Organize to Win Workshop

Given the recent changes at City Hall . . .  it’s time to get your group Organized to Win!  Please join the Toronto Chapter of The Council of Canadians to learn how to become more successful advocates for the causes we work so hard on.

Workshop Leader:  Liz Benneian

Hosted By:  The Council of Canadians Toronto Chapter

Date:  Saturday, November 20^th

Time:  11:00am to 3:30pm

Location:  Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto

Fee:  PWYC; Suggested donation of $5 to $20;  All profits will be donated to the G20 Legal Defense Fund.

Registration:  Pre-Registration is required!  Please email us at torontochapter@gmail.com with your name, organization name, and how many people will be attending from your organization.  Please put “Organize to Win” in the subject line.  We will email you the hand-outs to be used during the workshop – please print and bring them with you.

* Includes light refreshments - please bring your own mug.

About the Workshop

Citizens’ groups fighting to protect natural spaces, stop incinerators, ensure more sustainable planning etc. are usually outgunned by “experts”, outmaneuvered by municipal staff, shut out by local media and outfoxed by politicians. But citizens groups can beat all these odds and win.  Learn how at the Organize to Win seminar led by Oakvillegreen Conservation Association president Liz Benneian, an award-winning community activist and environmental leader.

Oakvillegreen has been a tremendously successful citizens’ organization, partly because it had the help of some experienced organizers.  Oakvillegreen now wants to pass that experience and learning on to other organizations so they can be more effective in their battles.

The seminar will discuss: how to organize; forming successful strategies; developing effective tactics; getting publicity; understanding bureaucracies and politicians; and avoiding pitfalls.  Plenty of real life examples of successes and strategies will be given and those attending will be encouraged to add to the discussion with their stories and questions.  The seminar is geared to give participants useful tools their groups can employ immediately to become more successful.  The seminar will be especially helpful to groups that are just forming, offering critical information on how to get a new group organized. This seminar is not just for group leaders but for all members who want to learn how to become more successful advocates.

About Liz

Seminar leader Liz Benneian is a former newspaper editor who has been president of Oakvillegreen since 2005.  In 2010, she received an award from Heritage Ontario for her efforts in preserving the Province’s natural heritage. In 2009, she was the recipient of Earth Day Canada’s National Hometown Hero Award. She is a previous recipient of the Town of Oakville’s Spirit Award and Rotary’s Paul Harris Award for community service. Liz has helped found several environmental organizations and given the Organize To Win seminar to more than 15 community groups around the province.  www.oakvillegreen.org