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Discuss the 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: 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.
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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 <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 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 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 was $18,519, including compensation of community facilitators and residents who participated in community conversations, as well consultant services. Many of the immediate next steps are being accomplished with no additional financial resources, beyond staff time. The employee language pay incentive is included in the Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY24, which if approved, would strengthen our capacity to carry out the language access recommendations of this Study. Additional funding will be required for implementation next fiscal year and beyond for expansion of paid engagement, communications tools, and other recommendations identified in this Study.
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Attachments: |
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• Draft Staff Presentation |
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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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PRESENTER: Sarah Osmer Vinas, Director of Affordable Housing and Community Connections
Rebecca Buzzard, Community Connections Manager
Zequel Hall, Community Connections Coordinator
Katelyn Robalino, Community Connections Coordinator
The purpose of this item is to share the results of the Gaps Analysis and Engagement Study and receive Council input on prioritization of implementation steps.