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Discuss the Report and Recommendations from the Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study.
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Staff:
Department:
Sarah Vinas, Director
Affordable Housing and Community Connections
Rebecca Buzzard, Community Connections Manager
Overview: The Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study is a multi-phased process that engaged residents, community partners, and Town departments to explore who is missing from Town engagement and identify barriers to engagement. The Study also recommends how the Town can strengthen engagement efforts to align with the Town's equity goals and long-standing Council commitment to creating an inclusive community. An informational item with this content was provided at the March 22, 2023 Council Meeting.
Recommendation(s):
That the Council receive this report and provide input on prioritization of implementation steps.
Overview of the Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study
Making meaningful progress towards the Town's goal of creating a healthy 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, the Town's framework for equitable community engagement.
The Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study identifies populations that the Town is not reaching, deepens our understanding behind this historical lack of engagement, and provides recommendations for community engagement for the future.
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 accoun...
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