September 2008

Announcing Members Only Site

Submitted by Brenda Walton, Webmaster

The Wild Rose Chapter is proud to announce the launch of it's Member's Only Site. Access to this site is linked directly to our monthly membership reports so you must have an active membership in order to access this site. If you would like to become a member, go to http://www.iap2.org/registernewmembers.cfm.

If you are already an active member, you will need to create you own unique password by going to http://www.iap2wildrosechapter.org/password. You will be prompted for your username, which is your email address, then you can click the submit button. You will then see text indicating that A link to reset your password was sent to your email. You will then need to go to your inbox, where you will find an email with the subject line Password Reset Request (please note this link will only be valid for 30 minutes). Read and follow the instructions in the email to open a new page with fields for you to create your password. Save that password. Once you have created your password, you will be able to log onto the Member's Only Site using your email address as your username, and the unique password you just created. The above link will also work if you have forgotten your password and need to reset it.Once in the Member's Only Site, you will find a number of pages, including:

• NEW Online Forum with three topics ready for you to comment on
• NEW Job Postings, with a form for members to submit job postings
• Annual General Meeting and AGM Minutes, complete with video links to footage shot at the AGM
• Signature Event, complete with video links to footage shot at the AGM

New pages will be added as new information becomes available.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Submitted by Brenda Walton, Webmaster

Members and non-members alike can now receive our monthly newsletter, The Rosebush. Future editions will be sent directly from our website, so everyone (members and non-members) will have to subscribe in order to receive The Rosebush. But it's easy to do - just go to http://www.iap2wildrosechapter.org/contact_us/newsletter_subscription. You need to enter your name and email address, then click the subscribe button.

Please pass this on to others in your network, if you think they too would like to receive future editions of The Rosebush.

Wild Rose Board Update

Submitted by Deborah Eastlick, President

For many of us, the new year begins in September. The air is crisp, people are renewed from the summer sun and fun and asking what’s new? Wild Rose has a number of things planned between now and April 2009 to peak the curiosity of members and other practitioners alike.

At last April’s AGM in Edmonton, the Wild Rose Board bid farewell to Gale Simpson and Bill Gourley and welcomed Adelle Palmer, Paula Hall, Ruth Klinkhammer, all of Calgary, and Rachel Venne of St. Albert. Continuing members of the Board include Lonny Gabinet, Jan Bloomfield, Terry Williams, Doug Balsden, Blair McNaughton, Brenda Walton, Caroline Wagenaar and Maria-Ines Maita, and me, Deborah Eastlick. We have just completed our annual Wild Rose Retreat where we were busy planning training and events for the fall and winter seasons. A summary of our plans is provided below:

P2 Training

We are taking a bit of a new approach to Wild Rose Chapter sponsored training. Beginning in 2009, Wild Rose will be offering the complete 5-day IAP2 certificate training at the same time every year to enhance predictability for everyone. You can take it in Calgary in late January or in Edmonton in late September. This is important to note since there will be IAP2 training offered by others throughout the year in Alberta as well. The training is the same. What differs is that chapter sponsored training profits stay in the chapter and are used to provide services to Wild Rose members; to support the internationalization of IAP2 through financial support of chapters in developing countries; sponsorship of the annual IAP2 conference; and delivery of our own Signature Events (the third of which we held last May in Canmore).

Because our financial picture is quite rosy, we are also able, for the first time, to subsidize chapter-sponsored training for members thereby making it even more affordable and accessible to greater numbers of practitioners. Additionally, Wild Rose will be sponsoring other professional development training (over and above certificate training) attached to the AGM in March each year. This training will be of special interest to the many dozens of members who have completed the IAP2 certificate program and are looking for other training opportunities. However, there are no pre-requisites for the PD training – all are welcome.

We will soon be extending an invitation to trainers of expressions of interest for both IAP2 certificate training and professional development training to members worldwide hoping to attract a rich diversity of training to Alberta for you, our members.
Bookmark the Wild Rose Chapter website www.iap2wildrosechapter.org and check frequently for details as they become available.

Recent and Future Events

For the first time ever, we were able to hire an event planner for our Signature Event last May to work with the Organizing Committees and hotel to plan and coordinate logistics (and all those details that make volunteers crazy!) This was a very successful event and many thanks to all that were involved; it was clearly considered one of the best ever by all who attended.

One of the requests we hear often from members is that you want more opportunities, formal and informal to interact with other practitioners. In the past we have offered the Wild Rose Jams, Christmas get-togethers and Signature Events. This year we are planning to have one or two Wild Rose cafés, modeled after the science cafés made popular in Europe. Held at a local pub or coffee house, two practitioners or guest speakers will lay out different perspectives on a given topic to kick start a general multilogue over drinks and snacks. Look for one of these coming up in November (watch the website). There will even be a prize draw for members who bring buddies. We hope to see many of you there!

2008 Glasgow Conference

Submitted by Lonny Gabinet, WR past president/IAP2 Board member

The Glasgow Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) held at the University of Strathclyde in late August 2008 was truly international with 23 countries represented and nearly 200 attendees. The sessions were plentiful and varied; delegates delighted at being ‘piped in’ to various events by Scottish Pipe Bands who almost daily marched around the campus in practice sessions.

Bagpipe bands practicing daily on the U of Strathclyde campus helped infuse Scottish tradition into the August IAP2 conference Photo by Lonny Gabinet, IAP2 Board Member

Photo by Anne Carroll, IAP2 Board Member

There were many other great ones too, such as:

• “How to get stakeholders to think of CSR and P2 as synonymous?”
• “How can public participation be at the heart of sustainable development on the planet?”

Photo by Anne Carroll, IAP2 Board Member

IAP2 International News

Submitted by Lonny Gabinet, WR past president/IAP2 Board member

During my three year term the IAP2 Board, led by presidents Bea Briggs (Mexico 2006), Scott Russell (U.S.2007), and Stephani Roy McCallum (CAN. 2008), has been very busy building up to support one of the key actions in our strategic plan: The internationalization of IAP2. Here are several highlights of 2006/07/08 with respect to international growth and reaching out:

• Culmination of the Australasia Affiliate (now the largest in the world; Wild Rose (Alberta Chapter) is second);
• Chartering of an IAP2 chapter in Ghana;
• Continuance of the development of IAP2 France and UK;
• Successful international conference held in Glasgow UK, and the first international conference to be held beyond the shores of North America; next year’s conference will be in San Diego, September 21 – 23, 2009 (plan now for it!);
• Successful executive search worldwide for an Executive Director to become the “face of IAP2” around the world. I participated on the seven member selection committee last May and found it to be a highly professional process. The successful candidate as you have been informed, is Moira Deslandes (moira@iap2.org) from just outside Adelaide, Australia and I have found her not only to be extremely responsive to the needs of the organization and the board, but anticipatory and visionary at the same time. Dina Alengi Storz (dina@iap2.org), who has been with IAP2 Headquarters in the past through a contract company was recruited by the board as the sole IAP2 Administrator, and continues to provide the organization with great service. IAP2 is definitely on a roll, unprecedented in its history!
• 2006/07/08 then, was the strengthening of international operations; improving transparency and outreach to members and potential members; and increasing the impact of IAP2 on the practice.

The influence of the Wild Rose Chapter on the international board continues to grow with the election in late 2007 of Terry Koch who will move into the treasurer’s position for 2009, and Gale Simpson who gamely stepped into the role of training director when the previous TD stepped down. My term will be up at the end of this year but not my involvement; I will continue to move the IAP2 membership committee along the path of developing more and flexible member benefits, and I am delighted to report that our little committee (Desley Renton AU, Amelia Shaw CAN., Dina IAP2, a prospective member from the U.S., and myself) has attracted the attention of Deborah Eastlick and Blair McNaughton who also see the importance of membership in IAP2 a ‘must have’. Consider getting your feet wet and rewarded by volunteering to be on an international committee (contact dina@iap2.org).

Reflections on my Board Involvement - Wild Rose Chapter and IAP2 International

As I move forward to develop my own P2 consulting practice I can’t help but be thankful for the richness of knowledge, experience and relationships I have benefitted from in my terms of office with the Wild Rose and International boards over the past dozen or so years. I’ve been challenged and stretched by working with people in other countries and cultures with different ideas and experiences, frazzled and confused when tapping in to conference calls at crazy hours, and warmed by the hugs of those who have become dear friends, here in our own province and in countries a world away.

Vote Vote Vote!

IAP2 is slowly but most certainly beginning to make its mark on the world stage and you can have a say in shaping it: first by your vote in the upcoming IAP2 Board election. Have a look at www.iap2.org for profiles of the prospective candidates and don’t miss out - get your ballots in by October 21. There are five positions open and some really good experience in those profiles.

Secondly, consider getting involved at the local or international level - it’s been, and for me will continue to be…a great ride!

Watch for Upcoming Lunch Webinar's 

Submitted by Blair McNaughton, Technology

The Wild Rose Chapter plans to host a series of lunch webinars this coming year. They will have a technology/public focus and will take place during the lunch hour (noon for approximately 45 minutes). Each webinar will incorporate a conference call and webinar presentation, and will be open to all Wild Rose Members. You will be able to access the Webinars from your workplace or home office.