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PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT PUBLIC AGENDA


While always adapted to the task at hand, our work in public engagement revolves around three fundamental and interrelated practices:

First, we frame issues for public deliberation so everyone can enter the public dialogue and participate effectively.
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Choicework Discussion Starters
Learn more about Public Agenda's core approach to engaging the public.
Then, we work with communities to engage citizens and leaders for democratic problem-solving and change.
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Resources and Assistance
Explore our other tools for public engagement.
Finally, we build local, civic capacity for the long-term, beyond the lifespan of any project.
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Case Studies
Read brief descriptions of selected recent initiatives and what they accomplished.

CENTER FOR ADVANCES IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The Center for Advances in Public Engagement was launched in an effort to engage citizens more fully in public life. CAPE takes a leading role in a field dedicated to promoting new and better ways for citizens to confront pressing public problems, and to close the gap between leaders, experts and the public in the search for solutions. It is dedicated to re-engaging the larger public on important public matters, to create the possibility for dialogue that gets beneath the "snapshot" or "knee-jerk" views of public sentiment.


THE LATEST FROM CAPE:

Democracy, Growing UpBeginning with the End in Mind
Beyond Debate Promising Practices in Online Engagement
Public Engagement: A PrimerCAPE Working Papers
Transforming Public LifeReframing Framing
Public Engagement and
Americas Latino Population		Planet Forward: Citizen Journalism
Engaging Experts and the Public


PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT NEWS

Articles & Speeches

Mind the Gap: Science Museums as Sources of Civic Innovation, by Alison Kadlec, July 2009

Authentic Dialogues Yield Rich Results (AchievingTheDream.org report on 2009 Strategy Institute)

South Texas College Creates College-Going Culture (AchievingTheDream.org report on 2009 Strategy Institute)

City schools tested by the issue of safety (Animoto.com, June 10, 2009)

Framing For Deliberation (video op-ed by Will Friedman of Public Agenda for SongOfACitizen.com, Spring 2009)

2009 Strategy Institute, San Francisco (profile of Public Agenda's work on the Achieving The Dream initiative to improve success rates for students at community colleges)

"Governing As If Citizens Matter," by Will Friedman and Alison Kadlec, Feb. 19, 2009

"Connecting The Dots From The Highest Office To The Grassroots," by Will Friedman, Jan. 26, 2009

CityWide on CUNY TV, Will Friedman interview on the advantages of public engagement, May 21, 2008.

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THE ENGAGERS: FAVORITE LINKS

Our public engagement team, which works to help citizens, lawmakers and public officials get into real dialogue to achieve real solutions to public policy problems, is smart - very smart. But they're also very well-informed.

Here are a few of their favorite sources for finding out the latest on the art, science and achievements in the field of public engagement:


Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement
Deliberative Democracy Consortium
DemocracySpace.org
International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)
Journal of Public Deliberation
Journal of Public Deliberation Practitioners Site
Kettering Foundation
National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation