WTC has run a program called Watch Council since 2020. The goal has always been to support people in getting involved in their local government’s decision-making. At the start of this year, we talked to Watch Council participants to understand what members find valuable so that we can ensure we’re offering programs that serve their needs.
We’re excited to launch the new vision and activities of Watch Council!
Watch Council is a collective of WTC members who want to understand, track, and influence their local governments’ decisions through an intersectional feminist lens.
How to Participate in Watch Council
Drop-In Sessions
Bi-weekly virtual office hours to receive mentorship from WTC staff on civic engagement and campaigning priorities. This informal event has no structured agenda—come with questions, musings, challenges, or ideas! Stay for the whole hour or come and go as you please. Drop-ins are currently every second Monday at 12pm. Register here.
Field Trips
We don’t get to do enough field trips as adults! Every quarter, we'll have an event where you can meet like-minded members and learn something new together to boost civic engagement skills. In August, we visited New Westminster City Hall… Stay tuned for what’s next!
Slack Channel
A dedicated Slack space to monitor, discuss, and organize around council decisions. Find people in your area who care about the same issues you do, share your thoughts and questions, and get support from WTC staff to take action.
Member Learning Series
Free monthly workshops to build foundational skills and confidence and learn about issues that impact how we live. Our upcoming workshop is called How to Speak to Council, and it's happening Thursday, October 10th.
Watch Council Alerts
If you’re in Vancouver, look for emails highlighting the latest motions and reports in the City of Vancouver. If you’re outside of Vancouver - let’s chat about setting this up in your community!
Civic Engagement Resources
Civic participation can be confusing. We’ve created easy-to-read resources designed to demystify local government processes and engagement opportunities.
Join Watch Council Today
Watch Council is for all WTC members. No existing knowledge of local government or advocacy is required—we encourage those who are new to civic engagement to come with questions as learning together helps us all improve our advocacy skills.
The first step to participating in Watch Council is to become a member. In the sign-up form, select the Watch Council field, and a WTC team member will be in touch.
If you are currently a WTC member who would like to join Watch Council, fill out this form to indicate your interest. From there, join the conversation in the wtc_watchcouncil channel in Slack to find out about upcoming field trips, drop-in sessions, and council decisions.
We thank everyone who helped us reshape this program. We look forward to continuing to build community, provide mentorship, and strengthen civic literacy and advocacy skills in the new era of Watch Council!
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