Importance of Civic Engagement in the Long Term Plan
Civic Engagement refers to activities and philosophies connecting society with social beliefs and actions. They include single or group actions manifested in public service, civil undertaking advocacy and crusading that aim to address issues of public concern. There should exist organized participations of all like-minded individuals in order to capture all positive contributions in the long term plan (Booher and Innes, 2004). Civic engagement increases civic participation through such activities as volunteering and discussions of community issues in order to ensure that these issues reflects on the long term plans. Civic engagement creates open and ongoing dialogues that ensure people work together in transparent, accountable and mutual trustworthy relationship. Civic engagement process succeeds when a broad range of communities contributes in this conversation, relationship, ideas, decision making and taking of action.
Developing long term plans requires a comprehensive understanding of the residents, business, faith groups, government and civic institutions among others (Booher & Innes, 2002). Civic participation is ideal in situations where values get shared, or a community faces a common stake related to all members. For example, a long term strategy regarding road and transport infrastructure is of serious concern to the community stakeholders. Community members can be engaged in terms of constituencies or geographical areas such as neighborhoods or multi-county regions. Addressing these issues can be done through dialogue, town meetings, flyers and focus groups with the community stakeholders (Leighninger, 2010). The importance of engaging the public in the formulation of the road and transport plans is as stated herein.
- Civic engagement strengthens support for planning.
As more and more people get engaged the less the opposition (ILG, 2007). Professional and community organization leaders foster strong leadership through civic engagement essential in creating a long term vision for increasing civic engagement. Dialogue as a form of civic engagement is necessary to ensure citizens receive information and connection to infrastructure planning activities. Civic engagement also helps to resolve conflicts related to these plans so as to unite communities.
- Dialogue solves the problem of administrative discretion.
Public engagement requires planners to stay in touch with key legislators and officials in the executive significantly interested in this area (Reich, 1988). Managers through civic engagement not only stimulate public debate but periodically keep legislators informed of plans, accomplishments and problems especially when seeking their approval on comprehensive strategies.
- Civic engagement empowers leaders to transform efforts and plans into reality.
According to Leighninger (2005), civic engagement involves citizens in momentous policy decision and when developing new plans. This can be achieved through involving a wide range of people who offer different views and probable solutions. Public preferences should be identified and reflected in the decisions as laid out in the long term plan. Civic engagement helps to improve on decisions by taking into account the local interpretation of citizens. When citizens get involved in discussing community issues, they generate creative solutions. These groups also involve people previously not included in the engagement before and help to implement proposed actions and efforts.
- Civic engagement helps to reach usual suspects and move beyond wishful thinking.
Civic engagement takes into account needs and preferences of all groups which ensure fairness and justice. In the absence of civic engagement, the needs of least advantaged citizens may be overlooked. Civic engagement done through community participation such as hearings, focus groups and public reviews legitimize the planning process (CAPE, 2008). Focus groups provide information from relevant stakeholders that help to improve the infrastructural plans (CAPE, 2008). It is also beneficial to conduct civic engagement in a planning process in order to comply with the law requirement.
- Civic engagement increases visibility, credibility accountability and bright ideas.
These qualities ensure achievement of long term sustainability of efforts. Civic engagement leads to strengthening of collaboration and connections between planners and citizens. This connection creates a sense of identity and commitment, especially when people engage in collaborative activities. Communities feel rewarded when involved in the planning process and ends up excited to embrace change.
- Engaging citizens in discussing strategic frameworks will enhance the content and reflect more accurately the views and ideas of the people.
Engaging people of diverse differences help to bridge diversity and facilitate sharing of information which significantly increases the community's cooperation and solidarity (National Civil League, 2000). Views of the people affected by community policies in the long term plans should be incorporated in the infrastructural plan with acceptable levels of perspective and expertise. Engagement in this case is crucial in ensuring effective and responsive identification with the communities
In conclusion, all these reasons play a vital role that ensures the achievement of strategic frameworks that seek to develop long term plans. However, the achievement of efficient plans requires support from all sectors of the community such as citizens, nonprofit stakeholders and legislators. Increased public engagement lead to the success of public safety issues such as roads and transport infrastructure and will ensure the realization of vision action plans.
References
Booher, D., E. & Innes, J., E. (2002). Network Power in Collaborative Planning, Journal of planning education and Research. 21(3). 221-236.
Booher, D., E. & Innes, J., E. (2004). Reframing Public Participation: strategies for the 21st Century. Journal of planning Theory & Practice. 5(4). 419-439.
Center for Advances in Public Engagement (2008). Essentials: Public Engagement: A Primer from Public Agenda. Retrieved from http:// www.public agenda.org/files/public_engagement_primer.pdf
National Civic League. (2000). The Community Visioning & Strategic Planning Handbook. Denver Colorado, National Civic League Press.
Reich, R., B. (1988). The Power of public ideas. Cambridge, Harvard University Press
Leighninger, M. (2005). Citizens Building Communities: The ABCs of Public Dialogue. Washington DC. League of Women Voters Fund. Retrieved from http://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/bitstreams/6196.pdf
