Citizen engagement is the sense of connectedness that citizens feel with others, a willingness to serve their community and engage in community problem-solving. It can take many forms -- from making charitable contributions to volunteering; from voting to campaigning for candidates or issues to serving on local boards, committees, and councils. On the other side Citizen engagement promotes social trust and improves the quality of life in the city as some argue "social capital" is necessary for good government and economic development which citizens engagement improves the lives of both participants and beneficiaries. Similarly many accepted Citizen engagement helps in creating strong and vibrant communities with higher in social capital linking with better health, lower crime, improved educational outcomes, and greater individual happiness.
As more people choose to live in cities, local governments find themselves facing increasingly complex issues in city-making. Demands for affordable housing and public transit, tensions around gentrification and density, even connecting the dots between city planning and climate change, are just some of the more high-profile critical conversations our cities need. Solutions can come from many places, but smart cities realize that engaging the citizens in the city-making process leads to better answers and a deeper public ownership of our future. Despite all good things in Citizens engagement cities are struggling to get citizens on board therefore cities are developing new and innovative community engagement methods, including those that embrace new technologies, social media and collaborative design methods, to better bring the public into conversations on the future of city life.
However, the pressures of time, money and family commitments sometime affects citizens engagement. For instance, citizens who work full-time and experience long commutes have less time available for community service and civic activities. By contrast, part-time employees and citizens who live and work in small towns volunteer at greater rates. Senior citizens, who tend to be retired or part-time workers, contribute more average volunteer hours than other age groups. Similarly sometime social stratification and community divisions along the lines of income, race, ethnicity and religion can make citizens engagement more difficult. Let’s face it—not all of our engagement in recent decades has been very engaging
- To involve citizens in planning and design decision making processes and, as a result, make it more likely they will work within established systems when seeking solutions to problems.
- To provide citizens with a voice in planning and decision making in order to improve plans,decisions, service delivery, and overall quality of the environment.
- To promote a sense of community by bringing together people who share common goals.
Participation should be active and directed to those who become involved should experience a sense of achievement. Traditional planning procedures should be re examined to ensure that participation achieves more than a simple affirmation of the designers or planners intentions.The Importance of Participation in the planning system is meant to reflect the general wishes of the local community and there is a need on the local authority to consult widely during the formulation of a Local Plan and in the operation of the development. The fact that the Municipal Council is made up of elected members ensures a certain level of representation, but wider public consultation sometime do requires in city planning.
Therefore when a planning application is submitted the local authority publishes details in the local newspaper and in some circumstances, a notice is displayed adjacent to the site. In cases of special sensitivity, individual households in an affected area might be asked for their opinions others may be a small public exhibition. However, in most cases, if members of the public wish to find out what is proposed they have to visit the planning department, request the material that has been submitted and examine it on the premises. They can then write to the planning committee if they have any objections. No matter what the scale of proposal, development control can be thought of as a process of negotiations or engagements. Participatory Budgeting is one such tool that engages citizens.
Sometime the local government can help promote citizen engagement by ensuring fair participation and redistricting processes; by building partnerships among government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private citizens; and by maintaining networks of information about volunteer and charitable opportunities. It can also lead by example and provide easy access to information about government activities and decision-making, solicit and use public input, and encourage public employees to donate and serve. Citizens are much more likely to volunteer if they are asked. Since education is also an important determinant of social capital, local government may support for public education, including civic education and service learning, which is key to improving engagement.
Citizens can be ignited to get involved through activities as simple as doing discussion in an sporting atmosphere, donating to a community-based Organization, or attending a public meeting. Other possibilities involve a range of greater time commitments, such as volunteering with a neighborhood Organization or club, or joining a local volunteer fire department, or serving on a local government networks, committee, or task force. As these days local government provides information on volunteer opportunities and volunteer training programs through several location, including neighbourhoods, schools, university etc.
Although lessons can come in many forms and these don't necessarily represent the “best” such as Cities making their public engagement events less stuffy and more fun to encourage attendance, especially by families. These events often gather knowledge and perspectives while also presenting enjoyable activities such as entertainment (music, movies, etc.), food, and public speakers. or example, in undertaking a consultation process while developing a sustainability strategy, the city of XXXXX organised an “Environment Festival.” The festival included a Street festival, live music, painting, a bicycle tour, Kids Zone activities etc.
Another lesson is Citizen engagement is a broad field which includes a range of activities including public consultation. Citizen or community engagement is about involving the community in the decision making process and is critical in the successful development of acceptable policies and decisions in government, the private sector and the community. As in democratic societies, people participate in decision making and local government processes are transparent and accountable. People then have confidence that government will make good decisions and run for elected positions. Because they are engaged, they feel empowered, that they have personal political efficacy and are in control of their destinies.
These lessons are just the tip of the iceberg in our understanding to citizens engagement in city planing and evolving engagement practices in XXXXXXX city. Not every experiment in better engagement is going to be successful, but it’s important to have an open mind for new tools and more fun while being creative, interesting and credible, while also being good at listening, are the keys to getting everyone more excited about and involved in, their city’s future through citizens engagement.
