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Why You Should Join a Municipal Board
Consider joining a municipal board to positively impact your community and gain valuable leadership experience. The application process is open to anyone, regardless of background or experience. Don't miss the chance to get involved and make a difference.
If you're looking to make a difference in your community and get involved in local decision-making, joining a local municipal board is a fantastic opportunity.
become a leader in your community
Gain Leadership Experience and Connect with Like-Minded Individuals
Whether you're interested in contributing to your municipality, gaining leadership experience, or having a say in the decisions affecting your neighbours, joining a municipal board is a great way to do all these things and more.
One of the best aspects of joining a municipal board is that it's open to anyone interested, regardless of their background or experience. All you have to do is visit your municipal website and look for information on how to apply. Most municipalities have applications available online, with a deadline typically in early January. You can contact your municipal clerk for more information if you have any questions.
Step Up as a Leader and Have a Voice in Local Decision-Making
By joining a municipal board, you'll have the chance to work with other like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact in their community. This can be an excellent opportunity to connect with others who share your values and goals and to collaborate on projects and initiatives that can make a real difference in your community.
Learn About the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Your Community
In addition to connecting with others, joining a municipal board can also be a great way to learn about your municipality's issues and how things work behind the scenes. You'll have the opportunity to gain new insights and understanding about the challenges and opportunities facing your community and to contribute your perspective and ideas to the decision-making process.
Gain experience for Future Political Leadership
Another great benefit of joining a municipal board is that it can be a stepping stone towards a future run for council. By participating in the decision-making process and gaining leadership experience, you'll be building the skills and knowledge needed to effectively represent your community at the local level. Even if you don't have aspirations to run for council, joining a municipal board is a great way to make a real difference in your community and have a voice in the decisions that affect your neighbours.
So why wait? It's a great way to get involved in your community and make a positive impact, and you'll have the chance to work with others who share your passion for making a difference. Plus, you'll gain valuable experience and insights that can help you make a bigger impact in your community in the future.
Overall, joining a municipal board is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in your community, make a positive impact, and gain valuable experience and insights. If you're looking for ways to give back and make a difference, applying to join a local municipal board is a great way to do so.
TL;DR
If you're looking to get more involved in your community and make a real impact, have you considered joining a local municipal board? It's a great opportunity to work with like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a difference in their community, learn about important issues facing your municipality, and share your own perspective and ideas. Plus, it can be a stepping stone towards a future run for council and help you gain valuable leadership experience. And don't worry about not having the right background or experience - the application process is open to anyone who is interested. Just head to your municipal website to learn more and apply. The deadline is usually in early January, so don't wait too long to throw your hat in the ring!— more learning —
How To Run For Office In a New Community
Ever wondered how to start establishing your name in your new community and how to make the connections you'll need to make a run for office? We’ve got 3 tips to get you started.
Run For Office In a New Community
Let us show you how.
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.
Want to learn more?
How To Expand Your Qualifications
The first question you have to ask yourself before you run for office is this: does your community see you as a leader? We’ve got some ideas on how to help you expand. your qualifications before you run for office.
Expand Your Qualifications
So that you can be ready when you run for office.
Okay, so you’ve done your homework and now you’re ready to start preparing to run for Office.
Obviously, at this point, you’ve double-checked when you can declare your candidacy. Is it in a couple of weeks? A couple of months? A couple of years? Perfect. That means that you’ve got some time to get your ducks in a row before you make your big splash and announce your run. But there are some things that you can get started on now that will help you get started.
Start by Beefing up your leadership skills
Name recognition is very important in elections, particularly municipal elections. Ask yourself: are you considered a leader in your community? Does your community know you? If they don’t, that’s okay! There are things that you can do that will help you establish community recognition. If you haven’t already, check out the ideas that we wrote in our guide: Things You Can Do Right Now If You’re Thinking Of Running For Office. There, you’ll find 22 ideas that can help get you started, as well as some community ideas that will help you make connections.
Here are some other ideas:
Join a local board of directors.
Join a local committee.
Join your community action network.
Join an advisory panel.
Apply for a legislative appointment.
Volunteering for a local charity or cause that you care about.
Organize a local fundraiser or charity event.
Join your child’s school council.
Join your local church.
Getting governance experience is a really good beginning to help you build community connections, get used to how meetings function, and learn a little bit more about governance before diving into the municipal council.
But this is also a really great opportunity to get to know your community and for your community to get to know you. While you’re out and about in your neighbourhood, take the chance to listen to people and ask them what their concerns are. See how those align with your values and your plans. This is the time to help you get prepared and network to support your candidacy. Take full advantage of the opportunity!
Need a resource to help?
We created a resource especially to help inspire your next adventure in volunteering to help you level up your qualifications before you run for office, and it’s absolutely free.
You’ve decided that you’re going to make a run for it, and you’re feeling inspired … but what next? Here is a handy list of 22 things that you can do right now to help you reach your goal — even if the election is years away.
Use this list to help inspire you or to point you in the right direction.