Ag Society Seeks Input Into Future Direction

2017/11/01Local Interest

ValleyBiz Story | The Swan River Valley Agricultural Society (SRVAS) invited representatives from various community groups and organizations for a “Community Conversation” to help determine the desired future for the Ag Society. About 40 people attended the planning session on October 26, 2017.

Liz Roberts, President of Liz Roberts & Associates, a consulting firm out of Brandon, MB and Marlene Baskerville, Executive Director of Manitoba Association of Ag Societies facilitated the session.

“We are here to help the SRVAS construct a desired future for the SRVAS that reflects the needs of the community.” said Roberts, “We are setting the priorities and the direction and we are recruiting team members.”

The facilitators asked a series of questions to encourage conversations that would uncover new and innovative ideas to revitalize the ag society in the community. For each question, participants were asked to discuss their thoughts on the topic with a new group of three.

Following the small group discussions, the participants divided up into new groups of 5 to discussed the following question,

“If the SRVAS and the community’s success was completely guaranteed what do you want to create together that will make a positive difference to the SRVAC and to the community.”

The ideas from each of the smaller groups where then presented to the group as a whole and, while many different suggestions and ideas were given, several themes developed.

1. Bring a more multi-cultural focus to the SRVAC’s activities
2. Develop more year round initiatives
3. Increase the educational component and public awareness
4. Feature more local participants and hands on experiences
5. Expand and enhance to the services already provided

Before the meeting concluded, participants were encouraged to identify which of the above themes was of most interest to them.

The facilitators will summarize the discussions from the evening into a report and a one page summary of priorities. Additional sessions will be planned to review the ideas and develop action plans.