Help Shape HWDSB’s Strategic Directions – Co-Design Workshop
It’s time for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) to set new Strategic Directions that will identify future values, priorities and goals. Planning a new path forward starts with you!
Strategic planning is goal setting and goal mapping for a school board. A strategic plan must identify goals that are consistent with the organization’s overall vision.
We are looking for 20 community members to join a Co-Design Workshop to help shape HWDSB’s new Strategic Directions. Read the information below to learn how to apply to join the workshop and help shape HWDSB’s next steps!
Click here to learn more about Strategic Planning at HWDSB.
Apply for the Co-Design Workshop
To ensure we include as many people and perspectives in this process, we are hosting a co-design workshop. The purpose of your participation in the co-design workshop is to:
- Join the collective effort to shape a better future of HWDSB and its communities
- Help reimagine the vision and principles for the the HWDSB that is grounded in
anti-racism, anti-oppression, anti-colonialism and justice - Share your knowledge, lived experiences, ideas, and insights about your relationship and experiences with HWDSB in a safe and open environment
Click this link to access the application form.
If you have any questions, or need assistance or accommodations to complete this form, please contact [email protected]. The last day to submit your application is Wednesday, April 26.
Participants
Participants will include individual community members, staff, students, teachers and representatives from community organizations and existing Advisory Groups at HWDSB. Both individual community members and those representing community organizations can apply to participate using the registration form.
Applications from community members of all ages, identities, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. No previous experience is required. The Co-Design Workshop is currently scheduled for May 13, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the location yet to be determined.
Co-Design Workshop Selection Process
To select participants for the co-design workshop, HWDSB will use an adapted Civic Lottery. Civic lotteries are equitable and democratic methods to randomly select participants to represent their diverse communities. The selection process for the co-design workshop is adapted to ensure the group represents the demographic makeup of the surrounding area and equity deserving populations are prioritized.
FAQs
The intention of this list is to provide clear and consistent answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) strategic plan. Additional FAQs will be added throughout the duration of the strategic planning project to ensure messaging remains accurate, transparent and consistent.
What is Strategic Planning?
Strategic planning is goal setting and goal mapping for a school board. A strategic plan must identify goals that are consistent with the organization’s overall vision. A successful strategic planning process should provide answers to three main questions:
- Where are we now?
- Where do we want to be?
- What do we need to do to get there?
The difference between “Where are we now?” and “Where do we want to be?” is those objectives and actions identified when considering “What do we need to do to get there?”
Strategic planning is an organizational activity that is used to:
- set priorities
- ensure equity of access and in outcomes
- focus energy and resources
- strengthen operations
- ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common goals
- establish agreement around intended outcomes and processes for monitoring results
- assess and adjust the organization’s direction in response to a changing environment
What is an adaptive Civic Lottery? And how will it be used for this project?
An adapted Civic Lottery will be used to select participants for the co-design charrette and Youth Ambassadors. Civic Lotteries are often used by municipal governments to bring communities together and find solutions to a common issue.
Civic Lotteries are equitable and democratic methods to randomly select participants to present their diverse communities.
The selection process is adapted to ensure the group represents the demographic makeup of the surrounding area and equity deserving populations. Random selection is based on the adapted parameters to ensure the final group reflects the community and priority groups.
To ensure that the adapted Civic Lottery is inclusive and representative, we will first establish the baseline demographics of the school district and student population. This will help us determine the number of people and identities that need to be represented. We will use this information to form the initial make-up of the group. Then, we will review the demographic parameters to identify underrepresented groups in collaboration with HWDSB and based on priority groups and desk research. In addition to considering demographics (age/race/gender etc.) we will also consider users (i.e.: students, parents, members of community organizations and community groups and advisory groups etc.).
What is a co-design workshop?
The co-design charette for the strategic planning process will be an interactive and collaborative workshop where everyone has a chance to contribute their ideas, share local knowledge and come up with a collective vision guiding the direction of the HWDSB strategic plan.
There will be an open public invitation for people to participate in the co-design charette and selection will be based on an adaptive Civic Lottery.
The co-design workshop is not the only way to get involved in having your say in the strategic plan. We will be creating many opportunities for the communities’ voices to be heard. For more information on ways you can participate and stay informed, please visit HWDSB’s Strategic Planning webpage.
Updated on Thursday, May 04, 2023.