Committee and Board Recruitment Process

Word of mouth. Attend functions where the people are and discuss the need for boards and committee members. Church, ESL schools, mom and me.

Who do you want to recruit - go to places where you find them. Then sell the idea on how it will help improve their lives. Stay home moms - to have a voice and to participate in greater society instead of being at home; immigrants - to boost their understanding of English or customs and bring their diverse perspective; church, where you may find seniors who have more time to spend on committees who can upgrade their skillsets and meet new people - keeping mentally active. Word of mouth is powerful and more compelling than perusing an ad.

Actively seeking out members from underrepresented groups and remuneration that addresses barriers, ie. transportation, childcare, etc.

Underrepresented groups are both disproportionately affected by a number of issues and face unique barriers in participating in municipal politics and policy formation. These include lack of access to transportation and childcare, low SES leading them to work multiple jobs leaving little time for participating on committees, and lack of access to communication (no permanent mailing address, no cellphones with internet access, etc). Remuneration that targets these barriers (ie. transportation and childcare costs, remuneration for their time) and strategies that address barriers (ie. access to city resources such as computers/phones to allow them to participate effectively on committees) would be extremely valuable.

Reduce bureaucratic barriers, compensate fairly, and build trust

Compensation and Targeted Outreach

Marginalized populations (including gender, racial, and financial minorities) face unique barriers to participating in policy formation. I recommend finding ways to compensate community members for their time (I believe this is done when the City approaches service workers, or other "experts"), through honoraria, reimbursement for childcare services, stipends, etc. This also builds trust with affected community members and shows that the City values the input that they can provide. It may also help to leverage the networks that community groups have - the people who you want to reach may not be following the City on Twitter, etc., but receive newsletters or are in communication with smaller community groups and will hear about opportunities through them. Targeted outreach can identify key stakeholders in diverse and under-represented populations.

Partner with community organizations

By partnering with community organizations and agencies, the City could reach a wider pool of potential nominees. Agencies could encourage, nominate and support their outstanding members / clients to apply and participate. The City could offer support with the application process. Offer to cover transportation costs to and from meetings.