PREPARE HER
Women are underrepresented at all levels of government.
Democracy is strengthened when women and gender-diverse folks bring their experiences, perspectives, and voices to leadership. On average, women hold only 30% of elected positions in Canada, revealing a democratic deficit. We need better representation among elected roles, and we need to work together to prepare diverse candidates to run.
Parity by 2025
Ask Her has the ambitious goal of reaching gender parity on Calgary’s City Council and maintaining gender parity on Edmonton’s City Council in 2025. With the 2025 election rapidly approaching, it’s more important than ever that we are equipping women and gender-diverse candidates with the skills necessary to run and win.
About Prepare Her
Prepare Her is a practical and hands-on program designed to address the barriers faced by women and gender-diverse folks seeking elected office by helping them build the skills, acumen, and leadership to run successful campaigns.
This 12-session program includes hands-on exercises and sessions from industry leaders on a wide variety of topics including government and public policy 101, branding and media training, fundraising, campaigning, and more. At the end, you will have built the foundational skills to run an effective campaign as well as a powerful network of peers, experts, and leaders to support your continued learning.
You should consider Prepare Her if:
You are interested in public office or passionate about civic engagement
You want to run in an upcoming election or support a future candidate
You are committed to making your community better
You want to learn new skills
You live in or around Calgary or Edmonton
You identify as a woman or gender-diverse person
We strive for a cohort representative of the Calgary and Edmonton communities, providing the opportunity for women and gender-diverse folks with Indigenous, visible minority, racialized, and 2SLGBTQ+ backgrounds to participate in the program.
Don’t want to run or support a future candidate? That’s okay!
You can participate in Prepare Her whether you’re interested in running today, tomorrow, or in the future–or not at all. You will gain valuable skills and a network to help you amplify the impact you want to have in your community, whether that’s raising funds, getting a message or story out there, or rallying people toward a cause.
The Fineprint:
PROGRAM COST: To cover venue rentals, food and beverage, program materials, honorariums, and administration, the program has a $250 commitment fee. We are committed to ensuring our programs are accessible to more people and that includes removing financial barriers. If you require financial support, we are happy to discuss options to ensure you can participate. Email us here.
TIME COMMITMENT: Sessions are on Tuesdays (6PM - 8PM) and Saturdays (9AM - 12PM) between September 17th and November 21st. Some work is required outside of scheduled sessions. We ask that you make every attempt to participate in the full program to get the most benefit from it.
LOCATION: Most sessions are virtual, with select Saturday sessions held in-person (with separate venues for the Edmonton and Calgary cohorts).
APPLICATION PROCESS: Stay tuned for information about applying to our next cohort. We will review your application against the eligibility criteria. We may contact you for an interview if further information is needed. You will be notified of your acceptance or rejection into the program via email.
SOCIAL CONTRACT: At Ask Her, we take our values seriously and ask all volunteers, facilitators, and program participants to commit to positive collaboration, transparency, and support throughout their journey with Ask Her. You will be sent a copy of our social contract to review and sign prior to the program start date. View an example here.
Program Overview
Participants can expect to dive deeper into the following topics:
Exploring Leadership: understanding the role of gender norms in society and politics, identifying leadership approaches and values.
Understanding the City: understanding Calgary and Edmontons’s municipal landscapes, key issues and players.
Intro to Public Policy: understanding the role of an elected official and how policy is created at the municipal level and applying knowledge to develop public policy solutions.
IDEA*, Anti-Racism & Indigenous Perspectives in Policy: learning about Calgary’s Anti-Racism Strategy and White Goose Flying report, learning how IDEA, anti-racism, and reconciliation apply within a political context.
Campaigning 101: understanding the challenges and opportunities associated with campaigning, elements of a successful campaign, key campaign tactics, and communications strategies.
Fundraising 101: learning about fundraising rules and understanding the unique challenges of fundraising as a woman or gender-diverse candidate, creating and practicing a funding pitch.
Branding Basics and Mastering Media: understanding the power of personal branding, the media landscape and how to give interviews, crisis responses, and more (this session will include opportunities for practical media training and interview practice).
*Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility