Impressions from the Mass Civic Engagement Summit on Friday, 11/16/07

A few things struck me as important throughout this day. The Summit was a good thing; good to have, good to go to, good that somebody planned it and that so many people came. But a lot was missing and that's so sad.

There were quite a few City Year and AmeriCorps volunteers, but no CTC VISTA Members that I could see. I thoroughly enjoyed the City Year volunteers and VISTA Members I met from Corporation for National Service and they brought an important viewpoint with them. Where were the technology-based VISTAs and why wasn't their program administration there from UMass? This was an important event that they could have contributed to and learned from.

I also was surprised to see so few CAA (Community Action Agencies) and other VITA sites represented. VITA Sites are the free, volunteer-based income tax sites sponsored by the IRS and almost fully volunteer staffed. This, too, is an important element of civic engagement that just did not seem represented. I admit that AARP was there, but I heard no talk of AARP's income tax program that is so essential for seniors.

There are several organizations I am working with and I just wish they'd known about this, other than my telling them of it, and had taken the time to listen to, learn from, and contribute to this important conversation. That leads to my 2nd major point.

Where was the technology at this event? Why wasn't it videotaped so it could be disseminated through the Internet to those orgaizations unable to participate or who just did not understand they should have been there? There are so many non-profit techies out there who could have helped the planning committee pull that component together--no cost or low cost--and made this "first ever" event memorable beyond the one day. Podcasting makes it easy to get the word out, even after the fact, and share the highlights and important elements of a program like this. Sigh, big disappointment that it wasn't included.

That's enough for now. I don't want people to think the day was a downer, because it wasn't. I just get frustrated when I go to these things and don't see the people who should be there but who then expect you to convey it all to them.

Claire