Some communities seem unwinnable. People are overcome by distrust of government and any process that purports to improve lives through government action. But across the country, from cities in Alabama to rural counties in Ohio, building trust has proven possible.
Civic institutions have failed many Americans. Large segments of our population are worse off than they were a generation ago, as measured by personal prosperity, public health, quality of life, and more. Unsurprisingly, studies nationwide reveal that distrust of government at all levels is increasing across various geographies and demographic groups, from growing, urban, minority populations to aging, diffusely settled, rural residents.
However, planners can design processes to break through the impasse. Strategies may include special engagements for the most skeptical community members, structured opportunities for airing grievances, and collaborative analyses so community members feel involved in accurately portraying conditions and trends. Empowering a volunteer steering committee with decision-making responsibility and identifying leadership within the community early on also are important ways to engage those who are most opposed to a government-run process. These practices not only affect the planning process but also can fundamentally alter distrust between citizens and civic institutions.
NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.
Learning Objectives:
Identify opportunities for building trust in planning and generating confidence in the process and its leadership.
Determine how to engage community members whose identity politics make them seem fundamentally opposed to participating in planning activities.
Develop strategies through which a planning process can effectively alter civil discourse within communities and have broad, profound, and long-lasting impacts.
