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Overview
Overview
The creation of an Inclusive Public Engagement Guide was identified as an implementation action within the Parks Master Plan and Climate Resilient SD Plans adopted by City Council in 2021. The City will create an inclusive public engagement strategy to promote inclusive public engagement and community participation on plans, programs, and policies, particularly for people who have historically experienced barriers to public participation. The Inclusive Public Engagement Guide will serve as the foundation for City employees to implement a meaningful public engagement program that provides guidelines for how City decisions consider input from community members representative of the population’s demographics so that these decisions ultimately improve San Diegans' quality of life.
The Inclusive Public Engagement Guide is part of Equity Forward which is a comprehensive approach to creating more equitable opportunities and investments in San Diego.
Inclusion
Inclusion
The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. More than simply diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and meaningful participation and a true sense of belonging.
Strategic Plan Priority Areas of Focus
This initiative focuses on the following priority areas of the Strategic Plan:
Protect & Enrich Every Neighborhood
Provides public engagement guidelines for City staff to ensure all community members have the opportunity to meaningfully participate in City decision-making that affects their lives.
Why an Inclusive Public Engagement Guide?
Why an Inclusive Public Engagement Guide?
To build trust between the City and community members we serve by improving transparency and communication
City decisions should be informed by community needs and desires. This is how we achieve desired outcomes that benefit San Diegans
To have a shared toolkit for inclusive engagement in every City Department
New strategies and techniques are needed to reach people who face barriers to traditional participation methods like public hearings and meetings –strategies that are more accessible and connected to what matters to people
Input the City has traditionally received is from people who have more time and ability to attend meetings. Those who engage through these traditional processes are not typically representative of the City’s demographics at large, meaning that City decisions cannot best serve all community members
Focused Discussion Group
Focused Discussion Group Meetings
The City established a Focused Discussion Group of community members to discuss their lived experiences and perspectives on community engagement to inform the Inclusive Public Engagement Guide. The Focused Discussion Group is comprised of 10 diverse participants motivated around the topic of inclusive public engagement.
The Focused Discussion Group met six times from April through June 2023. Members were selected based on a combination of their community involvement interest and objectives for representation across San Diego communities and City demographics. Below is the list of the selected participants and the region and neighborhood they live in.
| Participant Name | Neighborhood |
|---|---|
| Candice Carr | Cortez |
| Rebecca Egipto | Rolando |
| Rachel Graham | Carmel Mountain Ranch |
| Andrea Hetheru | Valencia Park |
| Tanisha - Jean Martin | Skyline |
| Christine Millena | Paradise Hills |
| Ethan Ramirez | Chollas Creek |
| Danielle Knauff Raykowski | Normal Heights |
| Andrea Schlageter | Ocean Beach |
| Marry Young | Alta Vista |
Engagement Timeline
Engagement Timeline
Focused Discussion Group Meetings will occur from April through June 2023. Internal and external engagement to gather public input is anticipated from Spring 2023 through Spring 2024. The Inclusive Public Engagement Guide will be produced from Spring 2023 through early 2024. The Inclusive Public Engagement Guide will be presented at Council Committee in approximately winter 2024.
Get Involved and Stay Connected
Get Involved and Stay Connected
Take the Survey
As the Inclusive Public Engagement Guide is developed, the City would like to understand how to best get your input on future City plans, policies and programs. Please take a moment to complete the survey linked below.
Share Information with Friends and Family
To facilitate learning about the Inclusive Public Engagement Guide and other Equity Forward initiatives, easily sharable materials have been developed and are linked below.
Send Us Your Comments
Questions and comments about the Inclusive Public Engagement Guide are welcomed by the project team and can be sent to engagement@sandiego.gov.
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