In today’s world, local governments strive to establish effective community engagement projects with their communities. Our platform has emerged as an invaluable resource in facilitating this connection, with governments worldwide exploring creative ways to leverage its potential.
CitizenLab’s versatile and user-friendly platform has supported various initiatives, such as neighborhood plans and disability inclusivity, providing an avenue for residents to connect and provide feedback. Here are just a few examples of six projects that have successfully utilized CitizenLab’s platform to engage with their communities.
Note: the platforms are in a range of languages, but by using a translation extension you can easily read their content and get inspired by engagement practices and messages from around the world!
Wokingham’s efforts to improve disability infrastructure to make a more accessible community (United Kingdom)
Wokingham, a town in England, has launched the “Right Spaces, Right Places” project on their community engagement platform to help inform the development of new spaces and infrastructure for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The council has identified gaps in the current SEND support and over-reliance on independent specialist schools, so they hope to create a range of new special educational settings that provide different levels of support to meet pupils’ needs, with specialist staff, equipment, and teaching.
First, the council developed a number of proposals to address the gaps and provide enough of the right sort of spaces. With this project, they are seeking community feedback on the proposals to make the right decisions about what type of specialist educational places are needed now and in the future, and how many of each sort of place. Residents can take the survey launched on the Engage Wokingham platform to share their opinions on proposed developments and suggest changes or improvements.
Read more about their project here
Creating a more sustainable and livable future for Coburg (Germany)
The city of Coburg is committed to sustainability and has launched the Green Deal Coburg 2030 project to make the city more environmentally friendly and sustainable for the future. The project includes various initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development.
On their community engagement platform, they broke the process down into eight phases, all clearly outlined with our timeline feature, and provided information on the various initiatives every step of the way. Residents can, in turn, submit their ideas, opinions, and suggestions. The engagement team also provides updates and summaries on in-person engagement opportunities, to ensure the information reaches as many people as possible!
Get inspired by their platform here
The City of Troyes is cocreating better mobility infrastructure (France)
The engagement platform launched by the Troyes Champagne Métropole and the City of Troyes, France is a prime example of the importance of community engagement in shaping the future of urban planning. They are seeking community input for the development of their Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, which will focus on improving infrastructure in the area. The plan aims to create a secure, comfortable, and legible cycle and pedestrian network throughout the Troyes conurbation.
To gather input from local residents, the city has launched a questionnaire aimed at identifying current cycling practices and informing the development of the master plan. They are also using our mapping feature they can pinpoint their residents’ suggestions to the exact location and get a sense of what parts of their community in particular need improvement.
With over 125 responses and 300 suggestions gathered, the city gathered valuable feedback and insights, which will be used to shape the final bicycle plan.
Improving the neighborhoods of Utrecht (Netherlands)
Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands, has launched the “Neighborhood Agenda” project to improve the livability of Parkwijk Zuid, a neighborhood in the city. They are currently in their first phase of community engagement, seeking high-level feedback on the state of the neighborhood. The city has invited residents to share their ideas and concerns about the neighborhood through their online CitizenLab platform. By gathering a large pool of ideas, the city hopes to create a comprehensive understanding of the needs and priorities of the residents.
In the next phase of the project, the city will narrow down the ideas to three final topics for the community to vote on. Once the final topics have been decided, the city will begin to put the plans into action. This includes the improvement of public spaces, traffic safety, and the provision of affordable housing, among other initiatives.
By engaging with the community throughout the entire process, the city is fostering a collaborative approach to neighborhood development.
Kortrijk distributes a neighborhood survey to gather feedback on a new traffic plan (Belgium)
Through a collaborative effort with their community, the city of Kortrijk is working to improve traffic circulation in the Doorniksewijk neighborhood. They have launched a survey aimed at collecting opinions from local residents on recent traffic changes that have been implemented on a trial basis. The changes were made to address safety concerns and make the area more environmentally sustainable by increasing the amount of green space and improving cycling infrastructure.
The survey seeks opinions on the current measures as well as targeted adjustments, such as cutting streets, abolishing parking, or introducing one-way traffic. The city is looking to gather as much input as possible to ensure that the final traffic plan reflects the needs and preferences of the community.
The city is continuously updating the website so it provides a wealth of information on upcoming events and initiatives, as well as resources for participating in the feedback process, to keep their residents continuously informed and involved!
Sint Maartenszee is looking for a new artistic gem to liven up the city (Netherlands)
Sint Maartenszee, a picturesque village in the Netherlands, is about to get a vibrant and eye-catching addition to its streets. The village has commissioned a new piece of artwork to help increase its publicity and strengthen its community spirit.
To ensure that the artwork is a true reflection of the village and its residents, the art and advisory committee enlisted the help of three talented artists: Huub and Adelheid Kortekaas, Martha Waijop, and Saske van der Eerden. These artists have put their creative minds together to come up with a selection of designs that capture the essence of Sint Maartenszee.
Now, the village is calling on its residents to get involved and cast their votes for their favorite design. This is a fantastic opportunity for residents to have a say in the design of their community and take an active role in shaping its future. By encouraging community participation, Sint Maartenszee is not only creating a more beautiful and vibrant community, but it is also fostering a sense of pride and ownership among its residents.
