Kindness Coming Soon To A City Near You !
Cities across the world are placing kindness on the agenda to embed a culture of kindness within their communities from the classroom, to the staffroom, and from the boardroom to our corridors of government.
As the peak national US Kindness body, World Kindness USA can assist Cities who decide to start this journey to meet the KPI’s and possibly qualify to be internationally recognized and endorsed as a World Kindness City.
COUNCIL GOODWILL AMBASSADORS
A Goodwill Ambassador for the council undertakes to support the city’s ongoing kindness campaign which the council has unanimously resolved at a full council meeting and followed through with a public signing ceremony. Whilst it is about the promotion of events leading up to World Kindness Week in November, it’s also about engaging the whole village to create a better environment within the greater community by promoting the good work that is being done by individuals and or groups within all sectors of the community.
IT’S ABOUT WALKING THE TALK
- Ambassadors will be asked to sign, with other members of the council a Declaration of Support for World Kindness USA’s endeavours to create a kinder society for our children to inherit.
- Ambassadors will be asked to work within their own networks/departments either (directly or through social media) to raise awareness on events leading up to World Kindness Week updating council on the progress of the campaign both locally and internationally.
- Working within the community on a volunteer basis, Ambassadors will be directly involved in bringing about positive change by raising awareness to the important role kindness plays in our society.
- Ambassadors will be actively involved in the celebration of The World Kindness Week / Day attending events such as:
The Big Hug, The Cool To Be Kind & Courage To Be Kind Awards – Global Kindness Flash Mob / Dance for Kindness, World Kindness Day Event
e.g. “Conversations In Kindness” Panel Co Branding and the registeration of the City’s own World Kindness Cards and entering witnessed accounts of Acts of Kindness to pass on to deserving individuals. - Ambassadors may from time to time, be invited to address staff, public meetings panels, schools, sports clubs and or organisations encouraging them to celebrate World kindness Week.
Suggested Topics include:
“Does Seeking The Kinder Option Mean Taking The Path of Most Resistance?
“When Do We Need “The Courage to Be Kind?”
“How Does Kindness Apply to Everything?”
“Why is Kindness Often Mistaken For Weakness?”
“Is Kindness Gender Specific?”
“What Do You Expect In Return When You Perform An Act Of Kindness?”
“Why is the Lesser of Two Evils often Preferable Over the Kinder Option?”
“What Are The Barriers To Kindness?” - Ambassadors may be asked from time to time to acknowledge and present individuals, students and or organizations with “ Awards”.
- Ambassadors will be asked to identify goodwill initiatives within the community in the lead up to World Kindness Week / Day and through City Council will raise awareness to the good work that’s being done by individuals and organizations.
- Ambassadors will be invited to meet periodically (once every 2 months) attend network evenings to share ideas and communicate their progress as major events unfold leading up to World kindness Week /Day.
- Ambassadors may from time to time be requested for media engagements, interviews, join discussion panels, forums to address current events in which Kindness could be a factor. They will encourage the community to particpate in a Kindness Index and may represent the city and present the city’s outcomes and initiatives.
- Ambassadors will highlight the importance of engaging the whole village in raising the child seeking opportunities to promote the campaign and engage participation from all sectors and peak association bodies, including but not limited to Police and Emergency Services ans well as schools and the business commuity.
After consistently meeting the KPIs (Kindness Performance Indicators) the city received formal confirmation that their submission to the peak global kindness body, The World Kindness Movement, was successful, making the City of Gold Coast the first city in the movement’s 20 year history to receive official listing as a “World Kindness City”. This was resolved unanimously in Seoul by international delegates convening from around the globe to attend the 9th General Assembly where the event received a Message of Support from the Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull PM on the 3rd of September 2017.
In 2012 Mayor Tom Tate and City of Gold Coast Councillors unanimously supported a motion to join the global campaign for a Kinder World. Who knew 5 years later this would lead to the City being Internationally Endorsed as a World Kindness City? The City is hosting the worlds second largest sporting event in 2018 and intends to embed kindness as part of welcoming 70+ nations.
CRITERIA FOR OFFICIAL LISTING AS A WORLD KINDNESS CITY
For a City to be considered for international endorsement as a World Kindness City / Destination / Town.
1. The City has a resolution at full council meeting to Declare Support for World Kindness USA’s endeavours to create a kinder world for our children to inherit. (Activated by a Mayoral Minute or independent motion sponsored from the floor of council). Note: a Declaration of Support is signed at an official Signing Ceremony by all elected Council members. Community leaders, members of council executive, association peak bodies and media are all invited to be in attendance.
2. The City has placed World Kindness Week / Day 13 November on the cities calendar with a Kindness landing page on the Council website including a message from the Mayor and a hypelink to World Kindness USA.
3. Council publicly displays a unanimous “Declaration for Support” for a kinder world signed by all councillors for the endeavours to create a kinder world both on website and on council premises.
4. City appoints Council/City Goodwill Ambassadors (voluntary) to identify and support community Kindness initiatives leading up to World Kindness Week (2nd week of November).
5. City hosts annual Kindness Awards for all sectors of the community during World Kindness Week second week November. (Cool To Be Kind / Courage To Be Kind Award Local Kindness Hero).
6. City identifies and supports Schools / Community Groups / Business / peak bodies / public institutions such as Hospitals, Police departments and Emergency services. Business Chambers in the municipality/district which have or intending to promote World Kindness Day and have themselves become an official member of World Kindness USA, with an undertaking to meet the Kindness Performance Indicators with appointed Goodwill Ambassadors to participate in kindness programs. A local university may choose to launch a Kindness Scholarship. This would be a first in the USA and can reflect any degree from Sport to Law and Medicine.
7. City has invited local, state and Federal Members of Government to declare their support for the World Kindness campaign and support a cosponsored bill to have A declaration signed unaniomously in the government.
8. City either hosts, actively supports, and/or participates in a Kindness Initiatives e.g. Implement a 360 Kindness Index (survey), launch officially branded community World Kindness Cards, organize The BIG HUG, A Conversation in Kindness Panel discussion, Public Speaking and Flash Mob, Dance for Kindness, Kindness Concert, Kindness themed Short Film festival, Vox Popoli (live street interviews with the people of the city) or Arts festival dedicated to expressing kindness through the Arts Dance, Music, Theatre, poetry, literature or photography .
9. Introduce a neighbouring City /Council / Sister City or peak government body to the global campaign.
10. Mayor invites local Sports clubs, Hotels, Schools, Universities, Chambers of Commerce, Businesses and NGO’s to participate and or co-host Community Goodwill Ambassador network events to encourage and promote participation “ConversationsInKindness”. World Kindness USA as the national peak kindness body, will assist in guiding and reviewing initial submissions from participating cities to ensure minimum criteria is met to qualify and will support the city’s bid to the global body at an international gathering.
Presentations can be a combination of a digital and hard-copy, including interviews, short film productions awards, hosting International Kindness events eg a International General Assembly, International Council Meeting and National Conference with media highlights of activities showcasing participation from all sectors including education, business, community and government. Any data collected including results from a City Kindness Index are welcomed. Once the application process is complete it will be vetted by World Kindness USA and then put to the World Kindness Movement’s Intentional Council to be ratified and the city will receive advice through the office of the Membership Committe via World Kindness USA. Whilst this will take time there is still many components for a City to prepare for a submission. City submissions will be presented 6 months prior to the Biannual WKM General Assembly.
Once a number of US cities officially participating and listed as a World Kindness City one will be chosen to be the World Kindness USA “City of the Year” based on a number of factors including pre-existing programs and initiatives.