#WARM COOKIES: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CAN BE FUN!!! PRESENTED BY Heidi - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1999 Broadway Suite 2200 Denver, Colorado 80202 303.321.2547 x (extension) email@bbcresearch.com

#WHAT DO WE WANT? #WARM COOKIES: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CAN BE FUN!!!

PRESENTED BY Heidi Aggeler, Managing Director Jen Garner, Senior Consultant

1999 Broadway Suite 2200 Denver, Colorado 80202 303.321.2547 x (extension) email@bbcresearch.com

RMLUI

Evan Weissman, Founding Executive Director

AGENDA

 Our dilemma  Our inspiration  The Warm Cookies approach  Putting it in practice  You try it

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TWO CONSULTANTS WONDER, WHAT THEY CAN DO TO GET MORE RESIDENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY PLANS?

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MEET HEIDI AND JEN, THE CONSULTANTS

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*Do you hate your professional picture as much as we do? Yeah? Well, that’s why we’re showing the logo. And to promote our company, BBC.

OUR DILEMMA

The traditional public meeting format…formal presentation, Q&A, comments from the audience…didn’t always get us the information we need. Stakeholders and the passionate turn out. How to engage the “regular” people? How to engage people who think voting once a year is all the civic engagement they need?

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We wanted more. Our clients wanted more. We searched for solutions. We read all the right articles. We made some improvements, but still weren’t satisfied. Until Heidi went to the theater… …and discovered Warm Cookies of the Revolution.

AN ACTOR AND ALL AROUND GOOD GUY WONDERED WHY 150 PEOPLE COME TO A PLAY ON A TUESDAY , BUT 3 PEOPLE SHOW UP TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD’S PLAN.

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HE WONDERED, “HAVE WE LOST OUR CIVIC MINDSET?”

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MEET EVAN, THE ACTOR/ACTIVIST

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THE ACTOR, BEING VERY SMART AND VERY TALENTED HAD AN “AHA!!!” MOMENT: THE REVOLUTIONARY IDEA??? EXERCISE OUR CIVIC MINDSETS BY MAKING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

FUN.

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THE ACTOR TOOK ACTION, AND THE WORLD’S FIRST CIVIC HEALTH CLUB WAS BORN.

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COOL RIGHT? BUT HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO ME, MY JOB AND MY LIFE?

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ON A SLIGHTLY CLOUDY APRIL EVE, FEELING LIGHTER IN THE POCKET AFTER DOING THEIR CIVIC DUTY ($ TO THE IRS), OUR INTREPID CONSULTANTS WENT TO

A CARNIVAL.

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THE TAX DAY CARNIVAL!!! (A CIVICUS CARNIVALE SPECTACULAR)

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OUR INSPIRATION

Wha hat w t we e saw a saw at W t War arm Co m Cook

• kies e

ies even ents: ts:

 Turnout was awesome (75-150+ people!!!)  Audiences were diverse!  Attendees were having FUN!  The a atmo tmosp sphere was s POSIT POSITIVE IVE even w when pe peop

• ple

le wi with th div diver erging ging vi views ews discu discussed ssed ho hot t bu butto tton n to topics pics (race and policing, gentrification, budget priorities, health care)  We could see how to add a Warm Cookies approach to our work.

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THE WARM COOKIES APPROACH TO CIVIC HEALTH

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Or, how Evan works his magic.

WHY IS CIVIC HEALTH IMPORTANT?

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WHAT DO YOU OWN?

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If you haven’t done it already, fill out the ballot that was on your seat.

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES?

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SOUP AND DREAMS: https://vimeo.com/132257949 BRING YOUR GOVERNMENT: https://vimeo.com/124508463

PUTTING IT IN PRACTICE

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Make giving input fun! (gamification) Let people explore Let people safely step out

• f their comfort zone/walk

in someone else’s shoes Have an OTHER option Be genuine Experiment

YOU TRY IT .

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AS A TABLE, PICK ONE OF THESE TOPICS:

 WATER  MINERAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT  PARKS AND OPEN SPACE  AFFORDABLE HOUSING  SPRAWL  LAND USE AND THE LAW

YOU TRY IT .

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 YOUR MISSION: tell a Western Places/Western

Spaces success story from the future (25 years out) ON THE TOPIC YOU JUST SELECTED

 RULES (of course there are rules)

1) Your creation must depict a positive outcome/scenario/goal/achievement 2) To reach that positive outcome you must have overcome one (or more) land use or policy challenges 3) You must depict/describe how you overcame the challenge(s) 4) You may use the materials we have provided (awesome giant sticky note, crayons) AND any items found in your pockets or bags that you are willing to sacrifice to the greater good. 5) Your group is the people sitting at your table.

 GO. You have 15 minutes. We’ll be wandering,

watching and possibly interfering.

IMAGINE INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC PLAYING WHILE YOU WORK AND WE ROAM THE ROOM*

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Don’t be surprised if we toss you a roadblock or give you a

• detour. How you overcome obstacles is a big part of the fun.

And the learning.

MAY WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER?

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 How did your group react when we changed the scenario

• n you?

 How did you overcome the challenge posed?  Did you have fun?

PUTTING IT IN PRACTICE (…)

1) 1) To en

• enga

gage ge mor more pe e people

• ple and

and mor more than e than the usual the usual sus suspects pects, , we need to e need to rethink our ethink our content content and f and for

• rma

mat. t. We need to combine FUN and Pur e need to combine FUN and Purpose f pose for our

• r our

collectiv collective e civic healt civic health 2) 2) En Enga gage ge com commun munity ity assets assets—the the peo people a ple and c nd crea eativ tives es tha that neighbor t neighbors s respect espect and tak and take pride e pride in in—and and cele celebr brate te them, let them, let them per them perfor

• rm, and dr

m, and draw aw in t in the he cr crowd 3) 3) Cr Crea eate oppo te opportunities tunities for r

• r residen

esidents ts to shar to share their e their st stories

• ries and contr

and contribute ibute their their experiences xperiences in fun, in fun, friendl friendly y and accessible w and accessible ways ays 4) 4) Try y to cr to crea eate act te activi ivities ties tha that f t facilit acilitate s te seeing eeing another another side to an issue/walking in someone else’s shoes 5) 5) Meet Meet people w people wher here they e they ar

• are. Go t
• e. Go to w
• wher

here e they they ga gather ther and ar and are social. In e social. Invit vite e them in. them in.

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QUESTIONS?

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