want to serve. You will become better acquainted with the things affecting your new community and get to know the issues they care about. It’s also a great place to find more information about community events.
If you need a little boost to figure out if you have any local news organizations that serve your community, do a quick Google search for “community name + newspaper” and see what comes up. Then get yourself a routine where you read the paper every day — you’ll see how quickly you get to know the issues that matter to your new home.
#2. Sign Up For Local Newsletters
Another great way to get to know your new community is to sign up for local email newsletters or listservs. Find your favourite local community organizations and sign up for their newsletters. Not only will going to their events help you get to know people in your new community, but chances are that they share other significant events that are happening locally with their subscribers.
It’s an excellent way to get a pulse on what’s happening locally and help you make connections. If you are a Northeastern Ontario local, look at Northern Heart & Home and BLM Sudbury — they both have great, informative newsletters that let you know the regions around us wonderfully.
#3. Attend Local Organization Meetings
Attending local organization meetings is a great way to get to know your new community and start meeting other politically involved people. Attend a municipal council meeting, show up for the police board meeting, join a local activism organizing meeting, go to your kids’ parent council meeting, see if any local causes need volunteers ... etc.
Use your passions and your interests to help guide you towards causes you care about. If you’re passionate about women’s involvement in your sector, take a look to see if there are any “women in *insert industry name here*” org that you can get involved in somehow; if you’re passionate about equality, search on Facebook or Google for organizations that would allow you to volunteer your unique talents to.
This is wonderful to start meeting more people, and before you know it, you’ll be putting down roots in your new home.
