civic engagement

Internal and External Analysis

Key Findings/Themes
Investing in Indigenous reconciliation and Justice
There needs to be meaningful engagement with Indigenous leaders and experts, the history of colonization in Canada has robbed Indigenous voices of their ability to impact planning decisions and this must be acknowledged and remedied for reconciliation and justice.
Investing in engaging the Black Community and acknowledging their experiences:
The Black community is often left out of the conversation due to inaccessibility and a feeling that even if they do show up they won’t be listened to. We need to create spaces where the Black community feels comfortable and heard.

Intersectionality
We need to understand that not everyone experiences cities in the same way. Look at things such as, feminist housing, neutral public spaces, and bring new voices to the engagement environment.
Transparency and Awareness:
The current mode of practice limits the role citizens can play and the degree of accountability from city planners. An emphasis on sustaining long-term communication between the public and city planners will result in increased engagement, diverse audiences participating throughout the entire process in meaningful dialogue.

Inaccessibility of Information
The City of London has too many online platforms, resulting in a lack of clarity for where residents can go if they’re interested in becoming involved. This barrier to engagement is a result of poor website structure and inaccessible language.
Diversity: Diverse audiences require diverse strategies and engagement tools
Quieter voices include residents from historically marginalized groups excluded from decision-making and those who are more introverted. As their barriers and understandings of city planning varies, numerous approaches are needed in order to optimize engagement and sense of belonging
Civic engagement is already good at hearing extroverts, you need to make improvements to hear from quieter voices. Need to make it accessible to people with disabilities, non-english speaking, children, people with limited time, etc.

Trust
Trust building requires an intentional time and financial commitment to developing a relationship built on reciprocity, openness and consistency. The current process of organizing a public hearing for community feedback and concerns is a top-down approach that reduces public involvement and is seen as a performative action. These hearings attract the typical voices who are disproportionately white and affluent. Trust is an ongoing process that begins and is continued through dialogue with all members of the community.

Networks
Civic engagement should utilize networks that are already established like Pilar Nonprofit Network, Urban League, London Environmental Network to generate interest and spread awareness about the program.
The program could also promote/create awareness for these networks (symbiotic relationship)

Key Groups: London locals, Youth, Marginalized communities, Quieter voices

Recommendations/Key Observations

How do we make their quieter voices heard – creating space & opportunities?
Increase efficiency of planning meetings
Have smaller group meetings: to give more people the opportunity to speak without extending meeting times – less intimidating for those who are introverted or shy

Less meetings are better: people feel more engaged & that it is less like a chore
Improve communications and transparency
Communicate ahead of time: Let participants know the general agenda to encourage preparation of thoughts/ideas – Most introverts like to arrive prepared so this allows participants become comfortable with their thoughts & questions so they share them – keeps meeting more effective
“Curt Cronin, the CEO of Ridgeline Partners, says giving people an agenda to think about ahead of time ensures everyone aligns around a common focus: “This transforms everyone at the meeting from a group of free agents into a team united around a shared set of values and goals.”
Ask for feedback: Discuss what you’re looking for or hope to get out of the meeting. Ask open-ended questions to allow for more ideas to flow then transition into more specific questions

Don’t assume: Don’t assume that because someone is quiet they don’t have opinions or ideas on the subject matter. Not everyone feels comfortable being talkative/expressing their opinions.
Set a welcoming tone: Create a culture of open participation where everyone feels welcome to contribute their thoughts/ideas by lifting quieter voices and defining the purpose behind what you’re doing – Don’t assume your intentions are clear to others just because they’re clear to you – this is a cognitive bias called the “illusion of transparency”. – Try saying something like, “As I’m running this meeting, I want to make sure I hear from everyone. If I stop you, please don’t be offended. I just want to make sure we create space for everyone.” And remember: When you invite quieter voices to speak, you’re not just giving them space to articulate their ideas. You’re also sending the broader message that they are people you believe are worth hearing from”

Validate/Be Conscious: Make sure to validate those quieter voices when they speak out and not just agree and move on, to encourage more participation. Be conscious that those powerful voices/extroverts aren’t the most important
Be transparent in our work, making sure our efforts are up front and easily accessible for all. Show the impact it will make and create a space where they can speak freely

Encourage introvert-centred collaboration
Use “introvert-friendly” tools: to ensure all voices are heard. A new app from Candor.com allows “people to generate ideas privately at the beginning of a meeting before they learn the opinions of the other people in the room. The team then reviews all the ideas generated before evaluating them”. This means that more ideas are generated and therefore the creative potential of the team is maximised.
Allow private collaboration: Often quiet people often prefer privacy and anonymity – Make sure to give opportunities for quiet people to voice their ideas/thoughts/questions through an anonymous/written down private way/submit questions ahead of time (provide opportunity for follow up)
Invest in new forms of engagement and improved accessibility

Use the right tools: If meetings are held virtually make sure participants are aware of how to use tools to have their voices heard in a less intimidating format e.g., a chat function – Use a digital note wall where people can post ideas anonymously in real time – Being mindful of those who have access to this technology & if they don’t where they may be able to temporarily have access to it as an accessible rate
Accessible Language: Make sure to use accessible language so everyone can understand the issues and feel more comfortable answering
Strengthen existing engagement platforms to make them more accessible.

Increasing website clarity and centralizing information will make engagement easier for all participants.
Invest in modern forms of engagement
Allocate more funding and energy to modern engagement tools like social media. In light of COVID-19, the market for and engagement with traditional sources has decreased. A particular strength of social media is the ability to target ads and messaging based on desired demographics and audiences.
Space Management: Quiet people need peace and quiet to focus and process information – Constant social stimulation, noise, interruptions drain them. They will be more productive and efficient in quieter settings that are less overwhelming and stimulating
Be an aware leader: Elevate the voices of those who might not otherwise be heard. Recognize, introverts, those who English may not be their first language (Perhaps ask them directly or afterwards)- Feel free to interrupt people who dominate the discussion to open the floor for quieter people to speak

Applying an anti-Black racism lens to city planning
Acknowledge the history of not listening to quieter voices and show a commitment to include overlooked citizens and celebrate their contributions and culture as part of a city planning academy. Be mindful quieter voices may be intimate by more outspoken citizens. i.e. A black community member centered meeting with a community leader so they feel comfortable expressing true thoughts – or female centered – or introvert centered
Investing in safer spaces for the black community to be involved in discussions more freely and enable them to be comfortable. Demonstrating the impact their contribution will make and attempting to include city leaders of ethnic backgrounds.
“Urban planning, an active profession, purports to help improve civic life in metropolitan areas” – To improve civic life includes minority populations. There needs to be an understanding of what is needed from the black community and how to include them
Some issues raised have been but not limited to redevelopment, housing rehabilitation, redlining by financial and insurance institutions, commercial development, and social improvement programs for youth and families.”
Youth are the future, they are the ones who will be continuing to build our community and so it is important that the next generation of the community is involved

We need to be transparent in our work, making sure our efforts are up front and easily accessible for all
Majority of city planners are white, partly due to accessibility of education for other communities and the requirements to be one
This issue highlights the need for more Black and Brown planners. It also calls for expanding the definition of who is an expert on city building to uncouple that expertise from post-secondary training. It also calls for planners who aren’t Black or Latinx to really engage with the work of those who are, and equitable frameworks for city building.

City planners need to be aware of the perception of public spaces for white people vs. people of colour. For instance, a park may seem safe for a white person but terrifying for a coloured person, this is why these communities need to be involved in the planning
Not just a check on their list, actual intentions of implementing – transparent about this
It is important to not make including different communities a chore – EDI isn’t a chore it is a responsibility and should be taken as seriously and with as much time as everything else. This is often why people won’t step up, they feel like its a check mark, not actually listening. Needs to be transparency about how ideas from this community will be implemented

Applying an Indigenous lens to city planning
Listen to the experts: Indigenous Ally Toolkit defines outsider vs. insider in terms of ally vs. expert. It makes the point that an ally “will never truly be an expert on Indigenous challenges and realities.” (panel 4). Indigenous people are the experts of their own realities, and the Toolkit urges allies to “Listen to the experts” (panel 7). We must approach Indigenous people as allies while acknowledging that they are experts of their own realities
Stonechild has worked with Indigenous peoples all over the world. He is talking about the highest level of respect for Indigenous spirituality that should be expected in society. For reconciliation, the big issue of the conflict between Indigenous understanding and modern secular industrial societies must be addressed. Therefore, he suggests an alternative way of thinking about collective affairs. He suggests the innovative policy should be based on a different approach towards Indigenous people
Involve Indigenous people in the planning process: The conversation needs to be extended to the larger community in order to develop a mutually respectful relationship to understand their culture, rights and spiritual beliefs. Indigenous local economic development should be based on respect for their spiritual beliefs and their land. (Stonechild, 2020)

It’s not enough just to inform them about the plan because this implies that you’ve done the planning without them. Build relationships with Indigenous services, Community Advisory Boards (CABs) and umbrella organizations without being in a power position
It is more important to involve Indigenous people in the creation of posters and pamphlets than to simply distribute posters and pamphlets to organizations & agencies serving Indigenous community members. Utilize social media and email to distribute information, partner with local organizations/groups that represent the interests of urban Indigenous Peoples.
During consultations, communities should be asked how the plan research approach can reflect their concerns (they should be involved in the planning to be sure their concerns are heard). Community members should have multiple ways of providing feedback on the plan (phone, email, office hours, etc.)

Be aware of the terms you use: when addressing a particular group of Indigenous people. Ask what they want to be called. Never say “Canada’s Indigenous People” because Canada does not own them. (Indigenous Ally Toolkit)
Principles of an anti-oppression lens in planning
Within societies there exists and operates a socially constructed hierarchy in which certain groups have privilege while and others are marginalized and exploited.

People can exist within many social locations and therefore we must recognize the intersectional axes of identity and how it shapes their experience in society. People can thus be both victims and perpetrators of oppression. We must dually recognize how we can be implicit in re-creating and promoting discriminatory power structures.
We must understand the ideas, thoughts and beliefs of people who ‘belong” to groups at the top of the social hierarchy are what society recognizes as the “dominant culture”. Dominant culture becomes the standard or norm by which everyone is compared.
People who are members of privileged groups have the power to control access to who gets resources and information perpetuating a cycle of power and oppression for people outside of these groups. People who are marginalized and exploited experience limited access to the power to shape their own past, present and future.
Everyone has a different lived experience. When people have multiple marginalized identities, they do not merely face extra barriers; their lived experience is entirely different.
Integrated anti-oppression work requires that individuals accept responsibility for their role in perpetuating oppression both interpersonally and systemically.

Models for Civic Engagement

Partnerships with Existing Networks
To recruit participants/advertise the program it would be beneficial to partner with groups that have the extensive existing networks.
(Ex: Pillar Nonprofit Network, Urban league, BIA’s, London Environmental Network, etc.)
These may extend to partnerships to host a session/workshop within the program
It may be effective to utilize as much London knowledge, direct from leaders in the community to teach/explain some topics about London’s planning process.

Participatory Budgeting
Participatory Budgeting is a useful tool for getting the community to be active in brainstorming ideas/solutions to issues in their community, then proposing projects to address problems/create tangible solutions, the final stage is allowing citizens to view the projects and vote on where the money should be allocated for their community.
Especially good because it’s open to all members of the community (specifically open to people that are undocumented/without an address)
For more information on the process visit: https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/what-is-pb/ and for canada-based examples: https://www.tni.org/es/node/13963

Inclusive Community Engagement in Practice
Looking to Jay Pitter, a placemaker who actively engages in inclusive public engagement. Her approach is rooted between urban design and social equity, which translates community insights and aspirations into the built environment. Learning from her frameworks is a key tool to understanding what an anti-racism, anti-oppression, gender and accessibility lens will look like for our project.
To learn more about these frameworks: http://www.jaypitter.com/

Examples of Civic Engagement in Other Cities

Nova Scotia
Legacy of Africville and prominent black communities, intimidated by others (white citizens)
Don’t feel their voice is taken seriously so less willing to go to meetings and don’t have access to online engagement tools
Tried a black community member centered meeting with a community leader so they feel comfortable expressing true thoughts – this was incredibly helpful
Avoiding gentrification at all costs is important. When educating about city planning there needs to be a heavy emphasis on yes revitalization is important to make London safer etc but it cannot be at the cost of those who call it home
City of Vancouver
Accessibility: A strong example of a clear and easy to navigate website
Diverse engagement strategies:
Used a mixed model approach during engagement, consultation, review and implementation
Invested in long-term communication channels to enable ongoing dialogue and interaction
Included online surveys, in person community interviews, collaborating with key stakeholder businesses and community organizations and online sharing spaces
Results from surveys accessible to the public, provide residents option to interact with anonymity and provide feedback
Winnipeg (Community-Based Planning)
Planning is for everyone! Knowledge/expertise from the community should NOT be undervalued. Anyone who lives/works/volunteers in the community has valuable knowledge for the planning process
Participation in planning leads to better urban sustainability!

Risks and Mitigations

Risks:

Hearing the same voices over and over again.
Only hearing from a certain demographic that is passionate and/or has time to invest in city planning
Failing to create appropriate projects in response to what is heard from the communit
“Breaking promises” can create distrust among the people who participate and they may be less likely to engage again.
Silencing quieter voices that do not feel comfortable publicly speaking
The needs of a few are valued more than the needs of the whole community

Mitigations:

Work to create diverse engagement environments in different times/locations around the city/community to draw different groups of people
Allow flexible and creative ways for people to voice their ideas/concerns
Be transparent throughout the engagement process of intentions and process.
Approach different community groups and community leaders to better understand how to get people in the area involved.