🗞️The Future of Democracy With Nick Vlahos, Methods for Humanizing Public Conversation With Jeffrey Stec, & more!
November 14, 2024 edition
EngagingCities shares outstanding work by our network of planners and changemakers, who actively involve their communities in creating better places and a brighter future.
🔥 Fireside Chat with Nick Vlahos
The Future of Democracy: Innovative Civic Engagement
Nick Vlahos Ph.D. is the Deputy Director of the Center for Democracy Innovation at the National Civic League. Nick discusses his experiences and insights into public decision-making and civic engagement. The conversation covers the role of the National Civic League, the challenges of polarized public meetings, and the practical application of innovative approaches to civic participation. Key projects highlighted include the 'Better Public Meetings' initiative in Boulder, Colorado, and Mesa, Arizona, which aims to transform traditional public meeting formats to foster more inclusive and productive dialogues. Nick emphasizes the importance of measuring public attitudes through tools like engagement scorecards and civic infrastructure scans, and the potential of using AI to enhance these processes. He also touches on emerging trends such as charter revisions, participatory budgeting, and community land trusts as ways to democratize economic spaces and improve quality of life. The episode highlights the importance of nuanced communication and active community involvement for successful civic innovations, offering practical advice for local governments and consultants. Nick's perspectives provide valuable guidance for how to adapt and innovate civic processes to meet contemporary challenges and improve democratic engagement at the local level.
Key Takeaways
💬 Effective messaging is vital for fostering community engagement. Clear and transparent communication helps to build trust and encourages participation from diverse groups.
🤝 Partnerships with internal teams can amplify the impact of civic initiatives. Collaborative efforts enable resource sharing and unified goals, making initiatives more effective.
📈 Utilizing data to track engagement success is important for refining strategies. Analyzing feedback allows for continuous improvement and adaptation to community needs.
💡 Charter revisions and citizens’ assemblies are gaining traction as democratic innovations. These methods encourage greater citizen involvement in governance and decision-making processes.
🏡 Community Land Trusts serve as a powerful tool for giving a voice to marginalized communities. They allow residents to influence land use and development in their neighborhoods, promoting equity.
🌟 Addressing challenges like political will is essential for transforming public meetings. Overcoming resistance can lead to more inclusive and productive civic discussions.
🔄 The Center for Democracy Innovation invites further dialogue on these topics, promoting collaboration among civic leaders and community members to enhance democratic engagement.
“The local level really is the ground floor of democracy, impacting people’s lives on a regular basis.”
Nick Vlahos Ph.D., Deputy Director of the Center for Democracy Innovation
👀 Watch or listen to the Fireside Chat.
📧 Contact Nick Vlahos on LinkedIn.
🌐 Visit the following websites for more information:
https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/center-for-democracy-innovation
https://bloombergcities.jhu.edu/news/pilot-project-shaking-things-public-meetings
📅 Engaging Events
📌 Masterminds: Methods for Humanizing Public Conversation
🗹 Are your public meetings filled with empty chairs instead of active citizens?
🗹 Are you struggling to build trust with a public that believes everything is “rigged” by special interests?
🗹 Are you constantly dealing with public criticism and pushback?
🗹 Is your team struggling to manage tough public conversations?
Join our next EngagingCities Masterminds discussion led by Jeffrey Stec, a Certified Facilitator and Executive Director at Citizens for Civic Renewal to learn how to deal with these issues and try out “humanized” meeting facilitation strategies with a group of your peers.
Date and time: Wednesday, December 4, 12:00 - 1:30pm MDT
Cost: Free
Location: Zoom (link will be shared after you register)
Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register
📚 Plan Showcase
Get inspiration, explore trends, or gain insights by exploring our curated list of community-recommended or award-winning plans. Check out these examples:
📒 Flagstaff 10-Year Housing Plan: Flagstaff Unveils Bold 10-Year Plan to Halve Affordable Housing Gap, Promising a More Vibrant, Livable City Through Innovative Policies and Partnerships.
📒 Silverton Compass Master Plan: Master Plan Unveils Vision for Economic Resilience, Expanded Housing, and Preservation of Town's Unique Character.
📒 RetoolCOS: Unified Development Code (UDC) Project. Transforming Colorado Springs through Modernized Zoning Laws and Vibrant Urban Design, Fueled by Community Collaboration.
💻 Take a look at the other plans in our showcase and upload yours here.
💼 Job Opportunities
📎 CD Specialist-Planner-I Neighborhood & Community Engagement Planner - City of Fort Wayne
📎 Engagement Officer (Director I) - City of Portland
📎 Assistant/Associate Planner - Good City Company
🗃️ Find more jobs here.
🙌 Support for APA Interest Group
We believe the practice of Community Engagement should have its own Interest Group within the American Planning Association (APA) as a place to network, find inspiration, and share best practices. Help EngagingCities make the case by filling out this online form to express your support and get updates along the way. You may view the existing Divisions and Interest Groups within APA here for reference.
➡️ Visit EngagingCities.org and follow us on X and LinkedIn for more stories like these!
💬 Do you have an interesting story, event, or job to share? Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email us at hello@engagingcities.org
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