CITIZENSHIP HIGHLIGHT B E LO N G I N G
Robin’s Story To belong includes creating shared stories and rituals with community and feeling like you are an important part of something bigger than yourself. Robin is an engaged citizen who feels a sense of belonging as a member of a Star Trek fan club that he has been a part of since 2011. Group members come together to share their passion and interest in Star Trek through live action role playing, attending local events and conventions, costuming, and chatting over a bite to eat. Robin has been watching Star Trek since he was a kid and is passionate about all things science fiction. Robin shared that the three chapters he belongs to are part of a larger community of Star Trek fans, known as Starfleet International, with over 200 members in Edmonton alone! For Robin, part of what makes life good is “being in community and having friends”. Friendships are often built by connecting with others around a shared interest. Through the Star Trek fan club, Robin is able to share his passion with others and is a valued member of the community.
FUND DEVELOPMENT AT SKILLS SOCIETY A YEAR IN REVIEW
This piece was written by Carmen Norris, member of the Skills Society board fund development committee
Hi I’m Carmen Norris and I’ve been a member of the Skills Society board for 5 years. In more recent years, I’ve been part of the fund development committee where we’ve been working to move the needle on Skills Society’s strategic priority to increase financial resiliency. As you might remember from last year’s fund development report, we have been exploring and seeking to better understand the difference between fundraising and fund development (checkout a recap of some of the differences between these two approaches in the breakout box on page 22). This has been important foundational work as we move ahead in developing a fund development strategy and culture within Skills Society. Reflections on some of the work that’s brought us here Reflecting back on the last year I am amazed by the amount and quality of work the fund development committee has achieved! We began by drafting a mandate statement and developing an action plan. Adopting a mindset of learning and curiosity we launched a discovery phase exploring three main areas of focus:
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1. Fund Development Culture We were so fortunate to learn from the Fund Development Survey Report produced by 2020-21 Board Intern Folakemi Jolaoso, which offers valuable insights into the existing fundraising/fund development culture within Skills Society. This report helped us to understand perspectives of our Skills
