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Broadening Citizen
Engagement
Engaging the Unengaged
Keith Barker
City Manager
City of Clarkston, GA
Engaging the UnengagedStrategies
• Learn what diverse groups are in your community
• Learn the challenges faced by the diverse groups in your community
• Discover what services are available to assist immigrants with integration into your community
• Ask unengaged residents what would make them feel more a part of the community
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Engaging the UnengagedStrategies
• Brainstorm innovative ways to reach out to
diverse groups
• Plan ways to increase the cultural competency
within your city “family”
• Examine city regulations to see whether they
pose barriers to immigrant/refugee families
• Lead by example
• Use your networks and learn from others
Clarkston Speaks…. the City Listens
• Community Survey & Focus Groups
• GA. Tech. School of City & Regional Planning
• Team of Graduate City Planning Students
– Clarkston Studio
• Recommendations to Improve
– Communications
– Services
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Survey Methodology• Survey Questions
– English, Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Karen, Nepali, Tigrinya
• Street Intercept Surveys & Focus Groups– 736 Respondents
• 74% Foreign Born
• 26% Native Born
• Community Partners: Somali American Community Center, Eritrean-American Community Association, Bhutanese Community Association, Advancing Justice Atlanta
Learn What Diverse Groups are in Your
Community
• 56% of Clarkston’s population is black or African American
-52% for DeKalb County -32% for the Atlanta MSA
• 24% of Clarkston’s population is Asian
-2 to 4 times the county and regional rate
• 14% of Clarkston’s residents are white
• 3% of Clarkston’s population is Hispanic or Latinos
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Learn What Diverse Groups are in Your Community
• One half of Clarkston Citizens are foreign-born
- compared to 16% in DeKalb County
• One third, 35%, are not United States citizens- over four times the regional proportion of 8%
• Nearly half speak a language other than English at home- compared to 19% for DeKalb County
• One-third of Clarkston residents speak English “less than very well”
“The Most Diverse Square Mile in America”
• Burma
• Nepal
• Bhutan
• Vietnam
• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Sudan
• Somalia
• Ethiopia
• Eritrea
• Congo
• Sudan
• Croatia
• Bosnia
Countries of Origin Countries of Origin
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Learn the Challenges Faced by the Diverse Groups in your Community
• Cultural Assimilation
• Language Barriers
• Fear of Government Officials & Police
• Transportation
• Housing
• Low Educational Attainment
Learn Service Agencies that Assist
Immigrants with Community Integration
• Refugee Resettlement Agencies
• State Department (DHR)
• Clarkston Community Center
• Various Non-Profit Organizations
• Mosques, Temples and Churches
– Opportunities to Partner
– Established Credible Relationships
– Access to Religious and Community Leaders
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Ask Unengaged Residents What Would Make them Feel More a Part of the Community
• Increase transparency and accessibility of City’s
police force to increase feelings of safety and
comfort
• Obtain “Welcoming City” designation and implement
policies that demonstrate commitment
• Create a “language assistance” plan and offer
translation resources to break down language
barriers
Traditional Public Engagement
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Brainstorm Innovative Ways to
Reach Out to Diverse Groups
Streetscape Public Information Open House (PIOH)
Brainstorm Innovative Ways to Reach Out to Diverse Groups
Clarkston Streetscape PIOH
• Identified Interpreters (6 languages)
– Networked with community leaders
• Conducted Interpreter Training & Orientation
– Goals & Objectives
– Project Details
• Translated meeting notices & flyers
• Utilized ethnic radio stations & magazines
• Understand “oral culture”
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Clarkston Streetscape PIOH
• Collaborated with immigrant advocacy groups
• Provided transportation & child care
• Used RSVP type notice
• Follow up: Phone.. Texts.. Email.. Social media,
• Get out of the Courthouse…Take it to the streets!
– Tactical Urbanism
Brainstorm Innovative Ways to Reach Out to Diverse Groups
Public Engagement
Challenges
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Brainstorm Innovative Ways to
Reach Out to Diverse GroupsOvercoming Fear of Police
• Strive for Police Officer Diversity
• Strategic Plan/Mission Statement– “Celebrate the Difference”
• Cultural Sensitivity Training– Developed with input from the community
• Citizen Education– Clarkston 101
– Police Ride Along
Brainstorm Innovative Ways to Reach Out to Diverse Groups
Overcoming Fear of Police
• Minority Youth Violence Programs
• National Night Out
• Coffee with a Cop
• Code Enforcement
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Minority Youth Violence Prevention Programs
National Night Out
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Coffee with a Cop
Clarkston
Culture Fest
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Cross Cultural
Community Building
Lessons Learned• Learn what diverse groups are in your community
• Learn the challenges faced by the diverse groups in your community
• Discover what services are available to assist immigrants with integration into your community
• Ask unengaged residents what would make them feel more a part of the community
• Brainstorm innovative ways to reach out to diverse groups
• Plan ways to increase the cultural competency within your city “family”
• Examine city regulations to see whether they pose barriers to immigrant/refugee families
• Lead by example
• Use your resources and learn from others
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ClarkstonConnectsNewsletters
ClarkstonSpeaksRadioProgram
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Thank You!
