Civic Punks Waterloo Launch
The world is changing, and we know government needs to change to keep up with it. But change to what?
My name is Derek Alton, and for the last 17 years, I have been obsessing over this question. I started here in the Guelph and KW area, where I got involved in community work. Next, I went to Ottawa, where I spent over 6 years working for the Government of Canada. Then I moved to the UK to help build global communities of practice for over 35K public servants from around the world.
This year I am travelling the world, exploring the future of government through the eyes of the people building it. A project I am calling Civic Punks!
So far, I have been across Canada and to Asia and the Pacific. Through this, I have gathered many stories and learned a lot.
This event is a chance to share what I’ve been hearing so far.
What themes keep coming up?
What feels hopeful?
What feels stuck?
What are people building, testing, and questioning?
And because I’ll be heading to Europe next, it’s also a chance to talk about where Civic Punks is going from here — the stories I’m chasing, the questions I’m carrying, and the people I’m hoping to meet next.
But this is not meant to be a one-way download. I also want to hear from you.
What kind of government do you want to see?
What should it include?
Who gets to shape it?
And how do we make sure people are not just talked about in these visions, but actually included in building them?
So let’s keep it simple:
Come hang out with other people in Waterloo Region who care — or are at least curious — about making government more human, useful, trustworthy, and responsive.
Bring a friend. Bring a colleague. Bring someone with strong opinions about public services, democracy, bureaucracy, procurement, or all of the above.
Check out the project:
https://civicpunks.com/