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Receive Report and Recommendations from the Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Sarah Vinas, Director |
Affordable Housing and Community Connections |
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Rebecca Buzzard, Community Connections Manager |
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Overview: This item provides an overview of the results of a Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study, a multi-phased process that engaged residents, community partners, and Town departments. The Study explores who is missing from Town engagement and identifies barriers to engagement. The Study also includes recommendation for how the Town can strengthen engagement efforts to align with the Town’s equity goals and long-standing Council commitment to creating a vibrant and inclusive community. Following this information item, staff plan to return to Council in May for a work session discussion.
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Recommendation(s): |
That the Council receive this report in advance of a work session scheduled for May.
Overview of the Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study
Making meaningful progress towards the Town’s goal of creating a vibrant and inclusive community requires that the Town center the voices of residents most impacted by Town decisions and engage historically marginalized populations in decision-making processes. Conducting a Gaps Analysis to identify populations that are under-engaged with the Town and completing an Engagement Study to deepen the Town’s understanding of the reasons for under-engagement aligns with Town Council Goals, as well as our Community Connections Strategy <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/housing-and-community/community-connections/immigrants-and-refugees/language-access>, the Town’s framework for equitable community engagement.
The Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study aims to identify populations in Chapel Hill that the Town is not reaching, deepen our understanding behind this historical lack of engagement, and identify recommendations for community engagement for the future, consistent with our equity and inclusion goals.
What We Learned
Through this Study, the project team identified populations that have been under-engaged by the Town. This Study also revealed three major themes related to barriers to engagement in Town decision-making, programs, and services: trust and accountability, communication, and inclusivity. Finally, through the Study the project team identified recommendations and immediate next steps to further center equity in our community engagement.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: The total cost of this project is: $19,419, including $9,000 in contracted services with McClaurin Solutions to assist with design and implementation, $2,177 in compensation to community facilitators, and $8,242 in compensation to community members who participated in community conversations. Many of the immediate next steps can be accomplished with no additional financial resources, beyond staff time. Items such as a mobile engagement unit, employee language pay incentive, etc. will be included in the Affordable Housing and Community Connections Department Fiscal Year 24 budget request and/or have been requested through ARPA funding.
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Attachments: |
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• Engagement Study Summary Report |
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
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By accepting the report, the Council acknowledges receipt of this report in advance of a work session scheduled for May.