PublicDecisions

PublicDecisions Blog, 2007-2012, Updates Now Via Twitter @PublicDecisions

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:22:00 +0000

I’ve enjoyed blogging about news and events that relate to the practice of public engagement these last few years—and I hope you’ve found it as useful and interesting as I have. Today marks the last post I’ll be making on this blog, although I’ll continue to share updates via Twitter from a variety of sources.

When I started blogging there were only a handful of people/organizations posting on topics about public participation/deliberation, although thankfully there now are more than 60 blogs that cover the field. (NCDD has a list of bloggers who post on topics related to engagement at http://ncdd.org/rc/item/tag/blog and their listserve also is excellent; also check out the IAP2USA blog at http://blog.iap2usa.org/). NCDD also has a great aggregation of these blogs on their Facebook page.

Accordingly, from here on out I’ll be focusing solely on updates via Twitter (@PublicDecisions), from practitioners/researchers in public engagement as well as a range of other areas such as planning, health, etc. Twitter will allow me to post more information in a more timely fashion and from an even more diverse array of people, organizations and places. I hope you’ll check out my Twitter feed and I’ll look forward to retweeting news about trends, tools and ideas that you’re willing to share as well.

Beth Offenbacker

PublicDecisions

Free June 12 webinar: Advancing Health Reform by Inclusion: Engaging Communities of Color in Creating Policy Change

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:23:00 +0000

From Community Catalyst:

"Advancing Health Reform by Inclusion: Engaging Communities of Color in Creating Policy Change

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time Register at http://bit.ly/KMvqDm by Friday, June 15, 2012

The best change occurs when the communities most affected are involved.

Moving toward health equity requires full participation by communities of color in the policy making process and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Community Catalyst conducted an assessment to identify emerging and effective ways state consumer health advocates and community-based organizations are engaging communities of color in creating policy change to advance the ACA.

On this call speakers will:

* Share the findings from the research, including best practices used by
     state and local advocates in five states Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota,
     New York and Oregon
* Hear from advocates in New York and Minnesota about the work in their
     work to advance health equity
* Offer recommendations for state and national organizations and
     funders"

June 7: Effectively Applying Mobile Technologies to the World Bank's Development Planning

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Sat, 26 May 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Via the MobileActive listserve:

"Join Us!
Effectively Applying Mobile Technologies to the World Bank's Development Planning

Thursday, June 7, 2012
11:30 am - 12:30pm EST
Online Webinar

Using mobile technologies to achieve development goals (M4D) could present a tremendous opportunity to rapidly meet development objectives, including promoting transparency, supporting skill development, increasing access to health care and education, and expanding economic opportunity.

Yet, focusing on mobile technologies can be seen as a quick fix by governments and development organizations, especially if they choose to invest in M4D rather than tackle complex structural problems. Mobile technologies also remain unevenly incorporated into development planning, as rapid changes in the field make it difficult to anticipate new technologies.

As a critical source of financial and technical assistance around the world, the use of mobile technologies by the World Bank Group presents a chance to accelerate the achievement of development goals or deepen negative impacts.

Join the Bretton Woods Committee, in cooperation with Development Alternatives, Inc<http://www.dai.com>, for a webinar to examine the opportunities and challenges for the World Bank Group to use mobile technologies to meet its objectives.

Speakers Include

* Ineke Buskens, Research Director, Gender Research into Information Communication Technology for Empowerment
* TBD, Mobiles for Development Team, Development Alternatives, Inc.
* Philippe Dongier, Country Director, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi (TBC)

Follow us on Twitter for updates<https://twitter.com/#%21/brettonwoodscom>. Comment using the hashtag #BWCM4D.

Register Today!<http://brettonwoods.org/events/index.php/80/Effectively_Applying_Mobile_Technologies_to_the_World_Bank_s_Development_Planning>"

Free Apr 3 Webinar: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in Health Care

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:48:00 +0000

Tuesday, April 3, 2012
11am Eastern

Sponsored by Jossey-Bass

"Guest lecturer Leonard Marcus covers strategies for better understanding conflict, negotiating choices and building systems to improve decision-making processes in health care. The lecture will also address underlying processes and ways of thought that can lead to better health care systems, more satisfying careers for health care professionals, and improved experiences for health care recipients.

Register here

More about the Guest lecturer, Leonard Marcus

www.hsph.harvard.edu/faculty/leonard-marcus/

wikipedia

www.renegotiatinghealthcare.com"

March 22 PACE Webinar, featuring Matt Leighninger: 'Planning for Stronger Local Democracy'

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:29:00 +0000

From PACE:

"Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/680772210

Please join us on Thursday, March 22nd, for a webinar with Matt Leighninger featuring his newly released guide, "Planning for Stronger Local Democracy'.

We have learned a great deal about the strengths-and limitations-of public engagement as it is practiced today. These engagement initiatives typically produce a range of significant outcomes, from personal transformation to policy change. But they take considerable amounts of energy and time, and in most cases they do not seem to shift the long term relationship between citizens and their public institutions. With these lessons in mind, many communities are starting to envision more comprehensive, long term, sustainable forms of public engagement. They are considering how they might create their own recipies for democracy using some key civic ingredients.

This webinar will focus on the recent National League of Cities-Deliberative Democracy Consortium publication, 'Planning for Stronger Local Democracy'. (You'll be redirected to a link to the guide once you register for the webinar.) The guide is built around two lists: the questions to ask about your community in order to take stock of local democracy, and the building blocks you might consider as part of a comprehensive sustainable strategy for vitalizing civic engagement in your community.

Matt Leighninger is the author of the guide and serves as the Executive Director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, an alliance of the major organizations and leading scholars working in the field of deliberative and public engagement.

Chris Gates is the Executive Director of PACE- Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement and will serve as the webinar's moderator. PACE is an affinity group of the Council on Foundations and serves as a learning collaborative for funders doing work in the fields of civic engagement, service and democratic renewal.

Title:
PACE Webinar, featuring Matt Leighninger: 'Planning for Stronger Local Democracy'
Date:
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer"

May 2012 PEP-NET Speakers Announced

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:25:00 +0000

From PEP-NET:

PEP-NET Conference
May 14, 2012
Hamburg, Germany
Registration is free at http://www.amiando.com/pep-net.html
Check this page also for the latest program agenda

"PEP-NET Summit: Out in the Open will cover urban development, eParticipation and transparency. We have speakers who will showcase some examples from here in Hamburg and from abroad. Anyone can join us for a day of discussion, learning and exchange.

Confirmed speakers are:

· Nick Booth, founder and MD of Birmingham social enterprise Podnosh (www.podnosh.com), who recently won the UK Prime Minister’s Big Society award for his social media surgeries;

· Alenka Krek-Poplin, Junior Professor at the HafenCity University, specialist in Computer-based Methods in Urban and Regional Planning, originally from Slovenia, spent several years in Austria;

· Daniel Lentfer, Director of Mehr Demokratie e.V. (Hamburg branch), organiser of the campaign for a local transparency law in Hamburg which calls for transparency and open data in the local authority;

· Erik Tissinghe, Director of Over Morgen in Beeld (inbeeld.overmorgen.nl/), a Dutch company that specialises in 3D models for eParticipation;

· Peter Verhaeghe, of Belgian citizen initiative stRaten-Generaal, which organised citizens against a traffic bridge and in favour of a tunnel, also an architect for the city state;

· Cynthia Wagner, nexthamburg (www.nexthamburg.de), which runs events and an online platform to involve citizens in planning Hamburg’s future urban development."

Using Deliberative Methods to Engage the Public; Webinar Invitation - April 19, 2012

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:49:00 +0000

From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

"The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites you and your colleagues to participate in a webinar to learn about how to design and implement an effective deliberative session to explore the views of patients, consumers, or other members of the community on challenging public problems in healthcare or related areas.

Overview

Public deliberation convenes members of the public or of a specific community to learn about and discuss a complex societal issue. The purpose is to learn from the participants and ultimately to make policy decisions that reflect their views. On April 19, AHRQ will host a “how to” webinar to provide practical guidance for those interested in using deliberative methods for obtaining meaningful public input to inform their work. Topics will include:

· How to set clear goals and choose an appropriate method

· How to recruit members of the public to participate

· Design choices for a deliberative session

· Developing educational materials for use in deliberative sessions

· Effective facilitation

Speakers will include:

Julia Abelson, MSc, PhD; McMaster University. Dr. Abelson's research includes the design and evaluation of public engagement to inform health system decision making. She works closely with decision makers in provincial, regional and local government levels.

Susan Dorr Goold, MD, MHSA, MA, University of Michigan. Dr. Goold’s work focuses on incorporating the perspectives of patients and citizens in setting health care priorities.

Alison Kadlec, PhD, and, Jyoti Gupta, MPH, Public Agenda. Dr. Kadlec and Ms. Gupta bring significant expertise in designing and conducting deliberative sessions based on Public Agenda’s extensive work in public engagement.

Using Deliberative Methods to Engage the Public:

How to design and implement an effective deliberative session

Date: April 19, 2012

Time: 3:00 – 4:15 pm (Eastern Time)

Registration: To register, please click here: Link to Registration or paste this address into your web browser: https://air-min.webex.com/air-min/j.php?ED=186379522&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D."

Why Place Matters Conference

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:38:00 +0000

From the Davenport Institute:

"Join us for a policy-focused follow up to last year's "A Place in the World" conference.

THURSDAY • MARCH 22, 2012 • 1-5 PM
Pepperdine University Drescher Graduate Campus Auditorium

The places where we spend our days - our homes, neighborhoods, and cities - shape us as much as we shape them. They are central to who and what we are. And yet the "sense of place" has been withering away in today's mobile, fluid world. Our 2011 conference "A Place in the World," sought to identify the sources of this change. This event will follow up on those insights and explore the challenges facing policy makers in restoring an infrastructure for healthy communities and fostering engaged citizens.

Session One: "Modernity & the Problem of Place for Civic Engagement"

Session Two: "Planning for Spontaneity: Moving from Theory to Practice in Placemaking"

Session Three: "From Bell to the Beach: The Vital Relationship Between Place and Civic Participation"

Session Four: Roundtable Discussion

Speakers will include:

Ted V. McAllister
Edward L. Gaylord Chair/ Associate Professor of Public Policy
Pepperdine University

Wilfred M. McClay
SunTrust Bank Chair of Excellence in Humanities
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Pete Peterson
Executive Director, Davenport Institute
for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership

For more information, and to RSVP, please call 310•506•6878 or email ashley.trim@pepperdine.edu

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/why-place-matters"

May 21-22 The Science of Science Communication Conference

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000

May 21-22, 2012
National Academy of Sciences
Washington, DC

"Overview

This colloquium will survey the state of the art of empirical social science research in science communication and will focus on research in psychology, decision science, mass communication, risk communication, health communication, political science, sociology, and related fields on the communication dynamics surrounding issues in science, engineering, technology, and medicine with five distinct goals:

To improve understanding of relations between the scientific community and the public
To assess the scientific basis for effective communication about science
To strengthen ties among and between communication scientists
To promote greater integration of the disciplines and approaches pertaining to effective communication
To foster an institutional commitment to evidence-based communication science"

IAP2 North America Conference 2012 – Call for Proposals

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:31:00 +0000

From IAP2:
"Welcome to the 2012 North American IAP2 Conference! We are extremely excited to be working with our partner organization IAP2 USA to bring you this event and hope you can join us September 30-October 2, 2012 in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

You’re Invited
This call for proposals is for interested individuals, groups or organizations to present and share their insights and expertise in the P2 field. Our team was inspired by the idea of P2 equally involving the head, heart and hands and through our conference themes hope to explore how each of these play an integral role in expansion and growth of public participation. We aim to involve researchers, stakeholders, academics, community members, decision-makers, practitioners and others to build together a diverse audience thereby truly getting a 360 perspective.

Conference session proposals must support or align with one of the sub-themes. The key focus questions are not meant to limit but rather used as a launch point and touchstone.

Theme Key Focus Questions

STIMULATE your mind

What have you learned, discovered, proven or identified from your research, study of the field or experience, which will advance the growth and practice of public participation.
This is all about the thinking…..

MOTIVATE your heart

What is at the heart of public participation? We think it might lie in the values, ethics, and feelings associated with P2. What is it that motivates, influences or provokes involvement or lack thereof in public participation?
This is all about the feeling…..

PARTICIPATE in action

What tools, activities, techniques are defining the cutting edge of public participation? How do you find the balance between the “tried & tested” and the “innovative & creative?”

This is all about action…..

For more information please download the full Call for Proposals and proposal template. Proposals are DUE March 23, 2012 and questions should be directed to conference@iap2canada.ca"

INVOLVE Hosts Two Upcoming Community Engagement Webinars

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:34:00 +0000

From INVOLVE:

"As part of the Creative Councils programme Involve and NESTA are hosting a series of free webinars on community engagement, coproduction and related issues. Many of the Creative Councils projects are trying to connect Councils with the communities they serve in new and interesting ways. If you’re looking for inspiration or advice on how to engage with citizens and how to creat a culture of community engagement in your organisation then join the conversation!

Each session will include a presentation by an expert in the field, followed by an opportunity to ask questions and discuss. The sessions will be interactive, short and held over lunchtime in order to make it easy for you to attend. If you can’t make the webinar you can also submit questions in advance and access a recording afterwards.

The topics for the first two sessions will be:

Where next for engagement? – 12 to 1.30pm, 17^th February
In the first session, Edward Andersson, Deputy Director of Involve, will reflect on where engagement is heading in a time of Localism and Austerity. New forms of engagement and new technologies provide exciting opportunities. This session will look at creative methods of engagement that can be used to reach beyond the actively engaged and help to develop a productive conversation with communities. Edward will give examples of these methods and advice on when and how they should be used.

Positively deviant – 12 to 1.30pm, 2^nd March
In the second session, Jane Lewis, from Woodward-Lewis and Susan Ritchie, an Involve associate and director of Mutual Gain, will give an introduction to a problem solving approach within communities called Positive Deviance. This method is based on the observation that through their uncommon (or deviant) behaviour some individuals and groups within communities develop better solutions to problems than others. It is being used across the UK and has delivered some astounding results in the form of reduced crime, improved health outcomes and much more. Sue will explain how it works and when to use the approach.

The topics of the following sessions will be up to you to decide. You can vote here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QZYJXQ6

The webinars will take place over WebEx, an online meeting platform. If you would like to take part in the webinar series, email Tim Hughes at tim@involve.org.uk for a meeting invitation.

Future dates:

16^th March, 12 to 1.30pm
30^th March, 12 to 1.30pm
13^th April, 12 to 1.30pm
27^th April, 12 to 1.30pm"

Job Oppty: Program Manager, Food, Health & Well-Being, Racial Equity, and Community and Civic Engagement

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:15:00 +0000

"The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a leading philanthropic force helping communities create the conditions children need to thrive and the nation’s fifth largest foundation, is seeking nominations and applications for a Program Manager in the area of Food, Health, and Well-Being, Racial Equity, and Community and Civic Engagement. As a part of the program team, the Program Manager will coordinate and provide support to internal grant making operations including processing and tracking grants, performing research activities, maintaining and analyzing reports, and coding data. The Program Manager will also serve as an internal liaison working among program teams in areas of focus to support program alignment, integration, and aggregated learning opportunities; will ensure internal compliance with grant management and processing standards; and will provide technical support to grantees and senior programming staff in the development, implementation, and learning associated with all programming efforts." Read more

PCORI Hosts National Patient and Stakeholder Dialogue

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000

From the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute:

"The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) will hold a National Patient and Stakeholder Dialogue on February 27, 2012. We will present PCORI's Draft National Priorities and Research Agenda and welcome three-and-a-half hours of public comment by individuals attending in person and by phone. In addition, there will be two moderated discussion panels on the priorities and agenda featuring patient advocates, caregivers, clinicians and other stakeholders.

The event is part of PCORI's effort to receive broad public input before the comments are considered in a process to revise and adopt the priorities and agenda. A draft event schedule is provided below and a detailed schedule will be distributed soon. We hope you will register today to join us in person, watch via webcast or listen by telephone. You can register to attend and provide public comment here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at info@pcori.corg.

What: PCORI National Patient and Stakeholder Dialogue
When: Monday, February 27, 2012
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST
Where: The National Press Club
529 14th St., NW
13th Floor
Washington, D.C.

Webcast and Teleconference details will be circulated and posted on our website prior to the event

Draft Event Schedule
9:30-9:45 Welcome and Introduction by PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby
9:45-9:55 Overview of PCORI's input process on the national priorities and
research agenda
9:55-10:15 Overview of PCORI's national priorities and research agenda
10:15-11:15 Patient and Caregiver Discussion Panel
11:15-11:30 Break
11:30-12:30 Clinician and Stakeholder Discussion Panel
12:30-1:00 Lunch (provided)
1:00-4:30 Public comment (in person and by phone)
4:30-4:55 Observations from PCORI Board Members
4:55-5:00 Closing Comments by PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby

European Competition for Best Innovations in University Outreach and Public Engagement

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:48:00 +0000

From EngageU:

"As part of the European Commission funded, Ulab project, the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford is organizing an online competition to identify the most innovative outreach and public engagement activities that have been carried out by European Universities. We define outreach and public engagement in the broadest sense to incorporate all forms of interaction with individuals and organisations outside the university. Examples of outreach and public engagement may include initiatives that engage with school children and / or their teachers, interactions with commercial organisations that lead to new technological developments, or activities that connect with policy makers and support the policy making process. Both individuals and groups may apply for awards" Read more

Call for Proposals: Public Involvement in Health and Social Care Research

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:29:00 +0000

From INVOLVE:

INVOLVE 2012 Conference
"The eighth biennial INVOLVE conference is being held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, on 13 and 14 November 2012. The conference will bring together members of the public, service users, researchers, research commissioners and representatives of voluntary sector organisations, who share a common interest in public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research.

The conference call for presentations is now open. We are inviting presentations on public involvement in health and social care research that will encourage critical thinking and discussion on the following:
•   how people are involved in research
•   learning and support
•   researching impact
•   future directions

Presentations may take the form of posters, workshops, papers, film, sound recordings, performances and other approaches, and speed sessions.

For further information and to complete the call for presentations application form, visit www.invo.org.uk/involve2012.

Closing date for applying to do a presentation: Monday 26 March 2012"

9th Annual Games for Change Festival

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:46:00 +0000

The call for proposals is now open for the 9th Annual Games for Change Festival!

"The 9th Annual Games for Change Festival will be taking place on June 18-20, 2012. The call for talks and presentations is now live! The Festival is the leading global event that facilitates the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve as critical tools in humanitarian and educational efforts.

To submit a talk or presentation, visit:
http://www.jotform.com/form/13345329628

Submission deadline: Friday, February 17 at 11:59 pm EST.

Accepted speakers will receive a complimentary pass to the Festival and will be notified on March 16.

To learn more about what topics we're looking for this year as well as information about the review process, visit out website:
http://www.gamesforchange.org/2012/01/g4c-12-call-for-talks-presentations/"

Feb 2 Event with John Gastil: Four Glimpses Of Democracy's Future

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:22:00 +0000

John Gastil, Ph.D.

Noted deliberation scholar John Gastil/Penn State University will be speaking at a February 2 event hosted by the Centre for Public Involvement located in Edmonton, Alberta. The program will focus on deliberative innovations in India, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.

When: February 2, 2012, 7:30-930pm Mountain Standard Time

Read more about this great program by viewing the flyer.

Note: the program flyer notes that the program will be available via webinar too; please register at this weblink.

Calls for Papers: IJEP Special Issue on Immigrant Inclusion by E-Participation

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:24:00 +0000

From the e-DMR listserve:

"SUBMISSION DUE DATE: February 1, 2012

SPECIAL ISSUE ON Immigrant Inclusion by E-Participation

Guest Editors: Itir Akdogan, Mauri Kaipainen, Sonia Sousa, and Ilona Tikka

INTRODUCTION:
Immigrant Inclusion by e-Participation (IIeP) is a multi-stakeholder regional project that addresses immigrant communities and public authorities in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. The aims of the project include bridging the tools, activities, and concepts of citizen communities, on one hand, and the governments top-down participation practices and technologies on the other, in terms of interoperability and integration of technologies. The Joint International Workshop on Immigrant Inclusion by e-Participation was organized within the project framework in 2-3 November 2011 at the University of Helsinki in Finland. The workshop gathered authorities on national and local levels involved in e-democracy and e-governance, immigrant and multicultural non-governmental organizations, and researchers in e-democracy and inclusion of immigrants in participatory decision-making processes in order to create a discussion forum and interaction between authorities, NGO actors and immigrant societies on immigrant inclusion by e-participation.

OBJECTIVE OF THE SPECIAL ISSUE:
This special issue aims at sharing the discussions of the event with the international research community, but even at elaborating the subject in a wider spectrum with contributions from researchers in this field who were not present at the workshop.
The special issue will thus bring together various perspectives on how authorities and immigrants may use new information and communication technologies for more inclusive and democratic societies.

RECOMMENDED TOPICS:
Topics to be discussed in this special issue include (but are not limited
to) the following:

Activism, initiative citizenship, and immigrants Challenges and limitations of e-participation Empowerment of immigrants in e-participation Governmental and municipal e-participation Hate speech online Immigrants public e-participation awareness Inclusion vs. exclusion of immigrants online Non-governmental organizations and e-participation Political e-participation of immigrants Promotion of social interaction and civic engagement Transnational identities, diaspora, and use of social media

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this special theme issue on Immigrant inclusion by e-participation on or before February 1, 2012. All submissions must be original and may not be under review by another publication.INTERESTED AUTHORS SHOULD CONSULT THE JOURNALS GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS at http://www.igi-global.com/Files/AuthorEditor/guidelinessubmission.pdf.

All submitted papers will be reviewed on a double-blind, peer review basis.
Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.

All submissions should be directed to the attention of:

Itir Akdogan, Mauri Kaipainen, Sonia Sousa, and Ilona Tikka Guest Editors

E-mail: itir.akdogan@helsinki.fi"

University of Illinois Funds New Research on Citizens' Role in Public Policy

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:35:00 +0000

From Newswise:

"Five research projects at the University of Illinois at Chicago dealing with the citizen’s role in public policy have each received a $20,000 award. The awards, given by the UIC Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement, are funding faculty research aimed at improving citizen participation in government services, often through the use of technology." Read more at the Newswise site.

Living Labs Global Awards Seeks Nominees

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:57:00 +0000

Here's a post via Games for Change. Many of the suggested examples cited involve public engagement; it'd be wonderful to see an innovation of that kind be recognized through the LL program!

"Living Labs Global is looking for innovative solutions for the challenges presented by 20 cities across the world.

For example, Sant Cugat in Spain wants to encourage citizen participation in service design and delivery, Derry-Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, wants to connect citizens and locals digitally with the city’s culture and heritage, while Glasgow in Scotland wants help to become one of the most sustainable cities in Europe within the next ten years.

The Living Labs Global Award 2012 provides companies an opportunity to present their solutions directly to a leading group of world cities and an opportunity to enter a new market through a pilot with full support from the city. All entrants also receive a confidential and documented evaluation of their product or service, win prestigious recognition and international exposure. Twenty global cities are participating in the award with the aim of helping over 100 million citizens in America, Africa, Asia and Europe.

How to submit:
Entries can be submitted in about 10 minutes, for free through www.llga.org until 17th February 2012. International juries will evaluate the entries and provide a shortlist of the top 5 showcases per city on 5th
March. Winners will be announced at the award ceremony on 2nd May 2012 at the Rio Summit on Service Innovation in Cities.

We look forward to seeing your submission. If you’d like to discuss your solution or have any queries, do get in touch,

Lucy Ratcliffe
Email: l.ratcliffe@livinglabs-global.com
Phone: 0034 93 1855110
Twitter: @LivingLabTrsm
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LLGA2012

About the Living Labs Global Award 2012:
Living Labs Global, a non-profit association promoting innovative solutions in cities around the world, is organising the 2012 edition of the Living Labs Global Award in cooperation with the Cities of
Barcelona, Birmingham, Caceres, Cape Town, Coventry, Derry-Londonderry, Eindhoven, Fukuoka, Glasgow, Guadalajara, Hamburg, Lagos, Lavasa, Kristiansand, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, Sant Cugat, Santiago de Chile and Terrassa, to choose solutions that add high value to users in cities around the world."

New Book: Service-Learning in Design and Planning

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Folks who are interested in the service-learning aspect of community engagement--particularly in the fields of urban design and planning--may want to check out this new book, "Service-Learning in Design and Planning: Educating at the Boundaries", edited by Tom Angotti, Cheryl Doble, and Paula Horrigan.

Description:
"This rich collection of case studies by design educators critically explores the current practice
of service-learning in architecture, landscape design, and urban planning, radically revising the
standard protocol for university-community collaborations. The pedagogical framework
advanced by the authors offers a set of examples, ideas, and guidelines that will help
educators, professionals, and students develop a truly generative and inclusive design
process.

How can the boundaries between academia and community be crossed, and the planning and
research goals of educators and professionals be integrated with the needs and aspirations of
the communities they serve? This anthology answers this question by analyzing the four major
challenges that service-learning practice is faced with: acknowledging "the other," envisioning
tools for feedback and evaluation, crossing geographic and cultural borders, and
confronting the institutional and disciplinary boundaries that shape academic and professional
practices. An outstanding array of case studies from the US and abroad illustrate
possible answers to these challenges and emphasize the shift from planning and designing
"for" the community to working "with" its members."

Contributing Authors: Keith Bartholomew, Amanda M. Beer, Peter Butler, Linda Corkery, Pat
Crawford, Lynne M. Dearborn, Susan Erickson, Susan C. Harris, Sally Harrison, Jeffrey Hou, Clara
Irazábal, Paul Kelsch, Zenia Kotval, Laura Lawson, Mira Locher, Patricia Machemer, V. Paul
Poteat, Ann Quinlan, Jodi Rios, Michael Rios, Joseph Schilling, Lynda Schneekloth, Scott
Shannon, Lisa B. Spanierman, Jack Sullivan, and Daniel Winterbottom.

Learn more at the New Village website

US Congressman, Senator Create New Legislative Markup Tool

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:09:00 +0000

From the January 6, 2012 Innovators Insight Newsletter:

"Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have unveiled Madison, a live legislative markup tool that accepts online feedback on bills as they move through the legislative process. Released in conjunction with an upcoming bill, the tool allows users with perhaps more expertise in a given area to propose revisions a particular bill, and leave comments to justify the changes."

Case Study: Public Engagement at Tenaska's Trailblazer Project

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:28:00 +0000

"The Tenaska Trailblazer Energy Center is a cutting-edge coal-fueled electric generating plant currently under development near Sweetwater,Texas. It is among the first such plants in the USA to include commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture equipment in its design and will be among the cleanest coal-fueled power plants in the USA. Over the past three years, the development team of the Tenaska Trailblazer Energy Center has involved the local community in the projects development to gain support for this ground-breaking project at the local, state and Federal level." This project is being conducted by Tenaska, Inc. and the Global CCS Institute.

As its website notes, the Global CCS Institute "works collaboratively to build and share the expertise necessary to ensure that carbon capture and storage (CCS) can make a significant impact on reducing the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Announced by the Australian Government in September 2008, the Global CCS Institute was formally launched in April 2009. It became a legal entity in June 2009 when it was incorporated under the Australian Corporations Act 2001 as a public company and began operating independently as of July 2009. The Institute is a not-for-profit entity, limited by guarantee, and owned by its Members, with the Australian Government initially committing AU$100 million annual funding to the organisation for a four year period."

Read more about the public consultation for this project and download the public engagement report

Jan 9 Event on Teaching America: The Case for Civic Education

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Hosted by the Brookings Institution
Monday, January 09, 2012
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

"Congressional approval ratings stand at an all-time low and grassroots movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party are mobilizing citizens to engage in the democratic process and push for change. But do America's young people have the tools they need to assess candidates for public office and influence the policy process? The statistics say no. According to a new book edited by David Feith, young Americans know little about the Bill of Rights, the democratic process, or the civil rights movement. Three of every four high school seniors aren’t proficient in civics, nine of ten aren't proficient in U.S. history, and the problem is aggravated by a lack of civic education at the university level.

On January 9, Brookings will host a discussion of Teaching America: The Case for Civic Education (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2011). Contributing authors will lay out their proposals for strengthening civic education in a discussion moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston. This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion."

Learn more and register

EU Commission Sets Policies to Increase Consultation

Beth@PublicDecisions.com (Beth Offenbacker) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:52:00 +0000

"On 1 January, the European Commission provided EU citizens, businesses and NGOs with an extension of the period for commenting on plans for new policies and legislation from eight to 12 weeks, making it easier for them to get involved in EU policy-making." The Commission also established a new alert system. Read more in this New Europe article.

The complete press release is here.