Community 2.0 - Governance & Engagement in Community Development

The Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development (OICRD) Board of Directors is challenged to continue to provide the governance to allow the committee work that is occurring to continue and improve. This inquiry asked; how can shifting the governance model in the OICRD improve community engagement with sustainability planning and implementation? The research engaged the past chairs, current executive, essential member boards and committee members using an Organizational Action Research (OAR) methodology and focus group and survey research methods to complete the readiness for change cycle of the OAR model. The results illustrate that the four organizations that constitute the OICRD need to rediscover their interdependence and re-focus relationships between the four and the OICRD committees. The OICRD must build the physical and virtual infrastructure to engage members in order to generate meaningful possibilities, and employ new action research practices to move possibilities to action, report and celebrate successes.