Citizens lined up at microphones and didn’t yell or make accusations like at most “town halls” in Ottawa.  Instead, people proposed sessions, self-organized and taught each other about governance, the Internet, and what it means to be part of the community of Ottawa.  I believe a real testament to the long-term impact of relationships built, ideas, and thoughts shared at City Hall on May 16 is the ongoing work, online and in real life, because of ChangeCamp Ottawa.

Over 100 citizens came together around one question:

How do you re-imagine government and citizenship in the age of participation?

Now, the conversation continues online and in real life.  The ChangeCamp wiki is being tended to by participants and people are still posting, podcasting, and processing their thoughts on the day.  Ottawa was Canada’s second ChangeCamp.  (Here is a great recap how ChangeCamp arrived in the nation’s capital.)

As organizers we knew the event was going to work when people “got it”:  citizens pitched ideas, the grid was built, and sessions started all with only mild guidance at a few key points.  Organizers could sit back and see City Hall was abuzz with activity and ideas.

But, did we make “change”?

It’s a lofty goal.  Change.  Did we achieve “change?”  Did we expect to in one day?  I think we were able to create new relationships, bring ideas together, and collaborate in organizing a very worthwhile day.  A quick glance at the digital products and archive of the day quickly proves this type of event, the very design of the event, empowers, motivates, and inspires.

Motivation.  Inspiration.  Empowerment.  Sounds like change to me.

Digital Round Up

• one amazing line up of sessions, also know as “the grid”
• one podcast/hyperlocal radio show (the debut, no less!) feature
• five Flip video cameras in operation for the day, producing over 60 videos
• two amazing photographers on site all day:  MCM Photography and Ming Wu
• one on-going live aggregate of all blog, photos, and tweets via FriendFeed
• nearly 400 photos posted to Flickr
• well over 500 status updates on Twitter

Live Coverage

ChangeCamp Ottawa was covered live by Apt. 613 using ScribbleLive, the staff of Senator McCoy (on their blog), with near-live audio using AudioBoo.fm, and tweets aggregated using CoveritLive by MediaStyle.

Video Coverage by EventBot (www.eventbots.ca)

Post-Event Coverage

• ConsciousImages podcast by Robin Browne
• Stimuluswatch.ca posting
• WorldChanging.com blog post on Tracey Lauriault
• Non-linear creations blog post
• A great wrap up by Joe Boughner
• Post at DataLibre.ca
• Virtual Eye See’s take on part of the day

Important Lessons Learned

As an organizing group these are the big lessons from ChangeCamp Ottawa:

• It’s critically important to be proactive in inviting and ensure decision makers/elected officials attend ChangeCamp
• Make the day shorter; 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM was too long for such involved conversations and debate
• Think green as well, it’s tough with an ad-hoc group to keep environmentally conscience
• Here are the post ChangeCamp Ottawa meeting notes, GoogleGroup and at the ChangeCamp.ca Wiki
• How and what action do you want from the ChangeCamp in your city?  How will ideas make it into reality?

Action Items and Next Steps

• Continued work at the ChangeCamp wiki by some groups
• What other venues can ChangeCamp participants meet in year-round?
• Formal survey will go out to the registered ChangeCamp, results posted when crunched
• Report is being created by Digital Ottawa, PDF to be posted at the wiki
• ChangeAgents from Ottawa are on standby to help Vancouver, Edmonton, and other cities if they have questions or want support
• Pathable continue to be available for registered participants