Hi everyone,
It’s hard to believe that September 2016 will be our ten-year anniversary. We started Next Up in Vancouver in 2006 and nine years later our 534 alumni are making waves across the country. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and I'm excited for what’s to come.
We’re going to commemorate this milestone with two projects (for now) in order to celebrate the work, reflect on where we’ve been, and plan where we’re going. The CCPA has offered to turn their summer issue of Our Schools / Our Selves into a special Next Up edition. We’re collecting stories from a number of grads across the country to feature in the book and online. Stay tuned for news of its release in a couple months.
Next, we’re developing a survey for alumni to learn more about our community, gather feedback, and plan next steps. Please take the time to complete the survey when it comes your way – we want to hear from you!
2016 is also a year of new program offerings so that we can support more young leaders and work with new partners.
The impacts of the climate crisis come more sharply into focus each day. As part of our contribution to climate action, we have piloted the Climate Leadership Program in Alberta. Twenty-four participants from across Alberta gather together over five weekends to explore both the impacts of climate change and the avenues for action in their province. By the time the program ends in mid-June, each participant will have developed a plan on how to bring action on climate change back into their respective communities and workplaces.
In early May we offered the first ever 3-day intensive Next Up program in Vancouver. Called ‘Spring Forward’, the program brought together twenty-eight participants for an intensive weekend focused on skills training and personal leadership development. The program evaluations were positive and we will be offering 3-day intensives in different parts of BC over the next two and a half years.
We are also working with IndigenEYEZ to pilot a First Nations Intensive Leadership program in Vancouver this coming August. More details on this program will be revealed in the next month.
I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped make this year a success and to ask those who can to consider supporting the vital leadership work that we do across the country. You can make a tax-deductible monthly or one time donation to Next Up here.
Thank you for all that you do to push the dial.
Kevin