International Association for Public Participation - USA
Dear IAP2 Members,
We hope you are having a great month! Please take a look through our newly formatted newsletter to learn more about all the great opportunities and events available for you to participate in. And, remember: Don't wait, Participate!
One of the ways we improve the practice of P2 is by highlighting innovative and exceptional work-- the types of initiatives that lead the practice forward and bring ourseven Core Valuesto life. Recognizing these exemplary efforts sets the bar high, while acknowledging and affirming quality efforts and outstanding organizations.
Have you or your organization completed such an effort?
IAP2USA is now accepting nominations for CORE VALUES AWARDS in three categories:
Project of the Year,
Organization of the Year, and
Research Project of the Year.
Nominations are being accepted through June 5, 2014. Projects must have been completed in the USA, but IAP2 USA membership is not required. Applicants should be able to describe how their work expresses the Core Values and the other IAP2 foundations.
Finalists will be notified mid-2014. The major Award winners will also have their successful submissions entered into the IAP2 International Awards. The International Awards are to be judged in July/August 2014 and the winners will be announced at the IAP2 North American Conference in Winnipeg, Canada.
What is IAP2?
IAP2 USA is pleased to be introducing a series of videos which speak to questions that we have received from our members. The second one in this series is "What is IAP2?"
At this time we would also like to sincerely thank all those members that participated in the making of these video clips. We hope that you enjoy what you see and would welcome your feedback as well as future questions.
Developing a Certification Program for IAP2
IAP2 USA in cooperation with IAP2 Canada and IAP2 Southern Africa are working on behalf of the rest of the IAP2 Affiliates and the Federation to develop a Certification Program. The Certification Task Force has just begun their process and before they get too far they want to make sure that members and friends are aware of what is going on and have the opportunity to influence the development of a potential program.
The Task Force will be hosting information webinars on May 28th, 1pm PDT and May 29th, 7am PDT. There will also be an engagement process on Core Competencies in June. To learn more please visit the Certification Webpage.
Member Spotlight
IAP2 NA Conference
Member spotlight: Hannah Litzenberger
Each month, the IAP2 newsletter strives to profile a member who is working in the public participation or other related fields. This month we asked Hannah Litzenberger of the Puget Sound Chapter in Washington State about how she got involved in P2 work, and what she likes most about her work.
Who are you, and what do you do?
I grew up in North Carolina and now live in Seattle, which I think is a fantastic place to work in the P2 field. I have been working in environmental planning consulting and public involvement since I was in high school, believe it or not! I was fortunate enough to have great mentors along the way who early on taught me the importance of public participation and helped me realize I could do what I love – talking to people – as a career. I am now an Associate at EnviroIssues in Seattle, working on several energy and infrastructure projects in both planning and construction.
When and why did you join IAP2? What was it that attracted you to IAP2?
I joined IAP2 as a student member when I was in undergrad at NC State University. I’ve always loved public involvement and wanted to incorporate public involvement in my career. I recently became more active in the Puget Sound Chapter over the last year as we’ve been working to re-engage the chapter. I love that IAP2 training brings foundational knowledge to our practice, and I appreciate being able to connect with a diverse set of professionals in our field.
In your public participation work, what gives you the most satisfaction?
I have a science background, so I really enjoy helping people better understand complex or technical issues – and on the flip side – helping decision makers understand stakeholders’ perspectives and bridge the two. I love having genuine conversations with stakeholders – whether about a project or their garden. I’ve met some of the most interesting people through this job!
September 28-30, 2014 in Winnipeg at the Radisson Winnipeg Downtown
Conference presentations and sessions now available online!
We are excited to announce that the program for the conference has been finalized and is available online! Thank you to everyone who voted and helped create the program for our North American 2014 Conference. We are happy to report that presenters will be coming to the conference from across Canada, the USA and Australia.
The sessions cover a wide range of topics from the government and the private sectors offering innovation, lessons learned and best practice studies. There is something for everyone in this year’s program. Come and hear the stories, learn from others, join in the discussions and be inspired.
Sponsorship opportunities
This year conference sponsors are invited to create their own ‘a la carte’ benefits package based on what opportunities will meet their marketing and engagement needs as an organization. Want to sponsor a breakfast or speak at a reception but don't need a program advertisement? No problem, we won't make you pay for what won't work for you. Or maybe you want to make sure you have the opportunity to really engage with participants in a meaningful way.
Check out the conversation starter, exhibit space, technology fair, or sponsor-a-citizen options to get the most face-to-face engagement for your dollars. Check out the full menu and reserve your spot today!
Bursary opportunities
Consider applying for a Sponsor-A-Citizen Bursary. Bursaries could cover the cost of conference registration for either one day or the whole conference. Eligibility information and application instructions are available on the conference website.
We look forward to seeing you in Winnipeg so register nowas spaces are limited!
IAP2 NorCal: April event on digital engagement sees record turnout
The IAP2 NorCal chapter hosted its first in-person event of the year last month. More than 40 practitioners from across the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento came together for an evening of networking and learning about digital engagement opportunities at the local level
To view the presentation slide deck and to download "Broadening Public Participation Using Online Engagement Tools", the latest report by the Institute for Local Government (ILG), visit the new chapter website.
Report from APA in Atlanta Get Together
Last month, the American Planning Association (APA) hosted their 2014 National Planning Conference in Atlanta, GA. On the final day of the conference, a number of practitioners at the intersection of planning and public participation came together to discuss how the bridging efforts between these two communities could be improved... To read more click here.
Don’t Forget the PI Conference!
Meet stakeholder engagement pros for a rousing day and a half in beautiful Bend, Oregon. This is the 8th PI Works regional conference, the Pacific Northwest's signature event for public participation, presented by Cascade Chapter of IAP2 USA.To learn more click here.
Interesting Links
IAP2 Talks
Links to interesting articles or activities:
An estimated 2,000 people across the country (most of them young people) took part in "Text, Talk, and Act" last week as part of the National Dialogue on Mental Health - see photos and details atow.ly/wtsQs
The Participatory Budgeting Project has won the first annual Democracy Medal from Penn State University -ow.ly/wmd5K
Kevin Miniter and Michael Toomim began their IAP2 Talk presentation by reminding the audience about how frustrating large scale public participation programs can be for the public. They reported on a new software program developed to allow real time analysis and categorization of comments as they are submitted via the Internet, creating the opportunity for people to submit their own thoughts and react to others’ comments. They shared how ConsiderIt was used to fuel a citizen powered interactive voters guide for Washington state for the last three elections. To view click here.
Thank you to those members who were able to join us for the IAP2 USA AGM on Tuesday, May the 20th. The AGM webinar provided 2013 highlights and some insight into what is planned or already underway for 2014.
Visit www.iap2usa.org, sign in and click on the "Members-Only" tab to gain access to the monthly webinar recordings, printable IAP2 materials for meetings and more!
Membership Certificate
To receive a free, printable membership certificate from IAP2 USA with your current membership information, email info@iap2usa.org
and we'll send one right over!
Job Postings
To post a job on our website, email info@iap2usa.org with the organization name, job title, closing date, brief job description/highlight and any other relevant information.
Let's build the ultimate P2 resource list!
Wouldn't it be nice if there was a list of all the best public participation resources out there?
Let us know if you have any thoughts or ideas of resources to be included on this list by emailing us at: info@iap2usa.org.
Who We Are
IAP2 USA on Social Media
IAP2 USA advances public participation in the United States by providing its affiliate members with tools and information to conduct high-quality public participation processes, by providing government, industry, non-profit organizations and participants with educational resources to increase the quality and value of their participation in such processes, and by advocating for quality public participation programs based on our Core Values and Code of Ethics. Learn more about us here.
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