Reflections on a 'Bottom Up Top Down' Approach that is emerging in British Columbia

 Convening for Action on Vancouver Island

In May 2010, the BC Hydro Power Smart team convened a select group of community leaders from across the province for a one-day dialogue.

"Our objective is for participants to work together to co-create a conservation community of practice that connects you and your networks with other like-minded leaders throughout BC to share your successes and challenges in engaging communities." stated Pia Nagpal, BC Hydro Program Manager for Community Engagement.

"I believe this to be an excellent initiative," observes Eric Bonham, Past-Chair of the Highlands Stewardship Foundation and a former Director in two BC provincial ministries (Environment, and Municipal Affairs). He is also a founding member of Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, known by the acronym CAVI.

"I have always maintained that without community 'buy-in' the usual 'top down' approach will not result in the long term changes necessary to achieve the goal of sustainablity; hence my passion for community engagement through stewardship, etc and the adoption of a 'bottom-up top down involvement' approach." 

"The CAVI vision is that we will build and/or rebuild our communities in a way that achieves water sustainability over time. How we get there relies on a change in mind-set. The CAVI role is to facilitate that change."

"I would suggest that any gains we may have made in the CAVI initiative has been due to this appreciation of listening to the community and letting them 'drive the bus'."

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on BC Hydro Power Smart initiates 'A Conservation Dialogue - Creating a Community of Practice'