Koffi Agbogbe
Koffi Agbogbe is a personal support worker (PSW) at Manor Marochel in Ottawa. He has canvassed with Team Up twice and shares his thoughts on speaking with members about the importance of voting.
“For me, one of the most important parts of canvassing is leaving a lasting impression on members. They’ll really want to engage with you if you show them you care about their opinions, even with something as simple as a warm smile.”
The result, he says, is that members can come to their own decisions on who to vote for after being informed on which party’s platforms best support their needs, and this is their first step to becoming active leaders.
He also explains why it is crucial that members feel confident enough to start thinking politically when it comes to the needs of their communities.
“Our society needs leaders like frontline healthcare workers to control politics, not the other way around. It is up to us to secure benefits and job protection for future generations because we know our issues in the healthcare industry best.”
Meaningful political action cannot be achieved without member participation, and Koffi attests to this by offering his advice on how members could come out of their shell:
“If you want change, you need to try things you’ve never tried before. You won’t know what’s possible until you do so. You carry the responsibility of advocating for yourself and your community, so be sure to learn to work well with other people and you’ll see the difference it’ll make in your life.”