Shifting the Paradigm on Public Engagement: Hybrid Models for a Post-Pandemic World

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to grapple with a reality that had been bubbling under the surface for decades: most public engagement processes aren’t effective, representative or inclusive. This presentation draws on the lessons learned through public engagement processes for the Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (HRMPO) long range transportation plan and provides an overview of how to design a hybrid public engagement process that meets the needs of your community and your organization’s size and resources, as well as how to measure and evaluate engagement to refine your existing practices. Participants can expect to leave this session with the understanding, tools, and resources they need to build trust through effective and comprehensive public engagement.

Takeaways:

You will leave this session with an understanding of:

• The ability to scale a public outreach process to match their size and resources;
• Knowledge of the tools and tactics that can be employed to reach your target audience, particularly harder to reach populations such as Tribal Nations and communities of color;
• An understanding of how to build trust through effective and comprehensive public engagement