Creative Policy Making

I just finished writing a piece for The Mark that argues our current policy conversations are dated.  Like army generals who fight their previous war, the policies being debated are for the previous crisis. Our future well-being requires policy targeted to the future and with more creativity.  I don't try to reinvent the wheel in the piece but instead look around the world for interesting policy programs that we could replicate with little effort and potentially a big payoff.

The program I discuss most is in the state of South Australia, called Adelaide Thinkers in Residence.  Started in 2003 by the current Premier, Mike Rann, the program brings world-leading thinkers to live and work in Adelaide to assist in the strategic development and promotion of South Australia.  

One of the past Thinkers was former advisor on innovation and governance to Tony Blair, Geoff Mulgan.  I'm currently reading a piece by him on social innovation and how to make the most of the state's collective intelligence.  Here's a quote:

"The usual approach of public sectors [towards social innovation] is a scattering of pilots, combined with new initiatives that reflect the enthusiasms of ministers or officials.  There is plenty of excellent innovation in South Australia.  But, as elsewhere, it often happens by stealth, under the radar, despite the rules rather than because of them.  Often good pilots are not fully assessed and scaled up.  Many grow outside the system."

There will likely always be innovation "outside" the sytem, since systems become fixed and less open to new ideas.  But given the challenges we face in New Brunswick, this is an unacceptable approach to policy making and social innovation.  It would be a big step forward for a group of New Brunswick stakeholders to commit to a Thinkers in Residence type program, encouraging the experimenting, learning and scaling we need to make meaningful change.

In The News

Our search for 21 of the province's most promising new and emerging leaders is picking up great coverage across New Brunswick.  Here is a sampling of stories:

L'Acadie Nouvelle - Les 21 leaders recrutent dans le Nord

The Daily Gleaner - Young Leaders Nurtured at 21inc

The Telegraph Journal - Leadership Development Program Seeks Applicants

The Telegraph Jouranl - Leadership's Ripple Effect 

Info-Weekend - Des élèves découvrent les trésors cachés de la province

The Northern Light - Innovative Program Seeks New Leaders of Tomorrow

Putting Our MLA's on Notice

 

Larry Kennedy, MLA for Victoria-Tobique, stood up in the Legislature last week and entered into provincial record, as well as informed the province's MLA's, of our search for 21 of the province's new and emerging leaders.  Considering we didn't ask the Honourable MLA to do this, it's quite a nice surprise!

 

Mr. Speaker, 21inc. is a non-profit organization aimed at developing and inspiring some of New Brunswick’s most promising young people.  Earlier this month, 21inc. launched a province-wide search for 21 enthusiastic and energetic young New Brunswickers to participate in its 21 leaders program.  Participants will join a dynamic and diverse network of engaged young New Brunswickers committed to their province and its future.  Mr. Speaker, this program will help young New Brunswickers develop skills that will serve them now and in the future.  I strongly encourage those interested to apply. These are the leaders of tomorrow, the New Brunswickers who are critical to building a self-sufficient province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Des jeunes engagés!

Dans le cadre de l'édition 2008 du programme des 21 Leaders pour le 21e siècle, un groupe de 7 Leaders a permis à six classes de la 7e année de partout dans la province de présenter leur région à travers de courts vidéos. Conçus de toute pièce par les élèves, tous les vidéos ont été présentés dans toutes les classes. Afin de concrétiser l?expérience, les élèves ont aujourd'hui eu l'opportunité d'intéragir entre-eux par le biais d'une vidéo-conférence où ils ont pu discuter de ce qu'ils ont appris des différentes communautés Néo-Brunswickoises représentées.

Ayant vu par moi-même l?enthousiaste et la fierté de ces jeunes quant à ce projet, je crois que ceci démontre clairement que les jeunes, peu importe leur âge, démontrent de l'intérêt pour l'apprentissage et n'hésitent pas à s'engager. Certes, cette expérience d'apprentissage n'est pas traditionnelle et est différente de ce qui se passe dans les classes quotidiennement, mais c'est cette expérience qui a permis aux élèves d'acquérir des connaissances fondamentales au sujet de leur province et de l'utilisation de certaines technologies. C'est également à travers d'expériences comme celle-ci que les jeunes sont en mesure d'améliorer leurs habiletés en travail d'équipe, conception créative, relations interpersonnelles, communication et bien sur, en leadership.

21 Leaders Projects Make the News

 

These photos were taken (with my blackberry, hence the poor quality) yesterday in Moncton of a grade 7 class from Magnetic Hill School. They were participating in a virtual conference as part of a Community Solutions Project completed by one of the 21 Leaders project groups. It was an awesome day. The Daily Gleaner and L'Acadie Nouvelle had great articles (only the Gleaner's is online). We'll have more to say on this tomorrow.