What are the IAP2 Core Values Awards?

Each year, IAP2 affiliates around the world recognize leaders in the profession through the IAP2 Core Values Awards. The awards go to projects which best demonstrate IAP2's Core Values and help to raise the bar in the field of public engagement by sharing best practices and inspiring the P2 community to learn from one another. As a friendly competition, the Core Values Awards encourage new approaches and innovative uses of existing ones. The 2015 winning entries were recognized at the 2015 IAP2 North American Conference, September 9 through 11, in Portland, Oregon.

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What the judges said:

• The fact that St. Vrain has remained committed to integrating effective public participation practices into the way they do business for eight years is astounding.
• The policies that have been adopted and the full support of leadership, staff, and parents show public participation has become institutionalized and not dependent on specific people (like the Superintendent) to make it happen.
• Your culture has changed.
• Others are using St. Vrain as a model and your district is receiving national recognition across the public education industry.
• Evident commitment to public participation training at all levels throughout the organization. A most significant impact of public participation at St. Vrain has been the marked increase in community trust for the district and its leadership.

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What the judges said:

• Your planners very carefully selected the techniques that were most appropriate for each audience and their specific concerns.
• The conscious role of “equity” as a value was impressive, even courageous. The concept of fairness is often of paramount importance to a stakeholder, yet extremely difficult to define and measure. You did it very well.
• The intentional use of the IAP2 Spectrum - tying it to the process from the beginning rather than an afterthought - was well done.
• The Core Values were well integrated into the overall process and approach.
• We recognize the level of effort that has gone into the involvement of the public throughout a long planning process. The next challenge, of course, is to continue their involvement during the much longer design and implementation phases. The fact that the Powell-Division is being seen as a model for several regional initiatives and community decision makers have agreed to continue their role through the design phase is further evidence of your success.