Community Engagement

At the same time, many California voters say that government policies just aren’t working as they are currently designed and implemented. In fact, in the same survey, we find that a majority believe government policies themselves are contributing to, rather than addressing, some of our most fundamental economic challenges. Fully 82% say state policies are driving prices higher and about 81% say the same about federal policies.

To improve government policies and programs, we need to more meaningfully engage communities in the process of helping to solve the problems we face as a state and a nation.

 

Outside of elections, the current approach to community engagement – in both California and across the country – is usually to ask residents to take time out of their busy days to voice their opinions at public meetings and town halls, and then to hope that elected representatives reflect their input when it comes time to make decisions. This system is outdated, dysfunctional, and only incorporates the views of those who have the time and resources to participate in the policymaking process. Moreover, it does little to ensure real accountability to the diverse perspectives, experiences, and beliefs of our state’s population.

 

In the context of increasing political polarization, low levels of trust in government, and increasing income inequality, it is increasingly urgent that everyday residents have better ways to effectively participate in shaping the future for their communities and the future of California.

 

It’s time for community engagement efforts to do more than check a box just to be able to say that it happened. If we want true people-centered policymaking, we need to design processes that let us hear the voices of people who won’t, don’t, or can’t show up at town halls, volunteer time to civic efforts, or contribute money to political campaigns.This is especially true when it comes to reaching low-income residents, communities of color, and young people, who generally show lower levels of political engagement and civic participation.

In new research, we explore innovative examples of how California’s state government is designing civic engagement, participatory policymaking, and community outreach. With a focus on how state departments and agencies are working to connect with and empower communities, we highlight a range of recent state-led civic engagement efforts. Additionally, we identify emerging practices, tools, and strategies – ranging from digital participation platforms to equity-centered outreach models – for how state government entities are trying to create more responsive and collaborative governance.

 

Our “State of Engagement” report features case studies that span youth empowerment, land use, wildfire response, and tribal relations. These examples embody three criteria that are potentially key to successful engagement:

 

Inclusive – Engagement addresses barriers that prevent participation, focus on collaborative governance, and/or works to build long-term trust and relationships with the community.

Intentional – Engagement has a clear purpose, goals, and intended outcomes. It focuses on a community-centered approach. There is follow-through and accountability to the input and perspectives shared by participants.

Innovative – Engagement is designed to surface ideas in new ways: whether through testing new tools and methods, forging unexpected partnerships, or exploring ways to actively include the voices of those who have previously been excluded from the policymaking process.

 

Whether through digital democracy tools, policy cafés, participatory budgeting, pop-up kiosks, or trusted messenger networks, building new methods and platforms for public input can empower communities to share their ideas, collaborate on solutions, and influence public policies – ultimately enhancing responsiveness and deepening connections between people and their government. 

But perhaps most importantly, they can help us make public policies that more effectively address the critical issues shaping people’s lives.

 

Together, the work we highlight in our research aims to show that the voices and experiences of Californians matter. It demonstrates that trust in government is ultimately trust in people, and that systems function more effectively when those directly impacted by public problems are meaningfully involved in shaping the policies that affect their lives, families, and communities.