healthy sustainable communities

Sustainable and Healthy Communities Conference Longmont, Colorado

May 13, 2010Molly Hanson, Coordinator, LiveWell Wheat Ridge

Elizabeth Kay Marchetti, Senior Planner, Douglas County

Presentation Learning Objectives After the presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify the four stages of a community mobilization and advocacy campaign.

2. Describe engagement techniques and planning processes for mobilizing the community to support and identify policies.

3. Articulate the positive social impacts resulting from community engagement during planning processes and policy development.

Setting the Stage

What are the different kinds of policies and planning processes that impact health?

Who can initiate these processes and efforts?

The Four Stages of AdvocacyOrganizing

Building and Educating

Mobilizing

Implementing, Enforcing and Evaluating Impact

The Positive Social Impacts of Engaging Community Stakeholders Ensures community perspectives and voices are being

considered.Empowers new partners and segments of the community.Creates new community leaders.Identify new and emerging neighborhoods.Creates buy-in; community residents have sway with elected

officials. Arrive at a better end product, policy or outcome.

Planning process: old way vs. new way

Planning process: old way vs. new way

Getting Started…..

1. Organizing – Public Health

Identify policy change

Coalition or a task forceChoose a format that will serve your needsDevelop leadership committeeDevelop strategic plan and charterMembership – grass roots and topsDatabaseTap existing networks

1. Organizing – Public Health (cont’d)

Assess the readiness of the community through informal and formal processesSurvey, key informant interviews, etc.

Develop key messages

Develop a campaign plan

1. Organizing – Local Planning

Scope of Work

Outreach Plan

Media Plan

Review What Is

Consistent Message

2. Building and EducatingConduct a community educational campaign

Creates readinessExamples Recruit for your coalition at these events

Implement study sessions, pass resolutions, etc.

Build stakeholder buy-in via informal processes

2. Building and Educating (cont’d)

Develop fact sheets, websites, etc. Based on science, best practices and data from your local

community

Earned media creates a “buzz” in your communityGuest editorials, letters to the editor, etc. Proactive approach

2. Building and Educating – Local PlanningForm ad-hoc committees.

Host Community meetingsLaunch public outreach

campaign.Email blastsWebsitesBlogsVideos

Photo: National Charette Institute

3. Mobilizing

Draft model ordinance languageIterative processLook at model policiesDesign processes to manage a diverse stakeholder group

Recruit and groom your spokespeopleWho?What do you want them to do?

3. Mobilizing (cont’d)

Build stakeholder buy-in via formal processesEndorsementsPetitionsLetters or emails

Engage youth

3. Mobilizing – Local PlanningCollect verbatim

Synthesize!Draft plan or policy

RevisionsReferral Process Public Hearings

Big crowdsMedia presenceContentious

Photo: timesleader.com

Photo: rssmemphis.com/tag/shelby-county

4. Implementing, Enforcing and Evaluating Impact

Tools and resources needed to make the implementation successful

Identify additional policies, standards, guidelines and processes that need to be adapted to support implementation of new policy

Acknowledge and thank active members and supports

4. Implementing, Enforcing and Evaluating Impact (cont’d)

Monitor complianceEvaluate impactDevelop white papers, share lessons-learned, etc.

4. Implementing, Enforcing and Evaluating Impact – Public Planning

Comprehensive Master PlanZoning ResolutionSubdivision Resolution

Sustainability Working Group

Community Indicators ReportBalance Scorecard

Lessons-Learned Ensure you build in enough time and resources to engage the

community.Ensure you are accessing all segments of your community;

disparately affected communities are key and may need additional resources when partnering with these communities.

Use new and emerging technology and media outlets.Identify clear roles; establish charters and advocacy protocols. Identify processes to manage differing opinions.

Follow all required rules and regulations.

Questions and Answers

Contact Information Molly Hanson, LiveWell Wheat Ridge CoordinatorEmail: mhanson@jeffco.usPhone: 720-345-8547

www.livewellcolorado.org

Elizabeth Kay Marchetti, Douglas County Community Planning & Sustainable Development Department

Email: ekaymarc@douglas.co.usPhone: 303-660-7460www.douglas.co.us/planning/SIAC