Reflecting on Evergreen
Taking a moment to reflect on the past five weeks of Evergreen, I can undoubtedly say that I have learned a tremendous amount in such a short period of time. From engaging with numerous policy professionals to learning about essential policy tools, this course was an exceptional and rewarding experience. A mix of theory and practical experience, it’s safe to say that Evergreen is a course unlike any other offered at the Munk School. I mean, have you ever ventured off to various parts of the city in an Uber with your professors and classmates?
Our last class at Evergreen Brickworks encompassed a panel of change-makers who have all championed various policy projects. It was refreshing to hear their success stories and unique approaches to bringing ideas to fruition. Although they spoke about different policy experiences, a common theme among the three change-makers was passion and resilience to achieve their desired policy outcomes. There was also no linear process, which demonstrated how nuanced policy work can be and how complex it is in nature.
On that note, I’d like to summarize my four key takeaways from the course.
1.It’s all a process
We all know that policy is a process, but this became more evident as we learned how to make an impact from outside government. Identification of the issue, although simple at first, can be very difficult if not targeted and well understood. The bulk of the work also comes from building awareness and campaigning for particular approaches. With increased knowledge and experiences, we are able to move into the development and design phase of solutions.
2. Listen, Learn and Communicate
Essential to affecting policy change is communication and spending time with people. This entails listening to people’s stories, their experiences and concerns but also learning from them. It is critical to understand actual lived experiences and have a learning conversation with others. There is so much insight to gain from the people around us, that’s why we have to meet them where they are; whether that means a site visit or sit-down conversation. Essentially, we need to go beyond the surface and dig deeper.
3.Challenge the status quo
We often try to impact people’s lives in the confines of the status quo, but the answer can lie in challenging the orthodoxies and looking for ways to flip the script. We need to think creatively and look outside the box for the persistent issues we face. The status quo is the default position and sometimes we have to wait for the right moment to make substantial change.
4.Understand power dynamics
We live in a society where people do a lot of things to conceive/retain power, class and privilege. That being said it’s necessary to identify these power dynamics and navigate through them. Is the power symmetrical or asymmetrical? This applies to stakeholders as well and recognizing their level of influence.
To close, I am appreciative for this opportunity to engage with and learn from so many incredible policy professionals; not to mention all of the knowledge Gabe and Jo have imparted to us. Also shout out to my classmates who had such great insights throughout our class discussions and to my group members Kat and Rachel for a challenging but rewarding experience tackling senior isolation. I look forward to making an impact in the future with my fellow classmates.
