A collage of pictures of young people and people taking photos with their phones

From photos to action: The power of following up with kids’ voices

At the Rural Renewal Symposium last year, I was stopped in my tracks by a research poster presentation by Rural Scholar Stephanie Harvey on a youth photovoice project.  Why did it strike me? It featured photos taken by kids ages 7 to 17 about what they wanted in their towns. I think you’d recognize their…

A diverse group of people playing human foosball, read ahead for detailed description

Breaking through liability fears that hold volunteers back – Idea Friendly answers

When we were talking about finding more volunteers in a virtual session with Radically Rural, some people brought up liability as a barrier to all kinds of volunteer projects and events.  I get why this came up. Somebody in your town probably brought up liability when you shared an idea, too.  “You want to let…

Two volunteers in colorful shirts pause for a selfie

What if you flipped volunteer recruitment? An Idea Friendly story from Ontario

It’s not just you. Every small town struggles to find enough volunteers to do all the projects and events and ideas.  Cassandra Boniface with the Township of Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario, told us how they flipped the volunteer recruiting process.  “We created the Active Community Expo (A.C.E.). It’s held at our local arena, and is essentially a…

Colorful modern mural of wildflowers, a pollinator insect in front of a huge sun setting in the background.

If you’re tired of “Nothing good happens here!” complaints, make a success list

It’s pretty common to hear rural people say something like, “There’s nothing here!” That’s because they aren’t remembering all the new business activity or they maybe aren’t paying attention. Or maybe they’re only thinking of big new employers, the kind that come with visiting dignitaries for the ribbon cutting and announcement. Most small towns don’t…