CIVIC ENGAGEMENT:

INFLUENCE OF
INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS
IN POLICYMAKING
PA 460
 • How do we amplify the voices of
members of the public in public
policymaking in order to:
• Learn from residents
Beyond the Brown Act, impacted by the policies
Usual Suspects and
instead of those who seek to
Business Elite “Echo
benefit
Chamber”…
• Promote equity and inclusion
in policymaking practices
• Proactively seek out ‘lived
experience’ when making
policies addressing social
issues or concerns
 • Public policy is what government
decides to do or not do; it
PUBLIC addresses a perceived gap
POLICY AND between a current or preferred
INDIVIDUAL solution
S AS • The public policymaking is
“UNOFFICIA influenced by various official and
L ACTORS” unofficial “actors”
(REVIEW) • Individuals are generally viewed
as one of the least influential
groups of unofficial actors (low
levels of knowledge of issues,
motivation to get involved)
WHY ARE • Insufficient knowledge of public
INDIVIDUALS policy and the policymaking
OFTEN process
DISENGAGED
FROM THE
• Lack of interest in civic affairs
POLICYMAKI • Belief that individuals can’t make
NG PROCESS? a difference
• Absence of trust in government
and its representatives
• What else?
 • In the U.S., all levels of government have
GOVERNMENT laws that mandate that government
TRANSPARENC agencies do the “people’s business” openly
Y: and transparently
CA BROWN
ACT • The Brown Act – California’s Open
Meeting Law – requires that any meeting
held by a legislative body be open and
transparent to the public
• The definition of a public meeting, per
statute is defined as a gathering of a
majority of the legislative body members
to “hear, discuss, deliberate or take action
on an item”
 • Is the “letter of the law” concerning public
meetings sufficient to inspire public
GOVERNMEN engagement? If not, why not?
T • Are traditional (in person) public meetings
TRANSPAREN compatible with modern lifestyles?
CY • Do these public meetings achieve obtaining
input from a broad base of residents?
• Do you think the wants/needs of your generation
are represented in the traditional time/format of
these public meetings?
• As public meetings and the opportunity to give
input has transitioned to a virtual format during
the pandemic, do you believe local governments
should continue these options after the
pandemic?
 • Thinking about how
government, society and
citizens interact
WHAT IS
CIVIC • Working to make a difference
in the civic life of our
ENGAGEMEN communities and developing
T? the combination of knowledge,
skills, values and motivation to
make that difference
• Promoting the quality of life in
a community, through both
political and non-political
processes
 DISSENT AND CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT

• Individuals are often motivated to get involved because of dissent

• Dissent: To disagree with the methods, goals, etc., of a political
party or government; take an opposing view
• Political Dissent: Effecting change in public policy
• Social Dissent: Concerned primarily with gaining social equality
• Economic Dissent: Effecting change in the economy and meeting
material needs
• Religious Dissent: Effecting change with religious freedoms or practices
• Environmental Dissent: Effecting change in the surroundings or settings
in which we live
MEASURING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

• The National Conference on Citizenship

identifies four civic engagement metrics as:
• Volunteerism
• Voting
• Working with neighbors
• Participating in groups
 • According to a study published by
Competitive Edge Research in 2011,
out of 51 major cities, San Diego:
MEASURING • Ranked 43rd when it comes to
CIVIC being civically engaged, far
ENGAGEMENT: behind other CA cities like San
Francisco (15) Sacramento (30)
WHERE DOES and San Jose (31)
SD RANK? • Ranked 26th in volunteering
• Ranked 39th in voting
• Ranked 40th in working with
neighbors
• Ranked 46th in working in groups
(i.e. service organizations,
political parties)
 • Robert Putnam’s (2000) epic
CIVIC work Bowling Alone makes
ENGAGEME the case that individuals
NT: within modern society have
largely replaced community
WHY activities with social
IMPORTANT isolation
?
• Putnam warns that this
evolution of Americans not
forming relationships and
working towards common
purposes as easily as they
once did threaten
communities and democracy
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT-
WHY IMPORTANT CONT’D

• Civic engagement breaks down the disconnect between the

individual and community; people to feel engaged and
empowered to improve their community’s quality of life

• Ultimately, more civic engagement means individuals as

“unofficial actors” will engage in the policymaking process
resulting in new voices and viewpoints considered, and
thereby influencing policy decisions to best serve the needs
of the community
BEST PRACTICES: LAND USE

• American Planning Association

• Equity: The Planner’s Responsibility
• City of Carlsbad
• Envision Carlsbad 2009
BEST PRACTICES: BUDGETING

• Participatory budgeting
• City of Cambridge, MA
• City of Vallejo, CA
BEST PRACTICES: ENGAGING
YOUTH
Beyond having the ‘token’ youth participant on a board or
commission, what can be done to educate and empower youth
to influence public policy?
• APA: Youth Engagement Planning Project
• Baltimore Police/Community Relations with Youth
• Youth Will San Diego
• Civic Engagement through Gaming (really?)
• Kurt Squire (Big Thinkers Series – Edutopia)
BEST PRACTICE:
RESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP
ACADEMIES
• Led by the County of San Diego as part of the Live Well Program
• Uses the Promatora model (Community Health Workers) inspires
engagement from individuals and groups who have been
disenfranchised from the public policy and governance process by
educating community members on government, public policy and
refining their leadership skills
• Several nonprofits throughout the County compete for contracts to
host the program.
 • After reviewing the Residential Leadership
Academy Video and reviewing the curriculum on
the County of San Diego’s HHSA website, reflect
on the following questions in preparation for your
INDIVIDUAL Discussion Board Assignment:
• How do Residential Leadership Academy’s
REFLECTIO support local governments’ goals for civic
N & DB engagement? Equity and inclusion?
ASSIGNMEN • What aspects of the curriculum did you find
T PREP particularly helpful for community members to
understand the role of various governments,
public policy and politics?
• Was there anything missing from the curriculum
that you believe would be helpful for participants?

• What is essential for sustaining civic engagement

efforts?