It's been a devastating few years in civic tech. The optimism of the early years has been drained out. There's a camp still living in the past and another made up of people who grew out of it, looking for ways to use their skills for the public good, many already engaged in this work. Will the future of this work be destruction and harm or something else? Years Ahead is about that handoff.
It's time to focus on the future. What are the stories that will catalyze the next generation of technologists to take the baton? Are we inventing the right roles, shapes, and forms for delivering for the public? Years Ahead will contend with these questions and others, bringing together people from across the eras of this emergent practice to talk about where we can learn and grow from each other, together.
We'll spend two days sharing lessons learned in the trenches, hear from the actual public impacted by systems, tools & services in need of repair, and talk about the ways to build more intentional, thoughtful spaces for those who will lead the work into the future.
Both editions focus on how teams build capacity: how they start, what they've learned, and how they keep moving. The emphasis is on practice—delivery, organization design, tools, and the realities of public work at scale.
A full-day, hands-on session emphasizing how to build an internal digital services unit. Whether you're looking to start a non-profit, launch or bolster an in-house government unit, participants learn the different models of building successful digital service teams from the people who've built & maintained them. You'll leave with a working blueprint for how to stand up and sustain delivery inside your own organization.
Career strategy & practical tips from peers & leaders
Open discussions about civic tech is & what comes next
Practical sessions on delivery, collaboration, and capability-building
A community of people who are still doing the work
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