What’s New…Neighborhood and Community Relations Department (NCR)New Department…New OpportunitiesCore Principles of Community Engagement The Neighborhood and Community Relations (NCR) Department is part of the broader City Coordinator department and will both serve residents directly and support all other City departments with enterprise guidance in the realm of strong neighborhood and community relationships. The department will be charged with strengthening our City’s quality of life through vigorous community participation, resident involvement in neighborhood and community organizations, and supporting clearly defined links between the City, City services and neighborhood and community organizations. The work of the NCR department will also be supported by the new resident-based Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC). Core Principles of Community EngagementThese principles are the shared beliefs of the Mayor and City Council on how the City should engage the community, and how the community can participate in the City’s decision-making process. They are one of the products of work done by the Community Engagement Task Force and were adopted by the Mayor and City Council on December 7, 2007. They will serve as a guide for all future Minneapolis community engagement efforts. The core principles are: 1) Right to be involved – Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process. 2) Contribution will be thoughtfully considered - Public participation includes the promise that the public's contribution will be thoughtfully considered. 3) Recognize the needs of all - Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision-makers. 4) Seek out involvement - Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision. 5) Participants design participation - Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate. 6) Adequate information - Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way. 7) Known effect of participation - Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision. Copyright IAP2. All rights reserved. Adopted by Minneapolis City Council, December 2007 Neighborhood VitalityNeighborhood vitality has been both a constant aspiration and a trademark of our identity throughout the City’s history. So, too, has the City’s partnership with neighborhood groups in defining the opportunities and challenges that face us in achieving, maintaining and enhancing truly livable neighborhoods. The City and neighborhood groups share a common goal of creating a better City for all our residents. In pursuit of this goal this department will focus on nurturing neighborhood vitality through neighborhood-based priority setting, planning and implementation; and the integration of this work with the work of the City.
Access and OutreachThe City’s “One Minneapolis” goal prescribes “equal access, equal opportunity and equal input” for all residents of the City. To assure that City services are understood, obtainable and equitable, this department will focus on addressing and removing barriers to civic participation and meaningful engagement. Because of our strong belief that we all benefit from a population who understand civic responsibility and the value of contributing to community strength, it is important that we look anew at ways to bridge cultural differences and embrace new definitions of what real community means.
Community Participation and EngagementCommunity participation and engagement serve to strengthen Minneapolis. The Principles of Community Engagement serve as a guide for community engagement and establish a foundation for expectations that the Mayor and City Council hold of City staff, department leadership and elected officials. In practice, the principles help to create an environment where viewpoints and concerns of those who are affected by our work can be captured. They also foster communities that are involved in the business of government and help the City create more sustainable policies, programs and services which take into account diverse community needs and views.
Services to the CityThis new department will serve as a resource to all City departments and work with City staff members on new and dynamic ways to incorporate community participation activities into their work.
Strategic PartnershipsTo encourage collaboration in supporting neighborhood and community engagement work, the department will focus on building broader support through partnerships with institutions, corporations and foundation. New Releases & Media Advisories related to Community Engagement |