Community Design Collaborative’s Post

The success of two radically revitalized communities, Greenville, SC and Laramie, WY, inspire revitalization and reveal the benefits of funding opportunities, tools, and resources that help “Changemakers” revitalize their areas also. Are you a “Changemaker”? How can you too be radically equipped and empowered to transform your area? Get more…

We often work within regeneration contexts in our consultancy work. Frequently people are focusing on buildings and infrastructure in regeneration plans, but we think it's important to talk about cultural regeneration too. People and activity need to be a part of regeneration if it's going to have the impact it should. So it's great to see this article from Arts Council England on cultural regeneration in the West Country. #LetsCreate #CulturalRegeneration #CulturalDevelopment #CulturalConsultancy https://lnkd.in/euvTuDu9

This past fall, I led a group of our Virginia Tech SPIA graduate students in their course on Collaborative Planning and Community Engagement. They worked with a resident activist group, the Friends of Evans Spring, who have organized to try to protect the last remaining urban forest in the City of Roanoke, VA, from development. The forest is just to the north of a predominantly African American neighborhood, which was displaced there following the destruction of the historic Black neighborhoods in the City during urban renewal. If you've read about Root Shock, by Mindy Fullilove, MD, you've heard about Roanoke -- it is one of three cases she uses to describe the inter-generational psychological trauma caused by urban renewal in American cities-- legacies of urban planning decisions. This project was very challenging for us, as outsiders, and as scholars/students of urban planning, who recognize both the potential and the limitations of the tools of urban planning to effect truly transformative change. We studied closely the examples of Ken Reardon, Leonie Sandercock, Patricia Wilson, and others, to open up spaces of transformation through deep community engagement. We found that through a willingness to be vulnerable, to empathically hold another's pain - and hope - even though we could not guarantee any outcome, the process changed *us*. Increasingly, I understand that this is the transformation that our society needs. How do *we* learn to become neighbors to those we formerly considered strangers? What does it mean to teach... love... of neighbor? I have been asked by the City of Roanoke's Equity and Empowerment Advisory Board to present our process of community engagement to City Council on Feb 5. I have recorded the presentation, which can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/eAPRk3fW Many thanks to the Fall 2023 students in my Collaborative Planning and Community Engagement class~ I learned so much from working with you all on this.

Philadelphia, the city of possibility, has been the starting point of all the changes that many of us have experienced growing up. As long as you can see City Hall, you know where to go. However, what do you see when you look at City Hall? As a community, how can we process the changes and improvements that we want to see in our city when our hands are tied by constantly changing laws? Today, a leader discussed the importance of people working together as a team to bring about change. It's time to come together, share ideas, and work towards a common goal. Whether City Hall is your focal point or not, we all have a role to play in making Philadelphia a better place for everyone. Let's continue to dream, imagine, and create a better future for our city. Together, we can make it happen. #Philadelphia #Community #Teamwork #Change #BetterFuture

So often we hear conversations about “density” and adding density. To me, the biggest challenge is applying these ideas to areas outside of urban cores. I sat next to a gentleman this weekend who made the point of “proximity” and how proximity is really the driver for blending this conversation between urban/suburb/rural. The “one-mile-radius” is a great example of this proximity and how ALL communities can think about proximity and how we crave it. That proximity will be different from the urban core vs Main Street USA, but it is important recognize that these proximities exist in all type of communities.

The “one-mile-radius” effect is a positive wave of impact that builds momentum neighborhood by neighborhood. As neighborhoods become hubs of community more partners enter that community and other neighborhoods begin to enter a period of revitalization, eventually creating a stronger, healthier community at a city’s core. Learn more about the one-mile-radius principle in my latest blog.

💡 Transforming Urban Spaces by Civic Engagement: Introducing CES In the quest to create smarter, more connected urban environments, understanding the pulse of community engagement is crucial. Our groundbreaking research builds on the Civic Engagement Scale (CES), a pivotal tool reshaping how we perceive and measure civic involvement in smart cities. The CES breaks new ground by encompassing both attitudinal and behavioral aspects of civic engagement. This comprehensive two-dimensional approach illuminates the complex dynamics of community participation, offering insights into how beliefs and actions intertwine in urban settings. Featuring 14 meticulously crafted questions, the CES delves into the essence of civic participation. Its design ensures a balanced exploration of attitudes and behaviors, providing a rich, multifaceted view of community engagement. Our findings reveal intriguing connections between residents' beliefs and their reported activities in their communities. The CES stands out not just for its innovative design but also for its scientific robustness. Exhibiting high internal consistency and strong fit indices, it emerges as a dependable and valid instrument. This makes the CES invaluable for policymakers and urban planners seeking to foster more vibrant, engaged, and smart communities. 🔗 Dive into the details of this transformative research here: https://buff.ly/471KUQb Follow our journey as we continue to uncover how the CES is revolutionizing urban planning and smart city development. #UrbanStudies #CivicEngagementScale #CommunityEngagement #UrbanPlanning #SmartCityDevelopment

"Community consultation and engagement are important parts of the development planning process". This is the belief of the Quality of Life Foundation which has released new Codes of Practice as a result of a study into consultation and engagement practices in the UK, dubbed the Community Consultation for Quality of Life research project. Built off the foundation of collaborative studies with several universities, the Codes of Practice are the result of acute research into community engagement and urban planning and highlight significant disparities between national guidelines and the on-the-ground experiences of ordinary people, making it clear that many feel ignored in development planning processes. There is little guarantee when it comes to community consultation, but Direct Access is highly interested in seeing how this develops, as consultation and engagement with disability stakeholders are at the very heart of what we do. Whether we are working on new builds or providing audits of existing sites, we make it a habit to engage the local communities of disabled people that infrastructure is built to serve. We would encourage everyone to check out the Code of Practice below and discover the research findings themselves! https://lnkd.in/ebZkdhaU #Architects #Architecture #QOLF #InclusiveDesign #Accessibility #Inclusion #CodesofPractice #CommunityEngagement #Consultations #AccessibilityConsultations #Infrastructure #BuiltEnvironments University of Reading Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd The University of Edinburgh Ulster University

Tune into this insightful conversation with Dan Immergluck and Shawn Duncan 🎧