City of Ventura Civic Engagement Division

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City of Ventura Civic Engagement
Division
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Overview

• I. Ventura- Our Journey from Good to Great
• II. What is Civic Engagement How to Measure it?
  
• III. Successful Challenging Examples
• IV. Tool Kit
• V. Partnership with Schools

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About Ventura, CA

• Seaside community of 102,000 people
• 50 miles north of Los Angeles, 25 miles south of
  Santa Barbara

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Civic Engagement Division

• Our Goal An Active and Engaged Citizenry

People become their best selves when they
participate in government. -- Thomas Edison
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Civic Engagement Division

• Manage
• Citywide Marketing and Public Affairs
• City Website CRM
• Government Access Television
• Video Production
• Civic Engagement Efforts
• Media Relations PIO
• Graphics
• Community Partnerships

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Civic Engagement Division

• How We Achieve Results
• Culture of Civic Engagement
• Empowering Teaching staff
• Sharing Resources with Community
• PIO Dream Team
• Media Roundtable
• Civic Engagement Team

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Role of Civic Engagement Division

• Assist departments in formulating /executing
  civic engagement strategies
• Resource to departments in effectively promoting
  citizen involvement
• Improving civic engagement efforts City/USC CE
  Initiative partnership

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What is Civic Engagement?

• Participating in deliberation and collective
  action in the governmental processes
• Creating win-win solutions
• Genuine opportunities for face-to-face
  interaction
• Building an on-going conversation with citizens

Joanne Zivich, Westside Community Council
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Civic Engagement Tools
Creating a Civic Engagement Strategy

• Define your goal and audience

• Question Why do you want to get community input
  for the project and what will you do with that
  input?
• Define project goal

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Creating a Civic Engagement Strategy
2. Determine need for outreach and Budget

• Asking for input related to improving a City
  service?
• Seeking advice on the creation of a new service?
• Involvement in a neighborhood plan

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Creating a Civic Engagement Strategy

• 3. Determine who you are trying to reach
• 4. Determine Best Approach for Community
  Involvement
• 5. Assign Roles/ Responsibilities and Execute Plan

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Measuring Civic Engagement

• Tier I Measurements Results
• Resident Satisfaction Civic Engagement Survey
• Customer Satisfaction Rating 84
• Citizen Trust Rating 82
• 2005 Communication Efforts Rating 66
• 2006 Communications Survey
• 2006 Communications Rating 76

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Measuring Civic Engagement

• Tier I Measurements Results
• Percentage of residents who volunteered for a
  cause in the past 3 years- 43

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A Successful Example Ventura Community Park
Campaign

• Capital Campaign that was a model of citizen
  involvement
• Mobilized the Community around a common need
• Raised 1.2 Million

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A Challenging Example Venturas Budget 101

• Challenge of communicating
• How the City is funded
• Funding restrictions
• Innovative Video Approach
• Folded into Mayors State of the City Address

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Civic Engagment Tool Kit

• To spread culture of Civic Engagement
• Tool for Team
• Template

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A Creative Example 4th Grade Curriculium

• Lack of trust in goverment by youth
• Low test scores on civics
• Creative Partnership
• Synergy of City staff!

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Other Successes

• General Plan
• I Vote I Count!
• Homeless Dialogue
• Civic Engagement for Smart Growth

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Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,
it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret
Mead