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Public Engagement

Overview

Public Engagement

The Institute offers a variety of publications to help local officials more effectively apply public engagement processes and strategies.

 

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Language Access Laws and Legal Issues: A Local Official’s Guide

The Language Access Guide explains the laws that require language access to ensure that limited English-proficient residents have access to public services and an opportunity to participate in public life.

Language Access Laws and Legal Issues: A Local Official's Guide

The Language Access Checklists are a companion to the guide, which include: tips on providing language access; conducting a self-assessment; implementing an ordinance; implementing best practices with no ordinance and addressing common challenges. 

Language Access Checklists

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Working Effectively with Public Engagement Consultants: Tips for Local Officials

This tip sheet offers recommendations to help guide local officials in the best use of public engagement consultants.

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Legal Issues Associated with Social Media

What legal issues do public agencies face when they use social media? This paper offers “dos and don’ts” advice for reaping the benefits of social media while minimizing the pitfalls.

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Dealing with Emotional Audiences

This article provides strategies that leaders can employ to maximize the likelihood that public meetings on controversial issues will involve constructive exchanges that contribute to the best decision being made.

Dealing with Emotional Audiences

Additionally, a piece from the Orange County Human Relations Commission is available, “Free Speech vs Hate Speech: Practical Guidelines for Managing Public Forums.”

Free Speech vs. Hate Speech - Orange County Human Relations Commission

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Beyond the Usuals: Ideas to Encourage Broader Public Involvement in Your Community

Local officials often find that only a relatively small number of community members actually take part in public conversations and forums.  A failure to involve a cross-section of residents limits the effectiveness of these public engagement efforts and negatively impacts the breadth and quality of ideas contributed. It can also reduce community support for the final decisions. This publication provides ten essential strategies to extend participation and increase the views and voices in a community’s public engagement activities.

Beyond the Usuals: Ideas to Encourage Broader Public Involvement in Your Community

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Dealing with the Blogosphere

Dealing with the Blogosphere
Taking the Bite Out of Blogs

This award-winning paper, Taking the Bite Out of Blogs: Ethics in Cyberspace, provides clear policy and ethics guidelines. Also watch a short video interview with a county supervisor who shares some perspective on managing online public comments.

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A Local Official’s Guide to Working with Clergy and Congregations

This publication offers practical recommendations for making partnerships with clergy and congregations successful, while noting the necessary boundaries between public and religion sector institutions.

A Local Official's Guide to Working with Clergy and Congregations

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A Local Official’s Guide to Immigrant Civic Engagement

This publication provides insights and examples to help ensure greater public involvement of immigrant residents. This publication provides insights and examples to help ensure greater public involvement of immigrant residents.

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A Local Official’s Guide to Public Engagement in Budgeting

This publication describes five general approaches that local agencies use, often in strategic combination, to involve residents in the budget process. Chapters include:

  • Introduction: Involving the Public in Local Budgeting
  • Approaches to Public Engagement in Local Budgeting
  • Thinking Strategically About the Purposes of Public Engagement
  • A Dozen Lessons to Guide Public Engagement in Budgeting
  • Resources for Engaging the Public in Local Budgeting

A Local Official's Guide to Public Engagement in Budgeting

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Public Engagement in Budgeting

This short four page publication provides an overview and a basic understanding of public engagement and budgeting plus links to more detailed information.

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A Local Officials’ Guide to Online Public Engagement

A comprehensive overview of key purposes, strategies and examples for multiple modes of online and digital engagement.

A Local Officials’ Guide to Online Public Engagement

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