Public Engagement

Drawing on the wisdom of the community

It’s all too easy to talk about public engagement but do little to actually engage the public.  The purpose of engagement is not to check a box, it is to benefit from the wisdom and creative energy of diverse  perspectives.   To give voice to the community, organizations need to reach out and find the folks whose opinions they seek – go to them where they live.

People become jaded very quickly when they sniff out public involvement as a mandate and not a commitment.  Too many of us have felt the betrayal of a promised opportunity to be heard, only to have it become clear that a decision has already been made.

We care enough to do public engagement right. We use a variety of means to build connections. We listen – truly listen – and then play our findings back to be sure we heard it right. We recognize that public involvement builds ownership and support, and we honor those who are willing to share their opinion so that good ideas can be tested, strengthened, and challenged.  Like democracy, public engagement isn’t always pretty.  It’s just better than every other option.