RMLUI #WHAT DO WE WANT? #WARM COOKIES: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CAN BE FUN!!! PRESENTED BY Heidi Aggeler, Managing Director Evan Weissman, Founding Executive Director Jen Garner, Senior Consultant 1999 Broadway 1999 Broadway Suite 2200 Suite 2200 Denver, Colorado 80202 Denver, Colorado 80202 303.321.2547 x (extension) 303.321.2547 x (extension) email@bbcresearch.com email@bbcresearch.com
AGENDA Our dilemma Our inspiration The Warm Cookies approach Putting it in practice You try it 2
TWO CONSULTANTS WONDER, WHAT THEY CAN DO TO GET MORE RESIDENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY PLANS? 3
MEET HEIDI AND JEN, THE CONSULTANTS *Do you hate your professional picture as much as we do? Yeah? Well, that’s why we’re showing the logo. And to promote our company, BBC. 4
OUR DILEMMA We wanted more. The traditional public meeting format…formal presentation, Our clients wanted more. Q&A, comments from the We searched for solutions. audience…didn’t always get We read all the right articles. us the information we need. We made some improvements, Stakeholders and the but still weren’t satisfied. passionate turn out. Until Heidi went to the How to engage the “regular” theater… people? How to engage people who think voting once a year is all … and discovered Warm the civic engagement they Cookies of the Revolution. need? 5
AN ACTOR AND ALL AROUND GOOD GUY WONDERED WHY 150 PEOPLE COME TO A PLAY ON A TUESDAY , BUT 3 PEOPLE SHOW UP TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD’S PLAN. 6
HE WONDERED, “HAVE WE LOST OUR CIVIC MINDSET?” 7
MEET EVAN, THE ACTOR/ACTIVIST 8
THE ACTOR, BEING VERY SMART AND VERY TALENTED HAD AN “AHA!!!” MOMENT: THE REVOLUTIONARY IDEA??? EXERCISE OUR CIVIC MINDSETS BY MAKING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FUN. 9
THE ACTOR TOOK ACTION, AND THE WORLD’S FIRST CIVIC HEALTH CLUB WAS BORN. 10
COOL RIGHT? BUT HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO ME, MY JOB AND MY LIFE? 11
ON A SLIGHTLY CLOUDY APRIL EVE, FEELING LIGHTER IN THE POCKET AFTER DOING THEIR CIVIC DUTY ($ TO THE IRS), OUR INTREPID CONSULTANTS WENT TO A CARNIVAL. 12
THE TAX DAY CARNIVAL!!! (A CIVICUS CARNIVALE SPECTACULAR) 13
OUR INSPIRATION Wha hat w t we e saw a saw at W t War arm Co m Cook okies e ies even ents: ts: Turnout was awesome (75-150+ people!!!) Audiences were diverse! Attendees were having FUN! The a atmo tmosp sphere was s POSIT POSITIVE IVE even w when pe peop ople le wi with th div diver erging ging vi views ews discu discussed ssed ho hot t bu butto tton n to topics pics (race and policing, gentrification, budget priorities, health care) We could see how to add a Warm Cookies approach to our work. 14
THE WARM COOKIES APPROACH TO CIVIC HEALTH Or, how Evan works his magic. 15
WHY IS CIVIC HEALTH IMPORTANT? 16
WHAT DO YOU OWN? If you haven’t done it already, fill out the ballot that was on your seat. 17
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES? SOUP AND DREAMS: https://vimeo.com/132257949 BRING YOUR GOVERNMENT: https://vimeo.com/124508463 18
PUTTING IT IN PRACTICE Make giving input fun! (gamification) Let people explore Let people safely step out of their comfort zone/walk in someone else’s shoes Have an OTHER option Be genuine Experiment 19
YOU TRY IT . AS A TABLE, PICK ONE OF THESE TOPICS: WATER MINERAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPRAWL LAND USE AND THE LAW 20
YOU TRY IT . YOUR MISSION: tell a Western Places/Western Spaces success story from the future (25 years out) ON THE TOPIC YOU JUST SELECTED RULES (of course there are rules) 1) Your creation must depict a positive outcome/scenario/goal/achievement 2) To reach that positive outcome you must have overcome one (or more) land use or policy challenges 3) You must depict/describe how you overcame the challenge(s) 4) You may use the materials we have provided (awesome giant sticky note, crayons) AND any items found in your pockets or bags that you are willing to sacrifice to the greater good. 5) Your group is the people sitting at your table. GO. You have 15 minutes. We’ll be wandering, watching and possibly interfering. 21
IMAGINE INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC PLAYING WHILE YOU WORK AND WE ROAM THE ROOM* Don’t be surprised if we toss you a roadblock or give you a detour. How you overcome obstacles is a big part of the fun. And the learning. 22
MAY WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER? How did your group react when we changed the scenario on you? How did you overcome the challenge posed? Did you have fun? 23
PUTTING IT IN PRACTICE (…) 1) 1) To en o enga gage ge mor more pe e people ople and and mor more than e than the usual the usual sus suspects pects, , we need to e need to rethink our ethink our content content and f and for orma mat. t. We need to combine FUN and Pur e need to combine FUN and Purpose f pose for our or our collectiv collective e civic healt civic health 2) 2) En Enga gage ge com commun munity ity assets assets — the the peo people a ple and c nd crea eativ tives es that neighbor tha t neighbors s respect espect and tak and take pride e pride in in — and and cele celebr brate te them, let them, let them per them perfor orm, and dr m, and draw aw in t in the he cr crowd 3) 3) Cr Crea eate oppo te opportunities tunities for r or residen esidents ts to shar to share their e their stories st ories and contr and contribute ibute their their experiences xperiences in fun, in fun, friendl friendly y and accessible w and accessible ways ays 4) 4) Try y to cr to crea eate act te activi ivities ties tha that f t facilit acilitate s te seeing eeing another another side to an issue/walking in someone else’s shoes 5) 5) Meet Meet people w people wher here they e they ar are. Go t e. Go to w o wher here e they they ga gather ther and ar and are social. In e social. Invit vite e them in. them in. 24
QUESTIONS? 25
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