Inclusive and Creative Community Engagement Workshop for Community Stakeholders

On October 23, Jay Pitter Placemaking and the City of Owen Sound will host an Inclusive and Creative Community Engagement professional development workshop for community stakeholders at the Bayshore Community Centre from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

As previously announced, the City of Owen Sound has engaged Jay Pitter Placemaking to lead the Future Owen Sound —Vision 2050, which is responding to multiple rapid changes within and beyond the city. 

A core component of the development of the 2050 Vision is education to create a shared understanding of community engagement best practices. To contribute to this, Jay Pitter Placemaking will be leading an Inclusive and Creative Community Engagement professional development workshop for community stakeholders which has been presented to numerous municipalities across North America and taught at universities.

This workshop will feature the following:

• A comprehensive and community-centred definition for community engagement;
• Tangible approaches and accommodations for effectively engaging historically marginalized and under-engaged groups;
• Case studies demonstrating various types of inclusive and creative engagements;
• An overview of how to meaningfully translate community feedback to the built environment and other urbanism-related initiatives; and
• High-level audit of current, effective local approaches 

Participants will have an opportunity to share their own experiences and expertise during these sessions. Due to limited spots, organizations will have the opportunity to send two representatives to this special capacity-building session, and individual community members are also invited to register. Both groups will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Register for the (free) Inclusive and Creative Community Engagement Workshop here.

For more information, please visit OurCity.OwenSound.ca or contact Michelle Palmer, Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Operational Effectiveness at 519-376-4440 ext. 1246 or email mpalmer@owensound.ca

Quotes:

“It is exciting to have Jay Pitter share her expertise by bringing this professional development opportunity to Owen Sound. The session will deepen our collective learning and provide important groundwork for the collaborative visioning sessions planned for November.”

-      Mayor Ian Boddy

Quick Facts:

• Jay Pitter Placemaking is a renowned leader in city-building initiatives and transformative public engagement
• This workshop is being offered on the same day as the Inclusive and Creative Community Engagement professional development workshop for City staff and councillors from Owen Sound and eight surrounding municipalities.
• Future Owen Sound—Vision 2050 will build on the important work that informed the previous Strategic Plan Refresh. 
• Over the past few years, the municipal landscape, in terms of both challenges and opportunities, has changed dramatically. Future Owen Sound—Vision 2050 is responding to this new reality. 
• The Future Owen Sound—Vision 2050 process will leverage existing local expertise while creating space for capacity building and collective learning.

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