Smart Community Engagement Training – Effective, Efficient, and Equitable
Training local city officials to work with all citizens to solve problems is vital for democracy
Contact:
Bobbie Hill ([email protected]) or
Susan Benedict ([email protected])
For Immediate Release (NEW ORLEANS La.)
Concordia Architecture, Planning and Community Engagement Founder and CEO Steven Bingler AIA and Principal Bobbie Hill have developed a new, virtual training program called Concordia Roundtable® created to teach community leaders and city officials how to conduct “do it yourself” Community Engagement programs as needed.
“Now, more than ever, our communities need more democratic processes for solving problems,” said Bobbie Hill, who worked over two years to create a curriculum that covers all aspects of planning and conducting community engagement programs virtually and in person.
“Cities in our country should be designed by and for the people. Residents must be actively engaged in every level of local government for our cities to run as they should,” said Hill. However, recent studies by the National Conference on Citizenship (http://www.ncoc.net/) have unfortunately discovered that citizens are not showing the levels of civic engagement that democracy requires to flourish. Citizens from all walks of life need to be able to exercise their right to be both civically and politically engaged. “By training local leaders to be able to conduct Community Engagement programs as needed increases citizen involvement and shows the community that leaders care about what people think, “said Bingler.
Concordia Roundtable® is not a typical training program. The 6-month fee-based training has been designed for busy community leaders and municipal officials to enable them to conduct democratic and equitable planning without having to hire consultants. This training offers a strategic approach to online engagement and includes live on-line discussions via Zoom, videos, individual mentoring, and homework. The Cohorts include professionals who learn from each other and will continue their relationships long after the cohort ends. Upon completion, students earn a “Certification in Resident-Centered Community Planning.”
Applications are now being taken for the 2021 cohort. Please see our website www.concordia.com//?
Concordia Roundtable® draws upon Concordia’s 25-year experience of working with cities to prepare master plans, recover from disasters, plan new schools, expand housing, design park and recreation facilities, and gain resident’s support for important bond packages.
Steven Bingler AIA founded Concordia Architecture, Planning, and Community Engagement in New Orleans in 1983 as a community-centered design firm. “Concordia” means “harmony” and is the firm’s one-word mission statement. Concordia’s award-winning projects have appeared in many local, national, and international publications including Newsweek, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Architectural Digest, among others. Please visit the website www.concordia.com for more information.
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