Civic Engagement Practitioner Peer Exchange

Last month, community engagement professionals from around the U.S. gathered for the quarterly PublicInput virtual peer exchange to discuss the topic of “Innovative Approaches to Community Outreach.” Hosted by Kent Boring, PublicInput Customer Success, this exclusive, customer-only event provided a platform for peer practitioners to share insights, experiences, and success stories.  

Here are just a few highlights from the discussion for those interested or unable to attend. 

1. Streamlining Outreach & Communication

Participants shared stories of success using various communication channels. Effective techniques included street outreach, pop-up banners, surveys, and direct conversations. Despite the challenge of managing paperwork, QR codes emerged as a promising solution to streamline data collection.

2. Accessibility and Inclusivity

Sticker boards and paper forms were utilized to engage individuals who are not online, ensuring broader community representation. Language translation was also a key focus, with multilingual efforts, particularly in Spanish, proving effective in engaging non-English-speaking residents.

3. Equity Mapping & Strategic Outreach

Attendees discussed approaches to understanding the socioeconomic and environmental factors impacting their communities. The use of equity mapping and strategic outreach helped tailor efforts to address specific community needs.

4. Outreach Impact Reporting

Showcasing the impact of outreach initiatives was emphasized. Data tracking and engagement reports were highlighted as essential tools for measuring success and ensuring that outreach efforts reflected community demographics. One notable method was migrating data from the PublicInput admin dashboard into spreadsheets to track metrics over several years.

5. Emphasis on Plain Language

There was a strong consensus on the importance of plain language practices. Implementing plain language policies led to increased engagement. Resources for plain language practices were shared, including:

• • Plain Language Examples
  • Plain Language Writing Tips
  • YouTube Resource on Plain Language
  • GovLoop Academy
  • PlainLanguage.gov

Internal training on plain language, leadership support, and weekly writing tips were cited as crucial strategies. Addressing the challenge of technical language and ensuring it is clearly defined was also emphasized.

6. Social Media Strategies

The use of social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Instagram, and Facebook Groups was discussed. Successful targeting on Nextdoor and effective audience building on Instagram were noted, with examples like the National Park Service and The Austin Common were highlighted as best practice.

7. Overcoming Outreach Challenges

Building community partnerships with women’s organizations, faith-based groups, and underrepresented populations was crucial. Tailored communication and relationship-building were key strategies used to overcome challenges. Tools like the PublicInput Community Based Organization Database were used for managing contacts with community stakeholder.

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