Creating an effeCtive PubliC engagement Strategy:a workbook to support small group discussions

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The City of Victoria is currently developing a ‘Public Engagement Strategy’ in order to improve the scope, quality and efficiency of its interactions with citizens and stakeholders.

The overarching goal of this initiative is to improve civic decision-making, with the City enhancing communications, making information easier to access and understand, and providing more/better opportunities for citizens to provide input to and participate in City initiatives.

Other objectives of the Public Engagement Strategy are to:

• Better understand the diversity and strength of public opinion • Reach the “silent majority” of citizens more often • Share different viewpoints and learn from each other • Generate new ideas and solutions • Build trust in decision-makers and more capacity at the City of Victoria • Enhance community capacity and social connections

During the month of October, the public is being asked to contribute their ideas to the first draft of the strategy. There are a number of different ways for people and groups to contribute to this strategy, all of which are listed at www.victoria.ca, just click on “Engaging Victoria”.

One way to contribute is by organizing and hosting a small group discussion about this strategy with your friends, neighbours or colleagues. Help make the strategy as responsive as possible by using this workbook to have a productive discussion, and then send in the results.

Objectives

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Use these guidelines/steps to hold a small-group (between three and six people works best) discussion on how engagement can be improved between the City of Victoria and its citizens.

1. Two heads are better than one, so think about people you know with an interest in city or neighbourhood issues and/or who are concerned with citizen engagement. Give them a call or an e-mail to say you would like to host a friendly discussion on this topic, and invite them to help get some good ideas into the strategy.

2. Choose a comfortable and neutral location like a coffee shop or a meeting room in a library or community centre. Don’t forget to schedule the discussion for a time when most people can make it – a 90 minute meeting on a weekday evening often works.

3. Choose one member of your group to be the facilitator. That person agrees to serve the group in two ways: by moving the discussion through a series of steps, and by keeping the discussion on topic. One person should agree to take notes and to help the facilitator summarize what the group has suggested and agreed on by the end of the discussion.

4. Start by taking everyone through the questions and the “continuum” image below, making sure you all know what the discussion focuses on and what the questions are.

5. Give everyone a few quiet minutes to write down their own initial responses to each question. This gives people time to formulate their own ideas before the group discussion begins, and allows a wider set of ideas to come forward.

6. Start the discussion by having each person briefly share their answer to question #1 out loud. Facilitator to use a flip chat or large note pad to write down the main points.

7. Discuss your responses as a group, then have the facilitator identify the connections or overlaps between your responses. Discuss the “outliers” as well, and see if any clear priorities start to form. Ask prompting questions like “what does this tell us?”

8. Facilitator should summarize what has been said, and then check to see if your group can agree on the top answers for each question. Try to get consensus on three main comments for the question that respects what the group has said and discussed.

9. Repeat steps #6 - #8 for question #2 of the workbook.

10. Repeat steps #6 - #8 for question #3 of the workbook.

11. Use the blank space provided below the questions to write down the answer your group has agreed upon. Keep answers brief, but give a clear explanation of your conclusions.

12. Return your response by MONDAY November 9 by mail, fax or email, to ensure that your voice is heard. Public Engagement Strategy c/o City Manager’s Office, City of Victoria #1 Centennial Square, Victoria, BC, V8W 1P6 Email: kjosephson@victoria.ca; Fax: 250.361.0248, Attn: Katie Josephson

Workbook Instructions

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Question 1

What do you think the City of Victoria is doing well now in terms of engagement? Explain briefly.

Question 2

How could the City of Victoria improve its current approach to engagement? Explain briefly.

Questions

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Question 3

Please review the “continuum image” below. Where on the continuum should the City of Victoria put the most emphasis as it develops its Public Engagement Strategy? Briefly explain your recommendation (with examples if possible).

[Source: Public Participation: Principles and Best Practices for British Columbia, Auditor General of British Columbia (2008)]

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How many people participated in your discussion? What are the names of participants (optional): Was the meeting organized or hosted by a particular group? When and where did you meet to discuss these questions? How can we contact you?

Tell us about your group