BrentWould city council please consider asking our city manager to explore the feasibility of creating a city talent bank? A database of local experts and skill sets willing to volunteer their time and talent toward city department projects. The city uses college interns, but projects are usually complex and longer than intern semesters. Onboarding replacement interns semester after semester is time consuming and disruptive to project continuity. Departments frequently find that internships are more work than they’re worth.
We have over 10,000 city residents. Many are retired or between jobs and hope to fill idle time and stay mentally active. Imagine all the accomplished engineers; accountants, graphic artists, web designers; literature, math, business, and speech teachers, project managers, to name a few. Many would volunteer if they only knew how the city could use their talents. Build databases, perform analytics, develop and review business plans, create budgets, maintain websites, write and edit communications, help organize events, and much more.
Michigan and other states have talent banks. An example is www.mitalent.org. Commercial talent banks have existed for 20 years. An example is www.Upworks.com. But a quick Google search does not show any cities talent banks. Let Grand Haven lead the way and be the first.
Departments upload their projects and skill sets needed onto the database. Volunteers upload their skills and work history. When a new project is added to the talent bank, email alerts go to all volunteers. Volunteers log in, review the project, and click “interested” if they want to help. Departments review the “interested” list and evaluate which volunteer(s) best fit their project. Departments click “invite” on volunteers they want. Our city attorney could guide the city on boilerplate and disclaimer provisions needed for engagements. Our city manager oversees the talent bank, including its guidelines.
NOTE: To be clear, this city talent bank is not a citizen advisory group our charter currently allows. The two are totally different in structure, purpose, and function.
Our city attorney should review, but I believe a talent bank as outlined above is within our city manager’s authority and does not need city council approval. However, a council “green light” to explore the feasibility of a talent bank would be a positive message to city residents.
Please give a city talent bank serious consideration. Whenever council can embrace a win-win project for both our city and residents, it’s a project worth supporting.
What do you think about this idea? What skills do you have to help the city? Do you have other ideas to share?
