Public Meetings SOS 3.0 Beyond the Open House 

Join public participation professionals to find out how they are reaching diverse audiences and truly hearing what people want by going beyond traditional public meetings and open houses to engage stakeholders. Learn about creative, cost effective tools, techniques and new media that are involving people in the public policy and project decisions that affect their lives. 

This is the 3rd Public Meetings workshop and promises to be another outstanding training and networking event for anyone who engages with the public. The low registration fee of $35.00 ($20.00 for students) includes delicious snacks and beverages. Sponsored by Cascade Chapter of IAP2 USA, all proceeds go to the Cascadia Institute for Public Involvement scholarships that support graduate students in pursuit of public involvement careers.

Sessions and presenters

Serious Play Martha Bean, Senior Mediator, RESOLVE and Paulina Lopez, citizen

Imagine scientists and engineers using toys to describe complex issues such as riverbed contamination, sedimentation and remediation. That’s what EPA Region 10 did, with the advice and encouragement of local residents. The familiarity and whimsy of favorite childhood toys emboldened diverse community members, and by using “Serious Play”  the technical experts could simply, elegantly and accurately explain their thinking.

Collabora-dating for Diversity Outreach Kathleen Todd, Director, Multnomah County Office of Citizen Involvement with Citizen Involvement Committee Members Shalonda Menefee, Steven Joiner, and Gary Marschke 

Our Citizen Involvement Committee’s region-wide Diversity Outreach Training Program brings together community-based organizations, nonprofits and government agencies to share best practices, lessons learned, and challenges regarding diverse outreach and engagement efforts. Learn how we discovered new outreach methods, leveraged resources, and established dozens of new, sustainable relationships using active “Collabora-dating.”

Don’t guess – Ask!  Jim Gladson, Senior Public Involvement Project Manager, BergerABAM

Nothing beats one-on-one conversations with people who care the most about successful outcomes, but too often agencies develop a communications plan without talking to key stakeholders first and that plan created in a vacuum runs into surprises that cause delays and conflict. Interviewing key stakeholders at the beginning to gauge community issues and sentiments provides valuable insights for effective engagement. Try it—you’ll like it.

Virtual open houses pay off Jyll Smith, Public Information Officer, Oregon Department of Transportation

For the largest of ODOT’s many bridge replacement projects, a virtual open house was held in addition to a traditional open house, attracting those who might not have participated otherwise. Images of the proposals and comment forms were posted online, and publicized via the project blog and website, Twitter, email, and local news coverage. Virtual comments were more numerous, detailed and informative than in-person comments. 

Whose water is this anyway? Dana Lucero and Heather Coston, Communications, Metro

Public agencies don’t need to go it alone. Our objectives, even on specific projects, are often shared with community groups, nonprofits, other agencies and even the private sector. Get the most out of your limited resources by sharing your mission. In this dynamic, quick-fire session discover how answering five key questions can reveal partnerships and opportunities to get the work done.

School-based Outreach—engaging citizens aged 5 - 99 Lois Cohen, Lois D. Cohen Associates

One of the most innovative engagement programs in the country, according to the Federal Highway Administration, school-based outreach has engaged over 3,000 students (and thus their teachers, families and other community members)  across Oregon in project activities. Let’s have a conversation about outreach tactics and the importance of stakeholder education as a tool to enhance public information and engagement activities.

Payment options: You may pay on line by credit card or mail a check payable to Cascade Chapter IAP2 to the attention of Kate Parker, MB&G, 707 SW Washington St.  Suite 1300, Portland, OR 97205. Or, you may pay at the door by check or cash.

Refund policy: If you register and cannot attend, you may send a colleague in your place OR receive a refund of $25.00 ($15.00 students) if you notify us BEFORE December 1, 2011.