The reason I’m really excited about this conference is that it’s an opportunity take part in a radical departure from traditional conferences and to demonstrate how meaningful a conference experience can be while allowing the participants to do what they do so well – connect with each other and talk about their own experiences of evaluation of behaviour change including their successes and failures, and come away with renewed insight, inspiration and ideas. So much for connection. Regular readers will known that I’m involved in a national conference on evaluation of behaviour change called Show Me The Change .

We are exploring ways to connect differently and do our work at the next level.  The How do we better connect youth/schools to the local food system?  For How do we better connect school and community centres and programs for collaborative work? Hosting an Open Space gathering in Kamloops today with about 40 people who work hard around issues of child and youth health.  We The conversations have started and the topics are rich.  I

We attended numerous panels, connected with colleagues and friends on nonprofit technology and social good, and had skillets of queso in between. We are all part of several communities in our own lives — some we connect with regularly, others maybe every few months. South by Southwest reinforced the true value of connecting like-minded groups in person — particularly in our field. Reflections on community at SxSW Andrew , Bill , and I just got back from the South by Southwest Interactive Festival , where we spent nearly a week drinking from the proverbial