Creating a Solid Foundation for Community Conversation

 

On Friday May 1, 2009, I offered a workshop in Calgary as part of the Alberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners’ AGM.   The subject was public engagement.  Below are the participants words in answer to the following question:  What is the value of today’s conversation.  Enjoy.

New faces and players

This is my passion

Developer

Municipal planner

New tools

I see in new ways

Ditto ditto

I am on the learning cliff

In a new world

My gut applies

An open house is one component

Other things to integrate

Looking for the silent majority

Looking for ways in

Different backgrounds

Similar issues

Under lying threads

Risk management

Practical strategies

Solve problems

Constant learning

Student of life

I’m glad I’m not sitting over there

My intuition is correct

I learn by doing

I appreciate

An evolution is going on

Engaging more

Perhaps better decisions

Develop and show respect

Develop trust

Reinforced for success

Values and strategies

I think about why

Engagement differs

From person to person

The constant:

Open, honest communication

With room for a voice

Engagement is the new norm

Bricks and the mortar

Passion to collaborate

Processes are valuable

I share experience

With many backgrounds

New ideas

I have to check my assumptions

How do we know where they’re at?

Not what they say, what they do

Always a student

Gaining perspective

What works with one

Does not with another

More learning

Understand audience

Appropriate approach

Experimenting

Transitioning

Thinking about where I am

Where are the people coming from?


2 thoughts on “Creating a Solid Foundation for Community Conversation”

  1. The way you read this at the Session – still brings chills. Kim, Lynn and I still can’t get over this poem. Well done!

Leave a Reply to Kenneth Melanson Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.