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CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLEEffective Use of Rural Broadband
FINAL REPORT
1. Engaging Citizens 1
2. Executive Summary 3
3. Evidence Based Decision Making 7 4. Action Proposals
Action Proposal 1: Agriculture 11
Action Proposal 2: Business 12
Action Proposal 3: Education 13
Action Proposal 4: Healthcare 14
5. Conclusion 15
6. Appendices
Citizen Planning Circle Process 16
Recruitment 17
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Summary Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW
In April, 2014, thirteen residents of Olds, Alberta, from diverse incomes, ages, backgrounds and experiences, came together to participate in a Citizen Planning Circle (Planning Circle) to provide their input as citizens about the future of broadband internet for their community. The Planning Circle was designed to provide an intentional opportunity for residents to deliberate about a key topic that was identified as a priority for future development. The Planning Circle was designed to enable participants to deliberate the possibilities for rural broadband. Deliberation is a different kind of citizen involvement and this was the first implementation of this kind of process in Olds. Deliberation is defined by a leading democracy scholar as follows:
“When people deliberate, they carefully examine a problem and arrive at well reasoned solutions after a period of inclusive, respectful consideration of diverse points of view.” Gastil, J. 2008. Political Communication and Deliberation
Participants were supported to consider the local context, community values, and research about rural broadband. Through a carefully facilitated process, participants grappled with what broadband might mean for their community, and how to make the best use of high-capacity internet to support economic, social, and cultural development.
This report outlines the result of their collective work and provides the context within which it was achieved. Participants of the Planning Circle shared their ideas and developed action proposals that could contribute positively to the Town of Olds and Province of Alberta as both move forward in future development and planning of high speed broadband in rural communities.
The Planning Circle was implemented through a partnership between Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), the Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development (OICRD) and the Centre for Public Involvement (CPI). This innovative engagement process provided a unique opportunity for meaningful citizen involvement and to allow participants to weigh the value, and examine the many ways to “do” broadband, both at an individual and a community level.
1
ENGAGING CITIZENS1
What is Broadband? Why does it matter?
Broadband refers in general to high-capacity internet connectivity, or high-speed internet. Rural communities are weighing the value of broadband. Some see it as a way of attracting new residents and businesses, providing educational opportunities, keeping young people, and connecting citizens with one another. And there are many ways to “do” broadband, both at an individual and a community level.
” “The province of Alberta, and Olds in particular, is
leading the country in exploring the potential for broadband to further rural economic development. There is great expertise in Olds that are especially relevant to rural Alberta but applicable to rural areas across the globe.Patricia Macklin, Project Coordinator for Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
JEFF MELCHIOR
LUCINDA WATKINS
WAYNE SMITH
JOHN PALARDY
VERNON HAMM
DON DWYER
GORDON BROWN
SHERI JOHNSON
JONATHAN KOCH
DOUGLAS GOYETTE
OSCAR CANO
ERIN SCHULTZ
REANNE SCHABER
Citizen Planning Circle Participants
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 2
ENGAGING CITIZENS
The goal of the Citizen Planning Circle on Effective Use of Rural Broadband was to discover what strategies would provide the greatest benefits to Olds and other rural communities. The citizens developed concrete Action Proposals to inform future planning of broadband and hope that decision makers will review and take seriously these recommendations.
The final recommendations were developed through a robust process of gathering evidence, examining trade offs, dialogue, and voting. The recommendations, detailed below, underwent several rounds of discussion to identify areas of convergence and divergence. Diagram 1 reflects the layers of recommendations put forward by the Planning Circle participants. The outcomes are as follows:
1 Community Values and Principles;
2 Foundational Objectives: Leadership and Innovation, Communications, and Community Engagement
3 Specific areas of focus for the community Action Proposals: Agriculture, Business, Education, and Healthcare
Participants want to be sure that these three areas align with the needs of their community, which requires cycles of planning, action, and reflection.
Community Values & Principles
At the center of the diagram are the Community Values and Principles that were identified by participants to inform all decision making and future planning for Olds. Participants feel that rural broadband is a community asset and should be developed collaboratively by community partners. They believe that rural broadband has the potential to position them as a global leader in several areas of economic, social and cultural development;
however, they stress the importance of initial broad engagement within their community to understand explicitly their shared community goals and collective vision. These values are outlined in diagram 2.
The value Security was raised a number of times throughout the process. Participants emphasized that any strategy to effectively use broadband in the community had to respect individual and community safety. In prioritizing security, the benefits would not be overshadowed by violations of privacy or safety.
Diagram 1: This diagram reflects the layers of recommendations put forward by the Planning Circle participants. At the center are the Community Values and Principles; the second level depicts the Foundational Objectives for effective broadband use; the outer ring contains the four Action Proposals.
A
gri
cultu
re Business He
althcare
Educati
on
L
ead ersh ip & In novation
Communicatio
n &
Community Values and Principles
Co
m
munity Engagem
en
t
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2
Community Values and Principles
Ed
uca tio n Healt
hca
re
A
gri
culture
Business
C
ommun i c a t i o
n &
Lea
dership & Innovation
Co
mmunity Engagem
ent
Foundational Objectives
Participants identified three core objectives that form the basis for the subsequent Action Proposals and are critical components for ongoing future planning and development of rural broadband. These objectives are to enhance leadership and innovation, communications, and community engagement for the Town of Olds. Participants emphasized that it was important that these foundational objectives are considered and intentionally pursued while developing strategies for rural broadband use. (See page 10 for more detailed descriptions of the Foundational Objectives).
Focus Areas for Action Proposals
The focused areas that emerged from the Planning Circle are Agriculture, Business, Education, and Healthcare. These four focused themes build on the three Foundational Objectives and, Community Values and Principles. The focused themes are those that circle participants feel are most important to Olds residents and will provide the greatest returns to support economic, social and cultural development.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Community Values & Principles
Diagram 2: List developed by the Planning Circle participants.
›Service1
2 ›Affordability
3 ›Efficiency
›Inclusivity4
›Accessibility5
›Integrity6›Security7
Agriculture
• Increase broadband connectivity with rural residents and farmers by enhancing the current infrastructure to increase connectivity with farmers so they are able to learn and share information about their practices, and innovate. (See page 11 for more details about this Action Proposal)
Business
• Create a marketing strategy on broadband to attract business and build relationships.
• Communicate the benefits of broadband to businesses so that businesses and community members understand the supports available to them and the ways to use the service. (See page 12 for more details about this Action Proposal)
Education
• Provide educational resources for the community to learn how to maximize broadband capabilities.
• Capitalize on the resources of Olds College to create programming that will help the community determine uses of high-speed internet personally and from a business perspective. (See page 13 for more details about this Action Proposal)
Healthcare
• Pursue a pilot project to test remote healthcare opportunities. • Collaborate with community partners to pursue the delivery of healthcare services including but not limited to physician consultations and health education. (See page 14 for more about this Action Proposal)
Participants believe strong community values and principles will unify the community around its potential and core foundations will ensure the community as the knowledge, leadership and buy-in to take action and make tangible strides in key areas. With a strong vision and foundations in place, participants emphasized that the next steps should focus on exploring and understanding ‘readiness’ and opportunities that are emerging in the agricultural, business, healthcare and education sectors.
Summary of Impacts of the Citizen Planning Circle Engagement Process
Evidence about the impact of the Planning Circle process was gathered through pre and post participation surveys. These were designed to explore the participants’ knowledge and attitudes regarding both rural broadband and citizen involvement before and after they had participated in the process. The information will allow researchers to understand the effects of public deliberation on individuals and offers an opportunity for practitioners to learn from participants how to improve the process for future deliberations.
• Prior to the CPC, 40% of participants felt they did NOT have the knowledge to effectively use broadband internet service, whereas, after the CPC, 84.6% felt they had the knowledge to effectively use broadband and none of the respondents felt they did not have the knowledge.
• Prior to the Planning Circle process, 53% of respondents said they would NOT be comfortable to share information about how rural broadband works, with other community members. After the CPC, 84% of participants expressed confidence of being able to communicate the information about how rural broadband works, with community members. There were no participants who were uncomfortable sharing the information in their community.
5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 6
• 93% of participants stated they would have a more positive attitude about a decision made if government and other groups first established a Citizen Planning Circle and then seriously considered the group’s recommendations.
• After the Planning Circle was complete, there was a 10% increase in confidence that citizen input would be used in decision-making about broadband.
• 92% of participants agreed that public involvement processes, such as a Citizen Planning Circle, should be used to make future decisions.
• 100% of Planning Circle participants would encourage people around them to participate in a Citizen Planning Circle.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A critical component of the Planning Circle was learning and evidence gathering about rural broadband from local, national and international perspectives, so participants could develop informed action proposals.
Participants explored possible issues and challenges of broadband, using a diversity of processes and learning tools. Through presentations, workshops, facilitated discussion, and individual reflection, participants collectively examined and learned about the following:
• Individual and community values to guide future planning about rural broadband. • The current context of Olds including the development and history of broadband in the community. • The history and current state of rural broadband in Alberta and Canada supported by research in the Discussion Guide.• Challenges and opportunities for rural broadband through case studies from other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally.
• Challenges and opportunities for rural broadband in Olds. • Everyday uses and possibilities for rural broadband in Olds.• They engaged in intergenerational dialogue through sharing stories of their lived experiences.
7
3 EVIDENCE BASED DECISION MAKING
VALUESVALUESVALUESVALUES
VALUESVALUESVALUESVALUES
VALUESVALUESVALUESVALUES
VALUESVALUESVALUESVALUES
VALUESVALUES
VALUES
VALUES
VALUESBUILDING
KNOWLEDGE &
UNDERSTANDING
ISSUES
discussionguide stories
betweengenerations
Oldsexperience
technicalexperts
everyday use and
possibilitieslocal experts:
armchair panelcurrent state
of broadband locally and
globally
Affordability
In
clu
sion
Integrity
Accessibility
Serv
ice
& C
om
mu
nic
ati
on
Eff c
ie
ncy
Diagram 3: Outlining the resources and information that participants accessed to gather evidence. Around the perimeter are the values that inform subsequent deliberation.
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 8
How can residents in Olds make the best use of high-
capacity, broadband Internet to support economic,
social and cultural development?
Overarching Question:
EVIDENCE BASED DECISION MAKING
ACTION PROPOSALS
ACTION PROPOSALS
AGRICULTURE
BUSINESS
EDUCATION
HEALTHCARE
Advance technology to increase
opportunities (eg. A tower in the country)
Broaden business opportunities and
market those advantages
Test, create and learn about new
technology
Develop home care options (video conference,
prescription, speed)
Create access to files in order to share
information between doctors
Connecting Locally + Globally
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 10
FOUNDATIONAL OBJECTIVES
The Planning Circle resulted in participants identifying four priority Action Proposals. These action proposals are (represented in diagram 4: 1) Agriculture; 2) Business; 3) Education; and 4) Healthcare. These Action Proposals were based on the community and individual values listedon page 4, and were among a wide range of possibilities shared.
There were three objectives that emerged as important to each of the Action Proposals.
1 Leadership and InnovationOlds has an opportunity to become a global pioneer through the broadband initiative. The initiative is a large undertaking and requires leadership and partnership, including other levels of government, to ensure that the possibilities are realized.
2 CommunicationsThere is a need for effective communication between leaders and community members to ensure accurate representation and engagement in developing a collective vision and establishing goals. It is important to clearly communicate the past experiences, present conditions and future vision with the community: “Where we have been, where we are today and where do we hope to go?”
3 Community EngagementThe conceptualization of effective use of rural broadband depends on the goals that individuals and communities are trying to reach. Engaging the community to create a collective vision for broadband and the potential for Olds is an important aspect of the work. It is an opportunity to strengthen community capacity by connecting groups such as 4-H, churches, schools, businesses, and industry in developing a collective vision and through implementation.
The following section will delve into each one in more detail and outline the discussion that led to the identification of each Action Proposal.
Diagram 4: Participants outlined these four areas for action regarding rural broadband.
4
The agriculture community has a strong connection to the Town of Olds. This link is reflected in the programming and services offered through various institutions and the presence of organizations such as the Olds College and Olds Agricultural Society. Due to the Town’s close relationship with agriculture, providing the surrounding areas with rural broadband would be mutually beneficial for all involved.
The agricultural sector is increasingly employing new technologies to improve efficiency. Technological advancements would further benefit from access to broadband internet. For example, high-speed internet would allow virtual access to veterinary support, facilitate monitoring farming processes, and enable access to an abundance of resources.
Currently, Olds’ broadband provider, O-Net, is operating within the boundaries of the town. Participants feel that access to high-speed internet, such as the broadband offered by O-net, would offer significant benefits to the area surrounding Olds and therefore to Olds. The discussion on Agriculture included an exploration of challenges that would need to be addressed. Considerations of the cost to build the required infrastructure and the importance of determining the boundaries that O-Net would serve were discussed.
› Increase broadband connectivity with rural residents and farmers.
• Enhance the current infrastructure to increase connectivity with farmers so that they are able to learn and share information about their practices, and innovate.
ONE
Considerations
AGRICULTURE
11
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 12
TWO
Considerations
BUSINESS
For many businesses, having an internet presence has become essential. Through websites and social media, businesses are now able to market their products and services on a global scale. The broad reach provided by the internet and the ability to connect with others has allowed many individuals to pursue careers from their homes and not required them to relocate to larger urban centers.
Participants identified communication as a key component to effective use of broadband for businesses. First, businesses need to be aware of the quality of service provided and how they would benefit from increased internet speed and capacity. Second, clear communication is required regarding the supports that would be available to businesses to use and leverage broadband. Developing clear and accessible communications regarding these two aspects would allow the Town of Olds to market the business potential of the community’s broadband.
Participants also recognized the high cost associated with broadband infrastructure and stressed the importance of developing business models and strategies to address the financial challenges.
› Create a marketing strategy on broadband to attract business, and build relationships.
• Connect and build a network of services providers, hardware providers, schools, business, hospitals, and other institutions. • Determine learning needs. • Customize service for business based on size, resource base and needs.
› Communicate the benefits of broadband to businesses so that businesses and community members understand the supports available to them and the ways to use the service.
• Collaborate with local internet service provider O-NET as a true partner. • Present the option of the local internet service provider O-NET to customers and address confusion about ownership. • Showcase which customers are already online and benefitting from the connectivity.
THREE
Considerations
EDUCATION
The participants emphasized that access to high-speed internet was not sufficient for effective use. Without understanding what is possible, or if users are uncomfortable using the technology, broadband’s potential cannot be realized. Therefore, education is essential for maximizing the positive impacts of broadband access on the community. Training has the potential to help individuals understand and use the internet without compromising security. As users become more confident in their ability to use the internet, they can explore more broadly and try new things.
Broadband would also provide new opportunities for distance education. With immense broadband capacity, Olds has an opportunity to become a center for distance learning that supports online courses for a variety of vocations. Olds College is an established academic institution with strong ties to the community can play an important role in this action proposal.
› Provide educational resources for the community to learn how to maximize broadband capabilities.
› Capitalize on the resources of Olds College to create programming that will help the community determine uses of high speed internet personally and from a business perspective.
13
› Pursue a pilot project to test remote healthcare opportunities.
› Collaborate with community partners to pursue the delivery of healthcare services including but not limited to physician consultations and health education.
• Offer a free trial. • Pursue an innovation grant. • Develop a marketing and communications plan to potential users, partners, or the public. • Explore possibilities for intergenerational mentorship between young people and seniors to develop relationships and learn about the technology. • Involve seniors in the planning, testing, and evaluation of a project.
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 14
The strain on the healthcare system to meet the high level of demand for service is a concern that is widely expressed. The presence of an aging population and the geographic remoteness exacerbates the challenges of timely access to health services for residents of rural communities.
Broadband internet presents a number of opportunities to address these concerns. The growing track record associated with “eHealth” and “Telehealth,”and the ability to hold remote consultations with specialists would offer reliable and affordable access to healthcare in rural communities such as Olds. Broadband would allow individuals 24/7 access to online healthcare information and resources. Furthermore, a high-speed internet connection offers access to technologies that allow older adults to live independently longer by connecting individuals and their homes to health services directly. However, the opportunities for advancement in healthcare due to broadband must not be at the expense of security and privacy. Nor should online access replace face-to-face contact with medical professionals.
Healthcare is under the jurisdiction of the provincial government and therefore, collaboration with Alberta Health will be essential on this Action Proposal.
Finally, increased opportunities and advanced technology may enhance recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural communities, further addressing concerns of access.
FOUR
Considerations
HEALTHCARE
” “These ideas can really help us imagine
possibilities for rural communities. We’re excited to find ways that broadband can enhance community development and support a vision for connected communities.Mitch Thomson, Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development
The participants of the Planning Circle were tasked to learn about broadband from diverse perspectives and collectively develop Action Proposals for their community. As the Planning Circle progressed, the participants began to articulate and prioritize specific goals and values for their community.
In the future, the Town of Olds and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development can continue to build on citizens’ input to inform planning and policy development. After the Olds Planning Circle, all participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would like to stay informed about how rural broadband affects their community, and indicated that they would encourage people around them to participate in a Citizen Planning Circle. These findings suggest that citizens are interested in staying informed, and encouraging others to participate in civic planning processes.
While the Planning Circle discussion was specific to Olds, Alberta, the participants’ work will contribute to Alberta’s department of Agriculture and Rural Development in creating strategies for rural broadband use across the province. Research has shown that towns that use broadband strategically benefit from increased social, economic and cultural well-being. Effective broadband use has potential for attracting and retaining citizens in remote regions of the province by offering them connections beyond the boundaries of the town.
15
CONCLUSION 5
CITIZEN PLANNING CIRCLE | Final Report | 16
April 4th – 2.5 hoursCircling Up: The Role of Citizen Planning Circles
Objectives:
• Build participant trust;• Open communication;• Brainstorm, think critically and make decisions in a group context; and• Create a list of values to guide discussions and the development of recommendations
Actions:
Participants were introduced to the Planning Circle process and the concept of deliberative democracy. This was followed by a short review of the CPC “Discussion Guide”- a document created to provide introductory information to the process and distributed a week before the Planning Circle began.
After providing this context, the participants worked together to create a collective set of expectations for their time together. They were engaged in a conversation about what they wanted to preserve and protect for their community as they explored the possibilities associated with broadband. This resulted in a list of core values to guide their discussions and the development of Action Proposals.
April 5th – 7 hoursEmbracing Possibility for Olds
Objectives:
• Understand the history and current state of rural braodband, with a focus on the community of Olds; and• Develop a list of prioritized possibilities.
Actions:
Participants kicked off the day with an interactive design exercise to challenge their assumptions about innovation and collaboration. This was followed by context-setting presentations focused on the current state of broadband in Canada and Alberta, high-capacity internet in Olds, and opportunities and challenges in the use of broadband. With this foundation, the group worked with a graphic illustrator to identify and prioritize possibilities for effective use of broadband in their community.
April 12th – 7 hoursIssues, Challenges & Action Proposals
Objectives:
• Describe of top challenges or issues for each of the five identified priorities;• Describe of best options to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities; and• Create a set of action proposals to achieve effective use of rural broadband in Olds.
Actions:
Participants reviewed their contributions from the previous week, and were given the opportunity to refine their views on the possibilities for effective use of broadband in Olds. Focusing on the possibilities, they explored barriers to moving forward and deliberated on meaningful ways to address these challenges. Through this process, participants outlined what they consider to be the next steps to prepare their community and its stakeholders for effective use of broadband. Their action statements described initiatives that have the greatest potential to support social, economic and cultural development in Olds.
6 APPENDIX 1: Citizen Planning Circle Process
The Centre for Public Involvement (CPI) intentionally designed the recruitment process for the Planning Circle to reach a large group of Olds residents and to ensure that a diverse group of voices was at the table for deliberation. It was crucial to reach a large number of citizens in order to recruit a diverse group. The recruitment process had three stages:
1 Mailout
2000 letters were sent out to random households in Olds, inviting them to participate in the Citizen Planning Circle. If they were interested, citizens were encouraged to call a toll free number to submit their candidacy for the circle. This approach allowed for a large sampling of Olds residents to be reached in an efficient and non-intrusive manner. CPI researched the demographic composition of Olds for the selection.
2 Follow-up and Target Recruitment
As citizens began to contact CPI to express interest in the process, a list was compiled to track contact and demographic information. Shortly before closing registration, posters were distributed throughout the community and announcements were made through local media, including newspaper and radio. Simultaneously, CPI undertook targeted recruitment, called ‘purposive sampling’ to ensure that youth had the opportunity to volunteer as participants in the deliberation. This included contacting youth groups and schools and encouraging teachers and mentors to approach individuals with an invitation to apply.
3 Contact
CPI contacted all citizens who had signed up to participate and confirmed their interest and attendance. All participants received information packages that included the Discussion Guide and Broadband Basics either by email or post.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS INVITATION IN YOUR MAILBOX?*
For more information visit www.centreforpublicinvolvement.com
CALL 1-800-421-9721EMAIL [email protected]
*2000 randomly selected households received this invitation for a chance to participate in a Citizen Planning Circle.
Respond by March 19th!YES
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat exactly is a Citizen Planning Circle?A Citizen Planning Circle is an impartial body of local residents who have volunteered to serve their community and are broadly representative of the town’s population in terms of gender, age, and other criteria. They are typically convened to inform an important community decision or aid in the development of a public policy or community plan. A Planning Circle meets to learn from each other and from experts about a particular topic. They then deliberate and provide careful and informed insight to decision-makers in the form of recommendations detailed in a public report.
How are members of the Citizen Planning Circle being selected?The participants of the Olds’ Citizen Planning Circle on Effective Use of Rural Broadband are being invited through a mailed invitation process. This invitation has been sent to 2,000 randomly selected households in Olds. From the positive respondents, 24 residents will be selected to participate in the Citizen Planning Circle, balancing for age, gender, and other criteria. This process ensures that the residents who are selected are broadly representative of the community of Olds.
What will the Citizen Planning Circle on Effective Use of Rural Broadband do?The Citizen Planning Circle will be comprised of a group of 24 residents Olds who will learn about rural broadband services and develop recommendations for making effective use of it. Participants will receive a Discussion Guide to inform them about the current use and potential opportunities for rural broadband service. The Planning Circle will meet on one Friday evening and two Saturdays in April 2014 to discuss the opportunities and challenges of broadband service.
How will my input be used? There are many different perspectives and opinions about the effective use of broadband internet service in rural communities like Olds. The input from the Citizen Planning Circle on Effective Use of Rural Broadband will help to develop recommendations and inform future planning around this important topic.
Members of the Citizen Planning Circle will work together in facilitated small groups and together as a whole to develop a set of recommendations and a final report that will inform the planning process. The final report of the Citizen Planning Circle will be presented to the project team and shared publicly.
The Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development (OICRD), Town of Olds, and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) are committed to using input from the Citizen Planning Circle.
What is broadband? Why does broadband matter to rural communities?Broadband refers generally to high-capacity internet service, or high-speed internet. Broadband can also refer to high-speed wireless and fiber-optic services. The Olds Citizen Planning Circle project has been developed to work with community members to better understand the most effective uses of broadband internet service in rural Alberta. For example: How can internet be used for businesses to find new suppliers and markets? How could internet enhance access to medical services such as remote consulting and diagnosis? How might internet be used to offer new opportunities for tourism or for learning through distance and online courses and programs?
But I am not an expert or familiar with this issue – can I still volunteer?Absolutely. You are not expected to have specialized knowledge about rural broadband. You and other Citizen Planning Circle members will learn everything you need to know to make informed contributions during the three Planning Circle sessions. As a panelist, it is your perspective and experience as a resident of Olds that matters most.
Please turn over Å
Cand
idat
e Re
spon
se C
ard
❑ YES, I would like to participate as a member of the Citizen Planning Circle ❑ No, I do not wish to be considered, but would like to receive further information about the process
First Name: Last Name:
Circle: Sex: M / F Age: 18 – 29 30 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Phone: – –
Email:
Questions or to register, call the Citizen Planning Circle Coordinator at 1-800-421-9712
Response required by
March 19, 2014 Please mail response
card today
February, 12, 2014
Dear Resident,
Your household is one of 2,000 that has been randomly selected to receive this special invitation. This is an opportunity to learn about and inform the future planning of rural broadband internet service.
On two Saturdays in April 2014, a representative group of 24 Olds residents, selected for diversity in age, gender, and other criteria, will be convened to form a Citizen Planning Circle. They will participate in discussions to learn about how broadband internet is currently used in Olds, and provide recommendations about its most effective use.
This is your chance to volunteer as a participant in this important process. You will work with other members of your community to learn about and provide input on this important question:
How can residents in your community make the best use of high-capacity, broadband internet to support economic, social, and cultural development?
“We are excited that the community of Olds is hosting such an important process of civic engagement. I believe that citizens here have a range of perspectives to share on this topic. The Citizen Planning Circle is a great opportunity to learn more and share ideas that benefit Olds and other rural communities. I strongly encourage you to participate.” —Judy Dahl, Mayor, Town of Olds
Volunteer to add your name to a list of potential members of the Citizen Planning Circle on Effective Use of Rural Broadband today. Please fill out and return the Candidate Response Card via mail or call us at 1-800-421-9712 to register by Wednesday, March 19, 2014.
Please turn over Å
Resident of Olds 1234 Democracy Lane, Olds, AB T4H 1X1
Respond by March 19, 2014
1-800-421-9712
Response requested by March 19, 2014 Citizen Planning Circle Process, L-022 Enterprise Square,
10230 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 4P6
A special invitation to help inform the future of rural high-speed internet servicesImportant information inside — Response requested
Response Requestedby March 19, 2014
Resident of Olds 1234 Democracy Lane, Olds, AB T4H 1X1
Peachtree Lane
Peachtree Lane
Be part of the Citizen Planning Circle in Olds, April 2014
Call 1-800-421-9712
for more information or to
put your name forward to volunteer.
Be part of an exciting opportunity to learn more about broadband internet and inform future
planning. No prior experience necessary.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Ages 18-65+ Youth 18-29 especially encouraged to participate.
www.centreforpublicinvolvement.com
17
APPENDIX 2: Recruitment
Posters created as part of the outreach portion of recruitment.
Project TeamFiona Cavanagh (Centre for Public Involvement)Maria DeBruijn (Emerge Solutions) Joe Gustafson (Olds Connected Community Committee)Zane Hamm (Centre for Public Involvement)Wilson Loree (Olds Connected Community Committee)Patricia Macklin (Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development) Fred May (RDTV)Michaela Mann (Centre for Public Involvement)Alison Roberts (Centre for Public Involvement) Mitch Thomson (Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development)Lesley Winfield (Olds Connected Community Committee)Deborah Trehearne (Olds Sustainability Group)Marco Adria (Faculty of Extension)Mike Zajko (University of Alberta)
Focus GroupKari IdlandNorm McInnisMitch ThomsonLesley Winfield Mark Wolfe
Facilitation TeamMaria DeBruijn (Lead Facilitator) Zane Hamm Kari IdlandKarol JorgensenKrista KagumeMichaela MannDeborah Trehearne
Planning Circle PresentersCarson Statham (Olds Public Library)Ken Tkachuk (Soft Gels)Mike Zajko (University of Alberta)Mark Wolfe (University of Calgary and The Van Horne Institute)
VideographyJaro Malanowski (Avatar Media)Justin Evans (Avatar Media)
Contact: Fiona Cavanagh
Executive Director, Centre for Public InvolvementUniversity of Alberta, Faculty of Extension
Telephone: (780) 492-9181Fax: (780) 492-0627
Email: [email protected]
Centre for Public Involvement Partner with us!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
