Hello. Thank you for allowing me to speak in front of you today. It is an honour.
Today I'm representing Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network Canada, from here on in referred to as CoCoRaHS Canada. This is an international precipitation reporting network that has thousands of volunteers in the U.S., Canada and the Bahamas.
The network started in 1998 out of Colorado State University and expanded into Canada in 2011 following a massive flood in Manitoba. In the first year, the network gained 80 active volunteer observers. As of January 31, 2023, there are 843 active volunteer observers in Canada.
Not only has the network grown to 10 times its size from the first year, but over the years there has been a steady increase in the number of reports each volunteer makes per year. All of this is to say that CoCoRaHS Canada has been able not only to keep a network of enthusiastic and consistent volunteers but to also steadily increase it.
There are several key ideas that we attribute to the continued success. These include strong partnerships, reliable local coordinators, enthusiastic volunteers, an accessible website, detailed training, simple low-cost equipment and an easy reporting system.
Identifying partners who are interested not only in the subject matter of the program but also in the data collected, with the ability to adapt it locally, is key. Being able to identify groups that would not only willingly work with you but that want to work with you is an important first step in building a citizen science volunteer network. Examples of groups that CoCoRaHS has partnered with include agriculture groups, emergencies managers, universities and local schools, conservation areas, meteorologists, climatologists, ECCC and local municipality water management.
Having reliable local coordinators among the group of partners is a wonderful way to build up a network. These coordinators have valuable insight into people who may want to join the network, such as community members, local groups and leadership in the area. Local coordinators will better be able to connect with enthusiastic volunteers and nurture their enthusiasm to be long-lasting. Having enthusiastic volunteers means that they are intrinsically motivated to continue with reporting for longer than someone who is seeking external validation would be.
While having enthusiastic volunteers and good connections is vital, if the method in which they are reporting their findings is difficult or confusing, or the equipment that's necessary is expensive or complicated, then they are not likely to continue with the program. Finding a method of reporting that is simple, easy to learn and quick is key to keeping an established volunteer network. Even with the most valiant cause and the most enthusiastic volunteers, if the work is difficult or time-consuming, volunteers are likely to get discouraged. I believe it is vital to remember that citizen scientists are still volunteers and that as a citizen science organization we need to show that we value their time and energy.
With CoCoRaHS, there are three ways to submit reports: on our website, on our smart phone app or over the phone. With every method, it takes only about one to five minutes of day-to-day active participation. We also have training and slide shows on every single part of the reporting process available on our website at any time. The volunteers use basic practical methods to conduct their observations, which makes the program accessible to all communities.
The final thing I would like to mention is the importance of providing meaning behind participation. Ensuring that volunteers know what their hard work is being used for and who it is benefiting is one of the most vital steps to establishing a successful citizen science network. This gives the volunteers' work purpose and makes them feel as if they are making a difference. Even though their work is extremely important, if this isn't made clear, then they're likely to lose enthusiasm for the project, especially if it's meant to be long-lasting.
In CoCoRaHS, every single report that any observer across the three countries that it's run in is plotted on an interactive map that is available for the public to see, and every year all observers are given an analysis of their reports across the water year. Their different research reports, such as snow coverage reports and rainy day reports, are available on the website at any time. Observers are also made aware of the ECCC reports that their data is being used in throughout the year.
If an organization can truly make volunteers feel as if they would be making a difference and bettering the world, then that is the most important thing to successfully enhancing Canada's citizen science network.
Thank you.