SAFE ROUTES PARTNERSHIP
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
Covid-19 changed the ways government agencies and non-profit organizations engaged with community members on new projects, proposals, and policies. We learned to maintain physical distance and interact via video platforms. Whenever possible, we took community meetings outdoors and learned to connect with people through surveys, screens, and storefront displays.
As vaccinations become more widespread and the virus begins to recede, more conventional methods of community engagement are likely to return. But some of the discoveries made during the pandemic are valuable, and on-going innovation can help to expand and deepen public participation, even when it is safe to gather again in large groups indoors.
This toolkit, developed by the CUDC in collaboration with Safe Routes Partnership, captures some of the innovative engagement practices that emerged during the pandemic. It is not comprehensive, as new techniques for community engagement are being developed all the time. Instead, the toolkit presents a variety of practices that can be adapted to address community needs and local conditions.
ACCESS WEBINAR Community Engagement Lessons from the Pandemic: What Should We Keep in Our Toolbox? (15 July 2021)