2011 UBCM Community Excellence Awards

/ 2011 COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Category Worksheet
BEST PRACTICES, Civic Engagement

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Name of Local Government: Township of Langley

Project/Program Title: Municipal Awareness Day

Project Summary Paragraph

Please provide a summary of your project/program in 150 words or less.

The Township of Langley’s Municipal Awareness Day launched in 2003 when 400 students, their teachers, and parents were invited to see the Township’s working departments.

Now an annual event that has quadrupled in size, Municipal Awareness Day showcases Township programs and services and demonstrates how local government operates. Township staff from more than 22 departments host 26 stations set up in and around the Civic Facility to explain the inner workings of the municipality such as the Fire Department, Engineering, Recreation, Culture, and Parks, Legislative Services, Geomatics, and Urban Forestry.

Township staff, acting as tour guides, lead visitors to each station following a predetermined itinerary and map. In 2011, more than 1,800 students in Grades 1 to 3 participated by exploring heavy duty machinery, learning about their local environment, and engaging in a unique mock Council meeting. Each station features interactive displays that engage participants and educate about municipal government.

Project Analysis

Please answer the question in 300 words or less in 11 pt Arial font (our judges value directness and brevity). If you experience difficulty answering a particular question, consider the aspects of your program that may relate to the question and show us how they are linked.

1.  INSPIRATION

What was the inspiration behind the program/project?

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities first introduced the idea of a Municipal Awareness Day as a way to spotlight the accomplishments and importance of local government. Township of Langley Mayor and Council have been fully supportive of hosting Municipal Awareness Day for the past nine years and often participate in and attend.

Mayor and Council were inspired by the idea of an event that educates young local residents – perhaps future municipal employees or elected officials – about the functions of municipal government and the services and programs it offers. Celebrating Municipal Awareness Day increases community pride, offers a clear understanding of how and what municipal government provides to residents, and allows the Township to educate the public about the totality of local government, all in one comprehensive event.

Municipal Awareness Day also ties in to a historically important event, as it takes place during the same month as the Township of Langley’s birthday. The Township is known as the Birthplace of BC, as the proclamation that brought British Columbia into being was made here in 1858. Each year, our municipality takes great pride in hosting Municipal Awareness Day while celebrating its birthday during this popular community event.

2.  GOALS

What did you set out to accomplish with the program/project? How effectively did you meet your goals?

Municipal Awareness Day was designed to give Township staff an opportunity to educate the public about the day-to-day services offered by their local government and to facilitate the following:

·  educate the public on the role and importance of municipal government

·  increase community pride and cohesiveness

·  encourage the public to become active in their municipality

·  strengthen collaboration between the Township of Langley, community organizations, volunteer services, and businesses

·  offer a free event that displays all aspects of municipal government

·  introduce the public to the people behind the job titles

·  allow Township employees to work together as a team

·  introduce new services to the public

·  demonstrate and explain jobs not in the public view

·  provide an educational field trip for Langley students

With more than 2,200 students, teachers, and parents participating in the 2011 event, the Township can reach a large audience on a personal, face-to-face level and get direct feedback from the public.

How effectively did you meet your goals?

Attendance at Municipal Awareness Day has grown from 400 students in 2003 to 1,800 students – plus hundreds of accompanying teachers and parents – in 2011. The steady growth in participation coincided with the expansion of the event and with Township staff involvement.

Thanks to the eco-friendly nature of this event, the Township has greatly reduced the number of printed handouts it supplies to local students. Staff at Municipal Awareness Day verbally encourages parents, teachers, and students to refer to the Township’s website at tol.ca for updates and information and this, combined with other measures, has seen the number of Township Leisure Guides printed on paper reduced by 50%.

As well, the event is free. No costs are incurred by students, teachers, or parents and all activities are free, including a hot dog lunch provided through donations from local businesses.

3.  PARTICIPATION

a. How was the community involved in your program/project? Please provide measurable results.

Community involvement is the key to this event’s success, which is eagerly anticipated by schools throughout the Township of Langley and incurs a huge wait list each year.

Early in the year, an invitation is faxed to Langley schools explaining the event and inviting them to register. Having an audience eager and prepared to learn about municipal government is motivating for Township staff. Over the years, anticipation for the event has grown for both the schools and for the municipal employees involved.

Measurable results include:

·  an increase in attendance from 400 to 1,800 students over a period of nine years

·  verbal and written participant feedback indicating satisfaction with the event

·  inquiries for additional events

·  increased participation in Township classes and new customers

·  teachers use Municipal Awareness Day materials for classroom learning

·  requests are received for Township staff to run programs and services within schools

·  collaboration between the Township of Langley and community organizations/businesses is continued

·  participant attendance is consistent with a less than 1% cancellation rate

·  staff participation is consistent

·  increased experience in the number of community volunteers who lend a hand

·  increase in staff morale

b. Tell us about all levels of teamwork involved in making this program/project possible. Include a description of any barriers or challenges it was necessary to overcome.

Teamwork is an essential part of the event which includes elected officials, senior management, behind-the-scenes staff, and front-line service providers. Employees run stations and tour classes throughout the building while others stay on the front line helping the public. The Civic Facility building remains open and fully operational. Building maintenance workers ensure a clean facility, and first aid is ready for any situation.

Staff are always up for the challenge of creating new stations and presenting their material in an exciting way. Budget restraints are always a barrier to overcome. However, recruiting volunteers and local businesses help keep costs down and promote community cohesion. It’s a challenge accommodating all wanting to participate. Running the event on a scheduled time line helps accommodate the large number of participants and ensures they visit many of the educational stations.

4.  ECONOMIC IMPACT

How has the program/project saved the community money and/or resources or encouraged economic development?

By working with community groups, local businesses, and volunteers, and by staging Municipal Awareness Day within its own facility, the event is conducted by the Township of Langley with minimal cost to the community and little impact on resources:

·  use of community volunteers cuts down on staff costs

·  use of the Township facility saves on venue rental

·  pre-registration allows event coordinator to determine the exact number of people attending, helping with ordering supplies, staff allocation, and scheduling event stations

·  lunch and refreshments donations are contributed by local businesses

·  individual schools no longer ask to book tours of the Township’s Civic Facility during the school year, cutting back on staff time spent on individual tours

·  participants’ carbon footprint has been reduced as schools share buses to bring students to and from the event, rather than parents driving their children individually

·  event is free for all participants, alleviating school concerns dealing with budget cuts or having to discontinue activities

·  amount of printed materials has decreased

·  local businesses surrounding the Township facility have reaped benefits from the event with increased sales and awareness of their businesses

·  parents attending Municipal Awareness Day pick up items such as recycling blue and yellow bags and compost bins during their tour, eliminating a separate trip to the Civic Facility

·  Township policies and procedures are reviewed based on feedback from participants, creating changes that help the Township run more efficiently

5.  ACCOUNTABILITY

How has this program/project improved upon accountability to the community's citizens?

This event has been successful in engaging the public by helping to shape the community’s future and ensuring the Township’s accountability on various levels.

Due to the hands-on nature of Municipal Awareness Day, event participants are encouraged to ask questions and become an extension of the event. It opens up the Township’s Civic Facility to the public and showcases many departments not necessarily on the front line. This allows the public to access a unique glimpse into the inner workings of their local government, which is otherwise not generally available to the public.

As well, participants gain knowledge about the workings of the Township on a personal level. By meeting staff face-to-face, the public is able to give their direct feedback regarding the Township policies, procedures, and programs and to ask questions about what, why, and how the Township does what it does on their behalf.

Accountability demonstrated as a result of the event includes:

·  explanation of where tax dollars are spent and allocated

·  clarification of specific policies and procedures directly affecting residents

·  respond to service questions raised by parents, teachers, and students

·  formal introduction of all participants to the Mayor

·  review of all services offered within the Township

·  assurance that the public is aware of and follow safety standards

While a number of staff members agree to help stage the event by manning stations or acting as tour guides during the event, others ensure the day-to-day functioning of the municipality continues as usual.

6.  AWARENESS

How has this program/project created more awareness in the community about local government actions?

By opening its doors on Municipal Awareness Day, all aspects of the Township’s governance are displayed to the public. Most students are learning about local government for the first time, and the hands-on information they receive develops their understanding of the inner workings of the municipality. This event also encourages teachers and parents to be aware of what is happening within their local government and to get involved within their community.

·  Following the event, teachers use materials gathered from the Township to educate their students on local government

·  A Councillor hosts a mock Council meeting where students learn how the voting process works and realize its importance as they participate as Mayor and Councillors debating a kid-friendly community issue observed by an audience

·  Public is educated on how their tax dollars are allocated

·  Public is assured their feedback and views are encouraged, valued, and incorporated into day-to-day business

Photos and coverage of the event is featured in local newspapers and news blogs, reaching an even greater number of residents than just attendees. This year, a Facebook page was also created to share the event with others. Click here to view:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.170899456301761.45239.123246227733751

7.  INNOVATION

What makes this program/project innovative and creative?

The event varies and adapts from year to year to reflect changes within the community. Each Township department is responsible for creating its own entertaining, interactive, educational station. Some stations work together as large team. By combining resources and equipment, staff create a functional station that demonstrates their goals and also displays staff team work at the event.

Here are a few fun and creative ways staff get the public engaged in our event:

·  Geomatics displays new map technology and asks students to create a map of what they would like to see in their community

·  Corporate Communications & Events creates a mock school pride poster using photos of the students and their school mascot

·  Solid Waste Management creates a memory game for sorting recyclables

·  Urban Forestry has students build bird feeders to help sustain our forests

·  Safety Advisor explains the importance of protective safety gear and encourages children to dress up in firefighting or traffic control gear. Each student is photographed and given a picture to take home.

·  Fire Department uses puzzles and stickers to teach fire prevention and lets students climb on its trucks

·  Langley Animal Protection Society uses dogs to teach safety around animals

·  Langley Centennial Museum uses a 1940’s schoolroom setting to teach students about Township history

·  RCMP provide a police car for the students to explore

·  Engineering Division demonstrates how safe drinking water is delivered to their home

8.  SUSTAINABILITY

What measures have you put in place to ensure the continued operation of this initiative? (e.g. staff time, resources, financial)

The following help keep Municipal Awareness Day sustainable:

·  post-event review of the social, economic, and environmental impacts – including a budget review and cost analysis of staff and supply costs – ensures the day remains free and accessible for Township residents

·  review and follow up with evaluations as well as general feedback from participants ensures continued satisfaction with the event

·  eventawareness is increased within the community through the Township’s website, local newspaper coverage, and posters within the community

·  registration for the event guarantees the correct number of staff and volunteers are recruited to ensure the event operates efficiently

·  reusing equipment and displays decreases costs and provides an environmental benefit

·  being equipped and prepared to host the event annually reduces the costs involved with last-minute registrations