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Livable Raleigh

Community Conversations 

City of Raleigh

Office of Community Engagement 

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Presentation Overview 

  • Office Scope
  • Community Engagement Defined 
  • Office Goals 
  • Current Initiatives 
  • Community Engagement Board  

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Office of Community Engagement

Lead people-focused processes that increase the collective capacity of the community to improve the quality of life for the individuals who live, work, and play here. 

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Purpose

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Community Engagement Defined

Any process that involves the input of community members in city problem solving or decision making. 

Meaningful Community Engagement 

  • Uses input to make sustainable decisions 
  • Includes clear and appropriate opportunities for feedback to influence decisions
  • Representation from the whole community 
  • Open, two-way dialogue 

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Outreach vs. Engagement 

Public Outreach ​

Community Engagement ​

Allows people to passively receive a message ​

Allows people to actively participate in a process ​

Examples: newsletters, e-blast, social media, websites, brochures, fact sheets ​

Examples: interactive mapping, moderated forums, participatory budgeting, focus groups ​

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Outreach vs. Engagement 

Public Outreach ​

Community Engagement ​

Short-Term​

Long-Term​

Marketing​

Relationship Building ​

What can A do for B?​

What can A and B do together?​

Transactional ​

Connecting​

Directional ​

Cyclical ​

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Office of Community Engagement

  • Advance the City’s goal of improving and reimagining community engagement efforts
  • Help encourage active participation in decision-making dialogue and public policy

Responsibilities

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Office of Community Engagement

Advance the City’s goal of improving and reimagining community engagement efforts

  • Partnering with community groups to seek and operationalize feedback
  • Identifying processes and policies that work well and opportunities for improvement 
  • Community Engagement Board 
  • Implementing strategic engagement efforts
    • Outlining the process to involve the public in decision-making
    • Documenting the results of outreach activities conducted 

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  • What are we doing well? Where can we improve? 
  • What efforts are underway and what efforts are missing? 

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Office of Community Engagement

  • Developing meaningful relationships with community groups 
  • Establishing processes that equitably and effectively invite and promote the opportunity to participate 
  • Clear messaging that explains the "why" 
  • Information Sharing 
  • Public outreach 
  • Education on city services, initiatives, and opportunities to provide input   

Help encourage active participation in decision-making and dialogue and public policy  

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Office of Community Engagement

  • Developing a comprehensive community engagement plan that builds public awareness of and engagement in city-sponsored initiatives, programs, services, and policies 
  • Identifying and implementing emerging community engagement strategies and technology 
  • Advising and supporting City departments in their community engagement efforts 
  • Promoting enhanced engagement practices across the organization 

Within Our scope 

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Office Staff 

July 2021 - Office Established 

September 2021 - Community Engagement Manager Hired – Tiesha Hinton

January 2022- Community Relations Analyst Sr. Hired – Ellen Colón 

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Office Goals   

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Goal #1 

Objective 1: Secure a mobile strategy that meets people where they are to deliver resources, tools, and provides access to City services 

Objective 2: Establish a Community Engagement Board to help guide organizational engagement efforts 

Objective 3: Highlight opportunities for education and awareness of city services, programs, and initiatives 

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Make it easier for community members to obtain information and participate in city-sponsored initiatives    

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Goal #2 

Objective 1: Incorporate a public engagement plan in all communication briefs and departmental plans  

Objective 2: Develop an internal and external process to operationalize the applicable feedback received from the public engagement events 

Objective 3: Close the loop by communicating the results of engagement activities and project results 

Enhance our engagement processes 

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Outlines the process of involving the public in a decision-making process 

Describes goals and objectives

Flexible based on the project and public need 

Public Engagement Plan

Documents the results of outreach activities conducted during the engagement process 

 How public feedback was used in the decision-making process 

Communication and data methods used 

Outreach Summary

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Goal #3 

Objective 1: Creation of a Public Participation Toolkit to supplement the City of Raleigh Public Participation Playbook 

Objective 2: Develop community engagement resources on CoreCon I.e., terms, best practices, example surveys, etc. 

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Build staff capacity 

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Goal #4  

Objective 1: Establish standardized demographic data collection to be utilized in all city surveys and feedback forms

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Obtain consistent baseline data to examine the diversity of  participation in city-sponsored events

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Current Initiatives 

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Current Initiatives

  • Introductory Meetings with Community Groups 
  • Department Consultations
  • Vote Local Raleigh 
    • My Local Government Mini-Series 
  • U-Visa Roundtable 
  • Publish Our Partners 
  • Community Engagement Board 
  • Rezoning Process Enhancements 
  • Strategic Plan
  • Engagement Vehicle 

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Vote Local Raleigh 

Phase 1 -My Local Government Mini-Series 

  • Explain impact of decisions made at local level 
  • Partnership with Raleigh Neighborhood College
  • Local Government 101 – April 12th 
  • City Budget Overview – April 19th 
  • Stormwater Services – April 26th 

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Phase 2 - Vote Local Push- June 

  • Information Sharing and Public Outreach 
  • Tabling
  • Dedicated Voter Information Webpage 
  • In-person events 
  • Social Media 

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Engagement Vehicle 

Goal: To meet people where they are and create the opportunity to connect, share information, and provide resources to all City of Raleigh communities

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Highlights 

  • Electric 
  • Computers 
  • Printers 
  • Internal and External Partnerships 

Possibilities

  • Mobile Pop-up Events 
  • Coffee for Your Thought
  • Arts for Older Adults
  • Meetings in the Park 
  • Oral History Station 
  • 3D Printer Workshop 

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Exploration Areas-Rezoning Process

  • Create Frequently Asked Questions
    • Defined terms 
    • Standard conditions
  • Utilize volunteers at neighborhood meetings
    • Training 
    • Community building 
  • Additional Education Effort  
    • Rezoning 101- Planning Academy 
    • Raleigh Neighborhood College (included in curriculum) 
    • Educational video 
  • Consistent structure for neighborhood meetings 
    • Baseline expectations 
  • Better connection to project-specific information 
    • Enhanced Signage 
    • City Website 

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Completed

    • 5 Listening Sessions 
    • 40+ Community Meetings
    • 25+ Department Meetings 
    • Engagement Vehicle Approval 
    • Community Engagement Board Approval 
    • U-Visa Roundtable 
    • 3 Vote Local Mini-Series 

In Progress

    • Community Ambassadors 
    • Community Engagement Board
    • Vote Local Raleigh
    • Updated Website 
    • Support to Boards & Commissions 
    • Community Collaborations 

Short Term 

    • Rezoning Process FAQ
    • Educational Video
    • Better Connection to Project Specific Info

Long Term 

    • Publish Our Partners 
    • Department Engagement Plans 
    • Department Outreach Summaries 

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Community Engagement Board

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Phase One- Spring 2022   

Community Engagement Board 

Council Appointments 

Community Representatives 

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Phase Two -2023

Community Engagement Board 

Committee #1 

Committee #2

Committee  #3

Committee #4 

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Community Engagement Board

  • Review existing community engagement policies, practices, procedures, etc., and provide recommendations for improvement
  • Elevate the voices and needs of communities that have historically been marginalized within government decision-making processes  
  • Advise and assist the City in connection with the development and implementation of equitable community engagement strategies 
  • Assist with public outreach to community members, and convene stakeholders to promote opportunities for engagement 

Responsibilities 

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Vision

The Office of Community Engagement will work to ensure that the community representatives reflect the diversity of the community in terms of lived experiences and demographic makeup. 

Seeking board members who:  

    • Aspires to assist the City of Raleigh in improving how community input is obtained, utilized, and shared back with the public  
    • Seeks to provide culturally sensitive, tangible, and innovative approaches and guidance to organizational community engagement efforts 
    • Interested in empowering community-driven solutions 
    • Values the power of partnerships, information sharing, and storytelling
    • Committed to asking honest questions of self, structures, and communities 

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Amplifying Lived Experiences 

  • Personal knowledge about the world gained through direct, first-hand involvement in everyday events rather than through representations or perceptions constructed by other people.
  • Emphasize the value of the people being engaged through frameworks, tools and methods 
  • Indicator of expertise and expert to the solution

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Prioritizing the Community Engagement Investment 

Source: Root Cause and United Way Greater Triangle 

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Membership Composition  

  • 16-Member Advisory Board 
  • Eight Community Representatives will be selected by the Office of Community Engagement from the pool of submitted interest forms
  • Each member of City Council and the Mayor will appoint a member to the board from the pool of submitted interest forms 
    • Each district councilor will appoint a community member from their district
    • The mayor and at-large councilors will appoint community members city-wide 

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Community Representatives   

Long-Time Raleigh Resident 

  • Resident has lived in Raleigh City Limits for most of their life

New Raleigh Resident 

  • Resident moved to Raleigh in the past 2-3 years 

Local Black, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC) Business Owner 

  • African American or Black, Asian, Native American or American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Multi-racial, Hispanic or Latino

First Time Serving on Board or Commission 

  • Resident has not previously served on a City of Raleigh Board or Commission 

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Community Representatives  

Renter

  • Resident currently rents housing within Raleigh City Limits as their only and primary residence 

Young Adult 

  • Resident between the ages of 18 to 23 years old 

Senior 

  • Resident who is 65 years of age or older 

 Community Initiatives & Resources 

  • Resident with experience, lived or professional, educating, motivating, and advocating for community needs and/or under-invested groups  

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General Board Members 

  • Solution-oriented 
  • Passionate about community engagement 
  • Able to see the big picture and willing to propose innovate ideas 
  • Interested in empowering community-centered solutions
  • Asks tough questions instead of accepting the status quo 

Selected by City Council & Mayor 

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Interest Form 

Review

Selection & Affidavit

Memo 

Appointment 

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Residency & Terms 

Term: Two Year Terms 

Limitation of Term: Eligible for reappointment up to a maximum of three terms 

Residency Requirement: City of Raleigh Resident 

Initial Appointments will be staggered 

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Overview 

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Public Outreach�May 4th

  • Community Centers 
  • Emails 
  • Physical Flyers 
  • City of Raleigh Website 
  • Community Partners 
  • Social Media Campaign 
  • Local community colleges, universities, and schools
  • Recorded Video RTN (Air May 16th)  

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Interest Forms Available May 23rd 

Complete an interest form at one of the following community centers

    • Barwell Road Community Center 
    • Peach Road Cultural Road Center  
    • Five Points Active Adult Center 
    • John Chavis Memorial Park 
    • Tarboro Road Community Center 
    • Abbotts Creek Community Center 

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How to Apply- Drop Off Locations 

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Interest Forms Available May 23rd 

Call 919-996-3842 and to request an interest form by mail 

City of Raleigh Website 

     - http://raleighnc.gov/community-engagement-board

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Questions: Communityengagement@raleighnc.gov

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How to Apply- Drop Off Locations 

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Next Steps  

Action 

Date 

City Council  Approval 

May 3rd 

Public Outreach Begins

May 4th 

Adoption of Ordinance 

May 17th 

Interest Forms Available 

May 23rd  

Interest Forms Close 

June 10th 

Announcement of Inaugural Community Engagement Board 

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July 5th 

Inaugural Community Engagement Board Meeting 

September  2022 

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 What Does Success Look Like? 

  • Community engagement processes and practices, throughout the organization, that incorporate and value the diverse needs and interests of Raleigh residents. 
  • Increased outreach and input from under-represented and/or under-invested communities 
  • Continued relationship building 

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Contact Information��Communityengagement@raleighnc.gov 

Tiesha Hinton

Phone: 919-996-2707

Email: Tiesha.hinton@raleighnc.gov 

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Ellen Colón

Phone: 919-996-3842

Email: Sueellen.colon@raleighnc.gov 

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Questions