FITCHBURG — The third annual Civic Ambassador Stewards Training kicks off this week and there are still plenty of spots available to register.
Topics covered in the sessions led by facilitator Sarah Beth Wheeler include Introduction to Civic Engagement, Campaign Organizing 101, and How a Bill Becomes Law in Massachusetts, to name just a few. Because the trainings taking place on Thursdays March 26 through May 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. are being held both in person at 470 Main St. and virtually via Zoom, they are able to accommodate a large number of participants.
“The trainings foster community participation into our local democracy. We hope that participants will commit to serving in committees, commissions, or even to running for public office in the future as some have done successfully in the past,” said NewVue Communities Director of Community Organizing Francisco Ramos, the organization that runs the program along with Fitchburg Civic Forum, Health Equity Partnership of North Central Mass, and Mount Wachusett Community College.
Ramos has been with NewVue since 2018 and reported that they have offered two of these trainings in the past, resulting in upwards of 20 participants successfully graduating from them each time.
“Participants have learned about different ways in which they can serve their local communities or what it takes to run for local office,” he said, adding that the trainings are conversational in nature, free of charge, and open to the public.
“We are hoping that the trainings will help community residents get excited about mobilizing and getting involved,” Ramos continued. “We want to help residents connect with each other, with local public leaders, and with real possibilities for community service.”
The training also being offered virtually enables participation from many communities in the region without the need to travel to a specific location and Ramos shared that “if there is a need for it, trainings can be offered bilingually in English and Spanish.”
He went on to say that as a community development corporation, NewVue is “committed to helping the local communities we serve develop personally and professionally [and] to building community and opportunities for leadership development.”
Ramos said they are grateful for the “longtime community activists who have been doing this for years,” people like Mayor Sam Squailia, City Councilor Sally Cragin, Ayer resident Marion Stoddart, who spearheaded the cleaning up of the Nashua River beginning in the 1960s, “and so many others who have transformed our communities and environment for good.”
“It is thanks to them that the Nashua River is clean and within reach of local residents. It is thanks to them that murals are placed on walls in Fitchburg, Leominster, and other places in our region. It is thanks to them that our local governments continue to function,” Ramos said. “We want to continue moving forward with their legacy as are the change we want to see happen, and that process might start with a simple evening class. Join us!”
For more information visit newvuecommunities.org/event/civic-ambassador-stewards-training and to register email Francisco Ramos at [email protected].
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