Sample Page – Civic Tech Saint John

CIVIC TECH SAINT JOHN

Technology + Social Good

Technology

We use cool tools to solve real problems for real people.

Community

All are welcome.
Full stop.

You

Techie? Job-seeker? Student? Community organization? Newcomer? Just curious?
Come check us out!

Technology

We use cool tools to solve real problems for real people.

Community

We include. Full stop. All are welcome.

You

Techie? Job-seeker? Student? Community organization? Newcomer? Just curious?
Come check us out!

About us

Launched on January 28, 2020, Civic Tech Saint John (CTSJ) is a 100% volunteer-driven group of passionate citizens who believe in increasing community participation by applying technology, data, and design to solve community challenges for the overall betterment of Saint John. Volunteers meet every Tuesday evening. We started our engagement with the Saint John community in August 2019 and by the fall of that year had secured space in ConnexionWorks to host our Tuesday #HackNights.
CTSJ is part of the international Civic Tech movement. Each Civic Tech in the world is independent and self-governing. In Canada, Civic Techs
participate in a network with each other and receive practical advice from
Code for Canada.
We are a pure democracy practicing generosity of leadership. Anyone can take a leadership role. We have no president nor chair. We have a rotating steering committee, all of whom are volunteers.
CTSJ, a group of volunteers, asked to become a special project of The Human Development Council, the community’s social planning council. This valued partnership allows CTSJ to secure funding for such things as a salaried staff member, our Community Coordinator. Civic Tech Saint John receives funding from the Government of New Brunswick through the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour (PETL).

Civic Tech Saint John at a glance

Land Acknowledgement

Code of Conduct

What we aim for

How we do it

We hold #HackNights every Tuesday from early September until the end of May, with a short break over Christmas. Usually we meet biweekly in the summer. People come and pitch their challenges and needs, we listen, and then those who want to work on solutions and make a project of it break off into groups and work together. And when we ourselves can’t help directly, we can usually connect those who pitch with someone who can.

Finding innovative opportunities to address social issues in our community, especially using tech, data, and design
Connections to job opportunities in tech
Developing connections for and with community
Fostering diversity and inclusion
Building capacity – in community, in tech, among students and newcomers, and more
Identifying opportunities for community-driven action
Great conversations
Great networking
A sense of belonging

Civic Tech Saint John is a diverse and inclusive community of volunteers passionate about creating innovative solutions to address social challenges through civic engagement and technology.
We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free environment for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, economic standing, or technical skill level. We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form.

We wish to respectfully acknowledge that we all live and work on unceded and unsurrendered traditional lands that have been inhabited by First Nations Communities since time immemorial, and whose presence here continues to this day.

We also wish to acknowledge that the lands we are standing on are part of the traditional unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, Wo-las-to-qiyik, Pas-sa-ma-quod-dy Nations.

The territories are covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik and Passamaquoddy peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1726. The treaties did not deal with the surrender of land and resources, but established the rules for an ongoing relationship with mutual respect and peace between the Nations.

In this acknowledgment, we also pay respect and recognize all diverse Indigenous peoples from all nations across Canada, who call this land their home. We are all treaty people. Many of us have come here as settlers, immigrants, and newcomers in this generation or generations past.

Upcoming Events

Pitch YOU Night!

ID4 ALL Hackathon: Workshop

ID4 ALL Hackathon: Event Launch

Speaker Night!

Project /Fix-IT Night

FUN NIGHT

Pitch YOU Night!

ID4 ALL Hackathon: Workshop

ID4 ALL Hackathon: Event Launch

Speaker Night!

Project /Fix-IT Night

FUN NIGHT

Non-Profit Pitch Night

Project Night

IT Guest Speaker Night

Fix-IT Night postponed

Announcement: Civic Tech Saint John

Holiday Potluck and Gathering

Project Night

Non-Profit Pitch Night

Guest Speaker Night!

Project Night/Fix-IT Night

Project Night

Guest Speaker Night

Project Night

Non-Profit Pitch Night

Follow us on social media

What is Civic Tech?

Volunteers using technology to solve community challenges

We are inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.

We started talking in 2019. We launched in January 2020. We regularly met online throughout the COVID lockdowns. And we have made a difference!

We gather to identify community challenges.
We listen. Then we work.

Tech, data, and design are our tools.
Civic engagement is our motivation.
Partnership is our approach.
A better Saint John for all is our goal.

Civic Tech Saint John uses pitches as a powerful tool.

What is a pitch? A pitch is: presenting an idea to a group of people who can help you make your idea happen. So really, a pitch is telling others a very short story.
You can pitch a project you would like to do for the community, so you can find others to work with you on it.
You can pitch yourself as a person with skills who wants to work on a Civic Tech project – or who wants to find a job!
You can pitch a need that your non-profit organization has for some volunteer technical help.
Come pitch at a #hacknight soon!

Project pitch

You have 1 minute to:

Say your name
Describe the project
Describe your need
Say your name

Pitch YOU

You have 1 minute to:

Say your name
Describe your skill set
Describe what you would like to do
Say your name

Need pitch

You have 1 minute to:

Say your name
Describe the community need
Describe the skill sets you feel are needed
Say your name

Drop in and see for yourself!

September to May, Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. at ConnexionWorks
Or contact us for how to join online
(Summer dates vary, June to August)
All are welcome!

Civic Tech Saint John Projects

Come to our Tuesday #HackNights to get involved!

Current Projects

February 2024

ID4ALL Hack-a-thon Project

What: Marginalized people in Greater Saint John often don’t have government-accepted photo-ID. We are organizing a hack-a-thon with Kaleidoscope to generate possible solutions.

Needs: Volunteers to organize or people wanting to compete on teams.

Have you ever wondered how could you contribute to solving social issues in our community? Be part of a changemaker team by joining the ID4ALL Hackathon for social good! Find the guidelines to participate here.

Contact: Jonathan Brown ([email protected]), Mike Kerr ([email protected])

REGISTER

November 2023

Digital Equity – Training & Literacy Project

What: Creating opportunities where individuals can connect with volunteer trainers in a judgement-free environment to improve their technical knowledge and skills and grow comfortable using communication tools.

Needs: Volunteers ready to teach basic technology and communication tools.

Contact: Michael Kerr ([email protected]), Raunak Bagga ([email protected])

REGISTER

November 2023

Digital Equity – Internet Access Project

What: Create a pilot program to install internet connectivity on 2-3 buildings using a shared Wifi network. We will document the process for replicability.

Needs: People skilled in network infrastructure. People who have an interest or understanding of business development

Contact: Juan Garcia ([email protected]), Lorna Brown ([email protected])

REGISTER

November 2023

Digital Equity – Device Access Project

What: We source new-ish desktops/laptops, refurbish them, and distribute them in Greater Saint John with the help of network navigators.
Needs: Volunteers skilled at computer refurbishment (or are willing to learn) / people good at connecting with community partners.

Contact: John Wong ([email protected]), Rob Moir ([email protected])

REGISTER

November 2023

Employment Income Estimator

What: When people on social assistance take on part-time work, they receive less benefit money. Nova Scotia shared code for an app that allows their social assistance clients to quickly calculate the hit to their monthly benefit payment. We want to adapt the code for New Brunswick social assistance recipients.

Needs: Coders / People who understand (willing to learn) NB’s social assistance system

Contact: Lorna Brown ([email protected]), Rob Moir ([email protected])

November 2023

Newcomer Academics

What: With immigration there are now a number of PhDs and MDs here in Greater Saint John unaffiliated with UNB, NBCC, or the healthcare system. This group meets with the idea of networking and using the talents we have.

Needs: If you find yourself described above, contact us.

Contact: Rob Sancton ([email protected]), Rob Moir ([email protected])

November 2023

Matching Software

What: We have access to the code for an early-stage matching program. We want to assess the viability of modifying it for a number of matching projects around social issues.

Needs: Coders

Contact: Rob Moir ([email protected])

November 2023

Fix-IT Night

What: It is a do-it-together night where people can bring their broken electronic devices such as computers, phones, or tablets, and get a diagnosis of what could be done with help from our Fix-IT volunteers.

Needs: IT Network administrators / people with IT skills and troubleshooting abilities.

Contact: Mike Kerr ([email protected])

Past Projects

Caremongering App

The goal is to match people with needs to people with skills (e.g., seniors needing help with snow shoveling to teens able to shovel, or sites needing sandbags filled with people capable of filling them during the season) by using this App.

At this stage, we are looking for coders/app developers.

For more information contact [email protected]

Newcomer Transit Solutions

The project aimed to contribute to the improvement of Saint John Transit Service by sharing the positive and negative feedback of newcomers with relevant decision-makers. We collected feedback from newcomers who currently use, have stopped using, or never used the services of Saint John Transit.

We used this input to write a letter to the Fundy Regional Transit Committee in September. The letter highlighted common issues and potential inexpensive solutions. It was warmly received. The project is currently closed.

For more information contact [email protected].

Cyber-Health-Check

The project aimed to leverage industry and government resources to provide a framework that non-profits can leverage to secure the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) of their IT systems and Information. With the understanding that budget and IT resources are limited to non-existent in many cases, all efforts will be made to provide actionable recommendations and solutions to those requesting help.

For more information: ben.mcharg@civictechsaintjohn.ca

I came to Civic Tech because…

“I came to Civic Tech Saint John because it is an excellent platform for applying my skills to address the community’s tech needs. Thrilled to contribute, I’m grateful to be part of this platform and for the opportunity to network while witnessing the community’s growth.”

Amila Amarasinghe

“I came to Civic Tech in order to connect with fellow tech enthusiasts, share my IT expertise, and broaden my own technical experience. It’s been a great environment for building meaningful relationships and contributing to the community.”

Hazelie Sebastian

“I came to Civic Tech for an opportunity to serve, contribute my skills, learn from fellow tech professionals and enthusiasts to foster a collaborative technological environment for positive community impact.”

Joshua Oresanya

Analyst

“I came to Civic Tech because it offered me a platform to meet new people, learn more, and use my skills to impact our community positively.”

Jonnas Britto de Souza

“I came to Civic Tech because I enjoy solving problems and wanted to contribute positively to the Saint John community. Civic Tech is the right space that serves as an interface between those of us who want to have a social impact through IT and the Saint John community.”

Christian Pepper

“I came to Civic Tech because I wanted to share my lifetime of experience in technology.”

Joshua Northorp

“I came to Civic Tech because it serves as the focal point of the community. Here, I have the opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs, scholars, students, and volunteers alike, expanding my network and gaining a deeper understanding of Canadian culture”.

Danyan Luo

“I came to Civic Tech because I was interested in projects that create social impact. Through working on these projects, I was able to improve my technical skills and learn English while also discovering new job opportunities. It’s been a fulfilling journey and I’m grateful for the experience.”

Jacky Gao

“I came to Civic Tech because it is an excellent opportunity for me to network with individuals and pitch my business idea. It is a great place to meet volunteers who are willing to help with website development”.

Aya Murad

“I came to Civic Tech because I knew that this is the best place where you can connect with people, make networking and be part of the New Brunswick community. Thank you for this opportunity!”

Yuliia Degnera

Come to a Tuesday #HackNight, you’ll be hooked!

I Co-organize Civic Tech because….

“I am a co-organizer volunteer with Civic Tech Saint John primarily to engage with people. There are many challenges that our world faces and I believe the solutions can be found at the intersection of community, innovation and technology. Civic Tech is this Space.”

Michael Kerr

“I co-organize Civic Tech because it taps the potential of intelligent and passionate youth and newcomers, giving them a platform to support the community and provide creative solutions”.

Raunak Bagga

“I co-organize Civic Tech Saint John because that’s what it takes to make Saint John the best city it can be. Working together to lift us all is just what I want to do!”

Rob Moir

“For years I volunteered with other groups, but never felt I was providing the most value to my community given my technical skill set. Enter CTSJ and I can finally apply my skills to specific technology-enabled projects and engage with so many of the diverse people of Saint John!”

Ben McHarg

“I’m a volunteer co-organizer with Civic Tech Saint John because of the tremendous opportunity to engage with residents, community leaders, newcomers, and a diversity of people working, studying, or looking for work in technology to create greater social inclusion and development in the region.”

John Wong

“I co-organize Civic Tech because Saint John has huge challenges and huge talent to meet them. Together we are using our inspiration and innovation to make Saint John a better place – for everyone. I come every week for social, economic, and climate justice, so no one will be left behind”

Lorna Brown

You, too, can become a co-organizer. Contact [email protected] about how to get involved.

Contact Us

[email protected]
1 Germain St., Suite 300, Saint John, NB E2L 4V1

Contact Form

Policy of Use of Name

While we don’t provide institutional support to any company or organization, our members have freedom to offer their support and expertise on specific tasks.

Civic Tech is pleased when individuals discover opportunities with companies and organizations, as long as all parties involved understand that this does not constitute an official endorsement by Civic Tech.

Disclaimer

Civic Tech Saint John (CTSJ) is an unincorporated group of volunteers who use creativity and collaboration to address community challenges through tech, data, and design. CTSJ provides an opportunity for community members to find each other, connect, network, and create projects of their own.

Each project volunteer is individually responsible for their own work and to give their best efforts according to their capacity. CTSJ does not own the projects of our members. Unless the Civic Tech Steering Committee has approved in writing, in advance, a member is not permitted to use our name to pursue any element of their project (for example, partnerships, media attention, funding applications, etc.). We are a safe creative space where people can meet. We are not responsible for what they do with the opportunity.