24 CFR Subtitle A

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2003.

Document from the Office of the Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, detailing the requirements for citizen participation in the use of funds from the government towards Housing and Urban Development directives.

Resource Link: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/24cfrv1_00.html

A Dialogue on Foreign Policy: Report to Canadians

Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada, 2003.

The future of Canada's foreign policy lies in building on distinctive advantages in a time of great change and uncertainty. A diverse population makes them a microcosm of the world's peoples; their geography and population give them broad global interests; their economy is the most trade-oriented among the G7 nations; and their relationship with the United States is extensive and deep. With these and other assets, Canadians recognize that they have a unique basis for asserting a distinctive presence in the world. They also believe that in these times of enormous change, Canada must take stock of how they want to approach new and continuing international challenges. To represent the values, interests and aspirations of Canadians as they confront these challenges, their country's foreign policy must draw as broadly as possible on the views of our citizens.

Resource Link: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cip-pic/participate/fpd-en.asp

Allegheny County Department of Economic Development Citizen Participation Plan

Allegheny County Department of Economic Development, 2003.

The Citizen Participation Plan is a handbook for the public to understand the procedures followed by the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development as it allocates CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, ESG and Section 108 Loan Guarantee funds. Because citizen participation is an important part of investment in the communities, opportunity for participation is available at every stage of the planning process. The process includes meetings, comment, and review of documents by the public. Numerous steps, outlined in this paper, will be taken to ensure citizen participation in planning.

Bringing Citizen Voice and Client Focus into Service Delivery

Goetz J. Gaventa, A.M.. Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex.

This study, commissioned by the UK's Department for International Development, examines over 60 case studies of both public sector reforms to foster stronger client focus in service delivery, and civil society initiatives to demand improved services. It concludes that, for citizen engagement with public service providers to move beyond consultation to real influence, citizens must enjoy rights to a more meaningful form of participation. This would include formal recognition for citizens' groups, their right to information about government decision-making and spending patterns, and rights to seek redress for poor quality service delivery. Public sector providers, for their part, need assurances regarding the mandate and internal accountability of such groups.

Resource Link: http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/bookshop/wp/wp138.pdf

Building a Digital Community: A Leadership Guidebook

The Governor's e-Communities Task Force.

On Aug. 31, 2000, Governor James S. Gilmore III and Secretary of Technology Donald W. Upson asked the newly established Governor's e-Communities Task Force to develop a template, or guide, for communities wishing to leverage the power of the Internet to improve their competitiveness and enrich the lives of their citizens. The Governor, the Secretary and the Task Force understand that many communities' economic vitality depends on their ability to connect seamlessly both to their communities and to the rest of the world. According to their vision, Virginia communities will create a network of individual community portals that reflect local priorities and maintain common elements, and that connect each community to the state, the nation and the world.

Resource Link: http://www.councils.cit.org/ecommunities/pdf/guidelines.pdf

e-Engagement: Guidelines for Community Engagement using Information and Communications Technology

The Office of e-Government and the Office of Citizens and Civics of the Government of Western Australia, 2005.

This document provides a framework for online consultations and should be used with reference to the Consulting Citizens series of guides . Information and communications technologies are constantly evolving, and this document has captured the current status of the ever-expanding ICT field.

Resource Link: http://www.citizenscape.wa.gov.au/documents/e_engagement.pdf

Innovation in Community Engagement Conference Materials

In Western Australia the Department for Planning and Infrastructure has taken a leading role in exploring innovations in community engagement, with 21st century town meetings, deliberative surveys, citizens' juries, multi criteria analysis conferences and consensus forums. In May 2005 they assembled in Perth some of the most progressive innovators and experts from the USA and Australia, who led a unique experiment in community engagement. Over two days these initiators and experts took more than 300 participants through their leading edge techniques.

Resource Link: http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/cityplanning/1208.asp

Power to the People: the report of Power, an Independent Inquiry into Britain?’s Democracy

Isobel White, Parliament and Constitution Centre. UK Power Commission, 2006.

The Power Commission was established to discover what is happening to democracy in the U.K. It sought to establish why people were disengaging from formal democratic politics and how these trends could be reversed. The commission of 10 people developed a set of proposals and recommendations to increase and deepen political participation, which were presented in this final report. The report is based on primary and secondary research, and, crucially, evidence submitted by the public themselves.

Resource Link: http://www.makeitanissue.org.uk/Power%20to%20the%20People.pdf

Public Engagement Pilot Project on Pandemic Influenza (PEPPPI)

In one of the most exemplary recent US government efforts to engage the public around an urgent issue, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened a series of public consultations on pandemic flu in the last quarter of 2005. The purpose of the Public Engagement Pilot Project on Pandemic Influenza (PEPPPI) was to inform decision-makers about the public's priorities for the use of pandemic influenza vaccine during a period of anticipated shortage. This information is intended to lead to a sounder, more supportable decision and to demonstrate that citizens can be productively engaged in informing vaccine related policy decisions thereby leading to more public engagement in the future.

Resource Link: http://www.keystone.org/spp/health-pandemic.html

Public Involvement Needs Assessment

Prepared for the State Water Resources Control Board by the Center for Collaborative Policy, California State University, Sacramento, 2005.

A Needs Assessment of outreach and public participation practice at the California Water Boards, which consist of the State Water Board and its nine regional Boards, was performed by the Center for Collaborative Policy (CCP). The purpose of the Needs Assessment was to gather data to inform the development of a manual and companion Water Leadership Academy training course, which will provide tools to Water Boards staff to build their capacity to more effectively design and conduct public participation and outreach efforts. This Needs Assessment Report will also inform the Water Boards?’ report to the California State legislature pursuant to Senate Bill 1949.

Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life

Corporation for National and Community Service, 2007.

This second annual study by the Corporation for National and Community Service gives a detailed breakdown of America's volunteering habits and patterns by state and region. The report provides the agency's first-ever ranking of levels of civic engagement by state through a new Civic Life Index. This report is a valuable tool to help states and organizations increase volunteering towards the national goal of 75 million volunteers by the year 2010.

Resource Link: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/volunteering/index.asp

Working Together: Involving Community and Stakeholders in Decision-Making

This guide from Western Australia's Office of Citizens and Civics includes techniques and tools to help ensure that consultation processes are clear, fair and ultimately rewarding for all those involved.

Resource Link: http://www.citizenscape.wa.gov.au/documents/FullColourlowresolution.pdf