Tuesday, September 03, 2013

Fwd: Terry Laughlin (Founder of Total Immersion) Live Event

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Coach Suzanne" <coach@steelcityendurance.com>
Date: Sep 3, 2013 3:31 PM
Subject: Terry Laughlin (Founder of Total Immersion) Live Event
To: <mark.rauterkus@gmail.com>
Cc:

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This Thursday (September 5th) at 7 pm EST, 4 pm PST, I am hosting a live Google Hangout (Webinar) with Terry Laughlin, the founder of Total Immersion.
 
The subject of the live Google Hangout is "The Only Swimming Goal You Will Ever Need"
 
 
Steel City Endurance is sponsoring the webinar with Total Immersion to give you access to this information from the world's top adult swimming coach.  As a consultant to Total Immersion in the role of Director of Coach Education, I am excited to help you learn some of what Terry has teaches his coaches.
 
This training clinic includes a live video presentation followed by real-time Q&A with myself and TI Founder Terry Laughlin.
 
In this special Live Event, the Total Immersion Team will share with you these FIVE things:
 
1) Your constant swimming goal should always be to Improve your Swimming. Not to get the yards in. Not to get your HR up. To Improve Your Swimming--optimally in specific and measurable ways.
 
2) WHY Improve -- What are the benefits of an orientation to improve. Not only in swimming, but in all fields of endeavor.
 
3) WHAT to Improve - Energy Efficiency via Aquatic Technique using the BSP Pyramid
 
4) HOW to Improve - i) Make it your explicit goal in every practice session to leave the water a better swimmer than you entered it.; ii) Create feedback loops (like Computrainer for cycling) that tell you whether your efforts are on-track; iii) Focus on weak points and strive to balance task difficulty with current skill level
 
5) How an improvement focus will benefit your cycling, running, triathlon, mental health . . . life!
 
** At the end of the Webinar, Terry is going to release a free video series called "7 Lessons on Freestyle swimming", which is an introduction to his philosophy on swimming and its impact on your life.
 
***  By registering for this live Hangout, you will qualify to receive exclusive equipment discounts on equipment from the sponsors Endurance Films and Finis Tempo Trainers.
 
 

About Terry Laughlin:

-------------------------------
 
Terry Laughlin was featured in the NY Times Bestselling books "Four Hour Body" for the simplicity and effectiveness of the TI approach to swim training.
 
Author Timothy Ferriss considered Terry Laughlin's approach to swimming so revolutionary that he decided to feature the TI Swimming technique prominently as a metaphor for "Meta Learning" in his follow-up best seller, "Four Hour Chef."
 
Don't miss this great opportunity to meet a premier swimming coach, whose organization has taught more adults how to swim than any other organization or method in the world.
 

Be sure to mark your calendar for this Thursday, September 5th at 7 pm EST (4 pm PST) for our first live Google+ Hangout.

 
 
Warm Regards,
 
Suzanne Atkinson, MD
Founder & Head Coach, Steel City Endurance, LTD
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Sunday, September 01, 2013

Happy Labor Day to all, and a special shout out to the long, lost net friend, The Mosque Avenger

I am missing the Mosque Avenger. Where ever he may be, "Happy Labor Day."


Speakers notes from November 13, 2007: Statements to PPS Board in public comment

Blast from the past:
Statements to the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Ed and Administration on Nov. 13, 2007

Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226

412 298 3432 = cell
Mark@Rauterkus.com

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com

I'm a Libertarian who believes in public education.

I understand that people often vote with their feet by moving to suburban Pittsburgh because the opportunities in the city schools are not like what is provided in the burbs.

My oldest son, Erik, joins me today. He is in 7th grade at Frick Middle School. He studies Spanish and may attend Schenley High School. His brother, grade 4, hopes to attend Frick in two years.

With me today: Erik, Schenley High School, class of 2013. Grant, Schenley High School, class of 2016.

My personal and professional life has revolved around schools and education. My wife is a professor. My father is a retired Pgh Public School teacher. I coach swimming and have been in many suburban and city settings. As a coach in Illinois, I coached swimming at the #1 team in the state while it was named the best public high school in the United States (Town & Country Magazine).

Should you go down this pathway of consultants, high school reform, and closing Schenley, you'll enter a battle. You will get soundly defeated on an economic front and nailed in political settings, time and time again. We will not forget. Your careers will wane. The dark cloud that hovers – be it in the US Virgin Islands or elsewhere – will be the Red and Black of Schenley. I'll insure it organizes over you.

This Schenley fight was fought two years ago. It was NOT prudent then. It isn't prudent now. The options and alternatives are horrible.

Mr. Roosevelt felt the wrath of the residents of The Hill communities in the aftermath of his bogus 'rightsizing plan.' Perhaps he felt he needed to toss a crumb off the table to “the hill.” Setting up a new high school in an old, middle school building was thought to be a political win-win. Think again. Folks in The Hill, and folks throughout the city, want Schenley, for all the right reasons.

We all know the top factor in both a child's education and that of a community is “engagement.” Parent involvement is a critical key. We need lifelong learning. We need student, teacher, community, family involvement. We need ownership of the problems and the suggested solutions.

We don't need consultants.

Consultants should not be hired to set in place a plan to destroy Schenley High School.

Rather, consult with us – the voters, taxpayers, parents, stakeholders. We are the customers. We are the ones who pay the bills. We are the one's that empower you. We are the ones that will dash your aspirations.

The first step of so-called “high school reform” was called “The Pittsburgh Promise.” It was a lie. This isn't the first lie. It can't be ignored. Fix it. Apologize. Re-tool the promise so that those that enter Kindergarten have a scholarship fund when they graduate in 13 years. Otherwise, the best you can do is provide pencils. Perhaps the Pittsburgh Promise could fund bus tickets to our graduates so they can return home after flunking out of college.

Hire a real-estate agent to assess, market and sell THIS (BOE) building. If you want cash from property, this is the building to auction and/or sell. Don't sell Schenley. Besides, Schenley has new windows.



Summary:
1.Develop a Vo Tech High School as promised.
2.Advance the discussion and open the Vo Tech High School next, as a top priority. Do the Vo Tech now – before any changes to Schenley.
3.Save Schenley High School. Fix, maintain, and rehab what is there.
4.Consult with the people of the city – now, always, and in open ways.
5.Deploy an open source mindset.
6.The asbestos claims are not believed. Publish them. Prove it. Debate plans, don't dictate them. Creditability has vanished.
7.Publish all reports online.
8.Be thankful of news leaks, not vengeful. Understand that this is my district. Not Mr. Roosevelt's. By the way, Mr. Lopez understanding of listening and talking seems to be upside down.
9.Don't rush the board to vote for spending more money simply because departing votes members are sealed and delivered.
10.Sell the Board of Ed building in Oakland, if you sell anything.
11.If necessary, put Schenley's 9th graders in 2008-09 at Frick Middle School. Do a temporary reduction to the student and faculty at Schenley to make room for repairs. Frick has the capacity.
12.Understand that the “Pittsburgh Promise” is a big fat lie. Fix it. Be realistic.
13.Fix the long-standing lie that Conneley Tech would be 'replaced' too.
14.Replicate what works.
15.Fix what is broken. What about the 'drop out factories?' What about Oliver, Carrick, Langley, Peabody and Westinghouse? What about Vo-Tech too!
16.Make a second Rodgers. Replicate it. If you must, move some downtown. But keep an East Rodgers. Make a West Rodgers too.
17.Putting all the IB at Reisenstein is too far away. Buses won't go there from the south and west. Students and families from the west and south won't go there in mass.
18.If you must, move the administration to Conneley or to Resisenstein.
19.If you must, establish a second I.B. Program at Resisenstein, in addition to the one at Schenley.
20.If you must call the second I.B. Program a 'Metro Magnet.' Attract students from Wilkinsburg, Penn Hills, Woodland Hills, Vernona, Shaler, and locally in the city too.
21.A second I.B. Program, as a charter, could attract ESL students from the suburban districts.
22.Understand that afterschool programs, sports, arts and community programs in the district are weak, generally. They need to be factored in the plans. Think about sports and performance facilities now. Those items are expensive, but worthy investments.
23.By the way, the “Rightsizing plan” failed to account for Duquesne schools, as I requested.
24.What is the attendance at the ALAs? What about August enrollment? The grades are still out on those failures. K-8 Schools are a flop. Kaplan Curriculum payments were rushed ahead yet the lesson plans are getting an overhaul by in-district people.
25.Don't yank families around any more.
26.Open schools year by year.
1.Start a Science and Tech high school with 9th grade, for example. The next year do 9th and 10th grades, and so on.
27.Close schools year by year as the students depart.
28.High School Reform should start at grade 9 and go to grade 12. Only in Pittsburgh would the high school reform begin with a college scholarship after graduation without any money to provide it.
29.High School Reform is not “middle school reform.” Worry about grades 6, 7 and 8 after the high school problems are addressed. Don't do too much at the same time and continue the folly.
30.The University Partnership School should be on a University Campus. Make the Schenley Spartins the University Partnership program. Make that in Oakland.
31.A Technology School was part of Pittsburgh's recent past – Weil. What happened there? Report upon it. Why was it closed? Why open a new Science and Technology Program after closing one with the Rightsizing Plan? That makes no sense – again.
32.Reform Weil into a Science and Technology Program – again. Or, make the Science and Tech program in Milliones Middle School or Connelley.



Students Outraged At Plan To Close Schenley HS
KDKA - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
Read more in our Privacy Policy Several hundred Schenley High School students, parents and teachers picketed outside the school administration offices to ...
See all stories on this topic
100 parents, alumni discuss Schenley High closing
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
About 100 parents, students and alumni of Pittsburgh Schenley High School gathered yesterday at the Cathedral of Learning to discuss their strategy for ...

Aggressive support vowed to save Schenley
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bobby Kerlik Schenley High School junior Sean Thomas said Saturday that closing his 91-year-old school would destroy more than the bricks-and-mortar ...
Officials quash Schenley rumors
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
The rumor began spreading by e-mail Thursday night, after a community meeting at which Schenley supporters denounced district officials for plans to close ...
Schenley High School allies plan for a fight
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Schenley High School supporters worry officials will seal its fate with a vote Wednesday, despite assurances from the school board. ...
Schenley students tout pride, history
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Fred Quinn plays volleyball, performs in the school musical and is active in student government at Schenley High School -- and he hopes to ...
Schenley girls kick distractions
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Brian Graham The Schenley girls soccer team was able to overcome so many obstacles this season that just playing in tonight's PIAA Class AAA playoff game ...
School officials meeting with Schenley students
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By The Tribune-Review Administrators from Pittsburgh Public Schools will meet with students of Schenley High School at 6 pm Thursday to discuss their ...
Schenley High School shuttering on the table again
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Despite the asbestos in the nearly century-old Schenley High School, real estate officials see a market for it as a place to live or work. ...
Plan to shut Schenley High School revivedPittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Pittsburgh's venerable Schenley High School, 91 years old and showing its age, would close in June under a reorganization plan detailed ...

Fwd: DAP Newsletter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "DAP" <jayson@diversityinaquatics.org>
Date: Aug 30, 2013 8:33 PM
Subject: DAP Newsletter
To: "Male" <Mark@rauterkus.com>
Cc:

Issue: August 2013

Welcome to DAP's monthly Newsletters! Every first Friday of the month (excluding this issue) we feature a few stories and event notifications here on the DAP Newsletter.  If you would like to have your event or organization featured in the next issue, please send the details to Sarah Lynch at least a week prior the coming issue. Enjoy!



Upcoming Events!


  1. East Oakland open water swim event, September 23rd, 2013. More details: https://www.wepay.com/events/173170
  2. The 8th Annual DC Nation's Triathlon to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Sunday, September 8, 2013 in Washington, DC. More details: http://nationstri.com/event-info-overview.html



Monthly T-Shirt Contest!

Starting next Month, in every Newsletter we'll feature a small quiz or task for DAP members to participate in and have a chance to win a Free DAP t-shirt! Be on the look out for September's give-a-way!




Monthly Featured Member!
 
Member: Thaddeus Gamory
Hometown: Bronx, New York
Aquatic Interests: Competitive swimming, Spring board diving, Triathlons, Wind surfing, Paddle-boarding, Jet-skiing, SCUBA Diving, Swimming and Triathlon coaching, Designing and using the pool water for Total Body Fitness and Active Recovery Routines, for runners and triathletes, as well as athletes of all sports.  Using underwater meditation and martial arts training for enhanced training and recovery, for swimmers, triathletes, runners (all sports) and overall strength conditioning.
Please describe your Aquatics Background? When did you start?
     "I learned to swim at about 6 years old while attending a summer camp in the Bronx at an indoor High school pool. I loved the water and would spend endless amounts of time at the large NYC public pools (some as large as 100 meter long and 50 meters wide). The older boys would play rough and dunk me and other younger boys under the water, but after  a while I could easily escape them, because they did not know how to swim and I would swim away fast from them and/or go underwater and elude them. [...] I stayed in the deep water and gravitated to the diving well, where they were afraid to go.  And that is when I fell in love with spring board diving, (but at that age, I had no formal coaching or understanding of proper diving techniques until I started diving in High School)
      My grandparents on my fathers side were from Trinidad and Grenada and were fishing folks, who knew how to swim and my grandmother loved the beach and taught her children to swim.  My dad and my aunts and uncles would go to the beach to swim, socialize and fish during the hots summer days as often as possible and we kids loved the water.
      After following in my older sisters footsteps of being on our Evander Childs High School swimming and diving Team in 1976, I took a semester long Lifeguarding course, that was designed to prepare for jobs as lifeguards at the beaches, lakes and pools in the New York City and surrounding area.  It was very demanding course and included extreme survival skills we aren't required to do today. 
     I became a NYC Police officer in 1982, and began running and playing basketball to maintain the fitness I had gain to enter and complete the police academy training.  I would run, play full court basketball and then swim a mile if time permitted.  This was my 2-3 times a week routine and the water was my recovery from being on my feet all day and then playing basketball. 
      I joined the running clubs in the area and did numerous 10k competitions. In 1984 I joined Middletown NY YMCA, US Masters Club and swam my first meet, and then was challenged to do my first triathlon in Greenwood Lake NY (1/2 mile Lake Swim, 18 mile Bike and 10k run).  I continued training for triathlons and was invited to join a sponsored team on several occasions.  Since I was always playing basketball tournaments, I didn't want to dedicate my time to triathlon training full time.
      I was a part of the Triathlon community since 1984 and continued to train with cyclist and run with runners, but usually swam on my own.  Wasn't until arriving in Florida in 2004, that I joined the Fort Lauderdale Aquatics Master Swim team and started to compete again at swim meets and open water events, all the while continuing to compete in triathlons.
     I became a competitive swimmer again competing in Masters Nationals and YMCA Masters nationals events.  At Y-Nats one year I competed in a triathlon that morning and arrived at Hall of Fame Pool in Fort Lauderdale with my triathlon suit and race numbers still on my arms and just in time to compete in my 50 Free event.

    When I arrived in Broward County, Florida and learned that there were more drownings going on in Broward County than the rest of the nation, I began to focus my energy on how to create opportunities for more kids of color to learn how to swim and wanted to use triathlon training as the draw to get them in the water.  
      I helped start a triathlon club for that purpose of creating mentors to help kids learn the sport of triathlon (which didn't pan out), so I and some of my sports professional friends, have started working on a triathlon training model that happens in the pool  and on the pool deck (Total Fitness Triathlon Training; Swim, Aqua Jogging/deep water running and stationary bike training.)  
      I am currently training a group of 22-25 members of the Black Girls Run South Florida, at the Lauderdale Lakes, Florida pool, using the Total Fitness Triathlon Training model, some of which were previously none swimmers and/or traumatized swimmers."

 
Additional involvements in aquatics:
Owner/Founder - Swimming, Triathlon and Athletic Development Professionals, LLC, Boca Raton Florida, July 2012
 
Bay City Y Aquatics - Masters Swim Coach/ Triathlon Training Club Coordinator and Coach, Raritan Bay Area Y, Perth Amboy New Jersey, July 2010 – December 2010
 
Midtown Weston Aquatics at Midtown Athletic Club - Youth Age Group and Masters Swim Coach,  Weston, Florida, September 2008 – May 2010
 
YMCA of Broward County - Masters Swim Coach/Age Group Assistant Swim Coach, Weston, Florida, July 2007 - July 2008
 
Broward County Public Schools - Substitute High School Teacher, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 2006 - September 2007
 
David Posnack, Hebrew Day School - High School Swim Coach, Sunrise, Florida, September 2006 - November 2006

Member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the Broward County Drowning Prevention Taskforce

 
If you would like to be or know of anyone who should be in the next Featured DAP Member section please send an email to Sarah Lynch

2013 Diversity in Aquatics Convention Recap!

 
Thank you to each of our sponsors, amazing members and wonderful speakers for making this event the best! 

On August 8 – 11th the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa set the stage for the inspiring event that had great moments and game changing opportunities while promoting various aquatic sports and program.  In line with the Diversity In Aquatics mission of "curving drowning disparities", the convention provided an opportunity for leaders develop ground breaking partnerships and networks to help propel aquatics sports forward in regards to diversity and inclusion. 

DAY 1:
               


Day 2-3:
    
  





 
 
    
 


           
 

Thank you to our Host Fort Lauderdale and each of our speakers!

Master of Ceremonies
Lee Pitts - Senior Aquatics Director, Boys & Girls Club of Broward County

Presenters
Shaun Anderson - Co-Founder, Diversity in Aquatics
Manny Banks - Diversity Specialist, USA Swimming
Dr. Angela Beale - Founder, End Needless Drowning NY
Kim Burgess - Executive Director, National Drown Prevention Alliance
Richard Butler - Inclusion Manager, USRowing
Wanda Butts - Founder, The Josh Project
Thaddeus Gamory - Triathlon Chair, Diversity in Aquatics
Arthur Lopez - Executive Director and Head Coach, Nadar Por Vida, Inc.
Miriam Lynch - Diversity Specialist, Diversity in Aquatics
Ken Roland - Recreation Coordinator, City of Fort Lauderdale Parks & Rec
Bruce Wigo - Chief Executive Officer, International Swimming Hall of Fame

 

Thank you to our sponsor Nike Swim and Maritza Correia McClendon for their support of the 1st Diversity in Aquatics Convention

Cullen Jones' Interview with ABC World News:


Just this past March, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer interviewed Olympian Cullen Jones who spoke about the importance of water safety and the Make a Splash Foundation.  The segment, titled "Preventing Tragedy in the Water this Summer", opens up with clip of a young boy easily sinking to the bottom of the pool.  How easily that could be prevented with just a summer of swim lessons. ABC's David Kerley talks with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission asking parents to prevent these drowning tragedies by having your own kids learn how to swim and safeguarding the area around your home pool. Cullen Jones shares his own near-death story of being a child drowning in water for 30 seconds! Once he learned to swim he kept it up and became one of the world's fastest men in the pool. Cullen Jones shares that it only takes "1 summer" to learn to swim and that it is a skill you'll remember for the rest of your life… 1 summer well worth it. See more of the video at: ABCWorldNews

-Photo Credit: ABC World News


DAP gets a Shout Out in US Masters Swimming's "Question for Coaches"!

The June issue of U.S. Masters Swimming included Diversity in Aquatics in their article by Bill Brenner, "Question for Coaches" What Partnership Should I Pursue?".  Bill writes that there are "[…] three important categories of partnerships […]" that one's program should absolutely partner with. Bill included Diversity in Aquatics under the Community Service category along with other diversity programs and nonprofit groups such as American Red Cross and Urban Swim Program. Check out the full article at: U.S. Masters Swimming

Little Known Water Fact:


Not many people can say they have swam for 6-8 hours straight while tugging a raft full of 24 wounded men away from Japanese capture and through shark infested waters to safety, but Charles Jackson French can.  Arkansas born, African American, Naval officer, Charles Jackson French didn't imagine he would be completing such a feat at just the age of 23 years-old.  French had enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and served as a seaman aboard the USS Gregory during WWII. When the USS Gregory was destroyed in battle, 25 surviving seamen piled into a raft but noticed they were floating toward Japanese land, where they could potentially be taken as prisoners and possibly killed.  French bravely volunteered to swim the raft away from the shore believing he was a strong enough swimmer to battle through the treacherous waters.  Unfortunately, French's extremely selfless act did not receive its deserved respect and appraisal. Once French had swam until he saw another Naval vessel he was treated with appalling disrespect from white seamen aboard the vessel who ignored his remarkable heroism.  Several years later, when the Navy finally decided to recognize French, they merely sent him a letter of commendation that down played the actual courageousness of French.  Charles Jackson French may be one the strongest open water swimmers of all time yet his story is continually left out of Navy, swimming, and even American history. To read more on Charles Jackson French check out The Story of Charles Jackson French by Bruce Wigo and additional history of African Americans and swimming check out Black Splash: The History of African American Swimmers by Lee Pitts

-photo credit: Bruce Wigo, President/CEO of International Swimming Hall of Fame
Copyright © 2013 Diversity in Aquatics Programs, All rights reserved.

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Golf preview for WPIAL South

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Sports Town South Zone articles" <internetdesk@post-gazette.com>
Date: Aug 31, 2013 3:04 PM
Subject: Sports Town South Hills Updates
To: <Mark@rauterkus.com>
Cc:

Sports Town South Hills Updates

Link to Sports Town South Zone articles

Boys Golf: 2013 South Season Preview

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 04:15 AM PDT

Here is a preview of the South boys golf season.

Both Peters Township and Upper St. Clair high's boys golf teams ...

Girls Golf: 2013 South Season Preview

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 04:15 AM PDT

Here is a preview of the South girls golf season.

Peters Township's girls golf team has yet to taste defeat following ...

Girls Golf: 2013 South Players to Watch

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 04:00 AM PDT

Here are some South girls golfers to keep an eye on this season.

Lauren Waller, Canon-McMillan, Jr.
Melissa Kearlney, Upper St. ...

Boys Golf: 2013 South Players to Watch

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 04:00 AM PDT

Here are some South boys golfers to keep an eye on this season.

Thomas Steve, Upper St. Clair, Sr.
Grant Engel, ...

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10 Ways to Collaborate w/ Gov

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Steven Clift" <clift@e-democracy.org>
Date: Aug 29, 2013 2:17 PM
Subject: [DW] Fwd: Blog CFA: 10 Ways to Collaborate w/ Gov
To: <newswire@groups.dowire.org>
Cc:

Lots of thought went into this:
http://www.codeforamerica.org/2013/08/29/10-ways-to-collaborate-w-gov/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "IFTTT Action" <action@ifttt.com>
Date: Aug 29, 2013 1:06 PM
Subject: Blog CFA: 10 Ways to Collaborate w/ Gov
To: <clift@e-democracy.org>
Cc:

   [image: Team
Louisville]<http://www.codeforamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/8551745623_4ecd76bab6.jpg>Collaborating
with local government is one of the defining criteria of a Brigade. To
build the most impactful solutions, both government and citizens must have
a seat at the table.

But collaboration isnt always easy. It takes commitment from both parties,
time, and a willingness to walk the proverbial mile in one anothers shoes.

To help citizens get started in their community, weve put together the
guide How To: Collaborate with
Government<https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/document/d/1WtoE_Kfqcu73MCUOIXujrzTfqrQAW3DGt0sC8iKJ6Rw/edit#>.
We wanted to share a list of 10 tips for reaching out and collaborating
with government.
10 Ways to Reach Out & Collaborate with Your Local Government

*Get to Know Your City & Local Government*

   - The best way to get started working with the local government in your
   city is by getting to know it. Do some research, either by yourself or with
   your Brigade at a hack night.
   - Some useful questions to answer include: Does your city have a strong
   mayorcouncil system, a weak mayorcouncil system, or a council-manager
   system? Who is the mayor and who is on the city council? Are there any
   departments or government employees that would make good allies for your
   Brigade?

*Attend City Council Meetings*

   - Send a representative from your Brigade to each city council meeting.
   They can take notes and report back to your Brigade on the meetings
   outcomes, city priorities, and any opportunities for overlap with current
   Brigade projects or opportunities for new projects.
   - City Council meetings are also great places to advocate for policies
   your Brigade would like to see, such as open data or procurement reform.
   Theyre also great venues for you to show support for the work your local
   government is doing. Its important to recognize when your city does great
   work in addition to advocating when you want to see something change.

*Start a Conversation*

   - Once youve gotten familiar with your local government, youll
   probably get a sense of the department heads, councilors, or executives
   whose interests or areas of expertise overlap with your Brigades.
   - Ask these folks to meet up for lunch or coffee. Understand what
   theyre passionate about. See if theres any overlap with what you want to
   do and with technology. The more you meet with members of your local
   government, the faster you can learn about their processes, systems,
   constraints, intentions, and desires.

*Extend An Invite *

   - One of the most important and productive interfaces for collaborating
   with local government is being in a room together, collaborating on solving
   problems face-to-face. Local government staff might not know about your
   group or how they can participate.
   - Ask them to come to your meetup or hack night. Invite them to
   participate in a Q&A or give casual presentation on their department to
   your group.
   - As Raleigh, N.C. Brigade Captain Jason Hibbets says, [Having local
   government at our events] makes it so much easier because we can eliminate
   a lot of assumptions we have about data or programs or how things work in
   city government that can help us move the needle faster.

*Find a champion(s) in City Hall*

   - As you meet with folks in City Hall and as they come to your hack
   nights, its more likely that theyll become engaged and enthusiastic about
   your group and the work its doing. As these champions emerge, make sure to
   find ways to keep them in the loop on what youre doing and let them know
   how they can help.
   - As Hibbets also says, Youve got to find the champion. Youve got to
   find your city councilor or department head whos into technology, whos
   into this stuff. Thats been pretty critical to our success.

*Find quick wins*

   - Is there a city project that has an easy technical solution? Are there
   city officials or departments interested in learning more about open source
   and open data?
   - Finding quick ways to prove your skills and the value your group can
   bring, whether theyre developing technology or helping your local
   government better understand your community, is one of the easiest ways the
   garner support from them.

*Meet in City Hall*

   - If 80 percent of success is really just showing up, showing up and
   meeting at City Hall can go a long way. Brigades such as Open Oakland
   (Calif.) and Code for Kansas City hold meetups in City Hall. In Virginia
   Beach (Va.), the Captains have earned a hall pass  badges that let them
   meet with city staff where they work on the municipal campus.

*Collaborate On A Project or Co-host An Event*

   - Once youve established relationships with those in your local
   government, start working on something together. Whether its collaborating
   on an app or co-hosting an event, producing something together is rewarding.

*Keep the Dialogue Going*

   - As you build more and more relationships with local government, make
   sure to keep your contacts in City Hall in the loop. Continue to invite
   them to your meetings, make sure theyre aware of whats happening and of
   your objectives.
   - And dont get discouraged if you hit roadblocks or go through periods
   where there are lulls. As Raleigh, N.C. Brigade Captain Chad Foley says,
   Be patient. Its going to take time to establish and build those
   relationships.

*Join Citizen Advisory Councils*

   - If there are commissions or councils in your city that overlap with
   areas your Brigade is working on, join them! In Austin, Texas, Brigade
   Captain Chip Rosenthal is the Vice Chair of the Community Technology and
   Telecommunications Commission.
   - Conversely, invite interested local government employees to be your
   Brigades municipal sponsor or co-captain. Open Asheville, N.C. is lead by
   city staff in the GIS department with the support of the CIO. Code for
   Raleighs (N.C.) Chad Foley works for the city and co-captains the Brigade.

Do you have tips from experiences collaborating with your local government?
Share them with us! Hit us up @codeforamerica<http://twitter.com/codeforamerica>
.


via Code for America
http://www.codeforamerica.org/2013/08/29/10-ways-to-collaborate-w-gov/



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