Community Resident Outreach/Engagement
Who can you reach out to if you are looking for support to better engage diverse residents?
E&I Academy departments!
You are in the office and a family of constituents comes in holding a flyer for a City of Boston resource. The flyer is in English but you notice this family speaking a language other than English. They seem like they are asking you questions, but you’re having a hard time understanding. They seem stressed and confused. What are two steps you take to approach this conversation appropriately?
Ground self, center empathy, and avoid making assumptions about their experience (although you can recognize the possibility that they have been bounced around City Hall to find this information).
Offer On-Demand Interpretation, and if they agree, call the on-demand interpreter
You are hosting an event, and an older adult with low-vision comes by asking for accessible resources on the listening session. What resources do you offer as accessible options?
Large-print handouts
Screenreader-accessible links/docs, with images with alt text
______________in action can look like programming and policy design and implementation that take into account the diverse, overlapping yet nuanced, experiences of particular communities.
Intersectionality
Your team is creating outreach materials and a nomination form for an event honoring influential women in Boston. What are at least three access considerations that should be made when creating these materials, to ensure no one is left out?
Language access (LOTE, LGBTQ+ affirming language)
Disability access (large print, high contrast)
Digital and physical access (multiple types of outreach can better meet older adults, low-income folks, disabled folks, and others where they're at)
A resident comes in to your office. Upon having the conversation with them, you learn they've been bounced around different departments across City Hall (including being sent the Age Strong Commission just because they are an older adult). However, the resources they are looking for are in a different office. What are at least two ways you could support this resident?
Be empathetic and validate their feelings of frustration.
Direct to resources – how can I help you?
During a community meeting, a constituent shares their thoughts, and as you respond to them, you use the wrong pronouns to identify them. Earlier in the day, this constituent expressed their pronouns are “they/he,” however you used “she” to refer to them. What are the four steps you can take to respond appropriately to rectify this mistake?
1) Say sorry, 2) thank them for correcting you, 3) use the correct pronouns, and 4) move forward with the conversation respectfully
You are performing your day-to-day municipal operations, and a resident is asking you a question. They are stuttering, and you notice them flapping their hands. You’re not sure yet what they are asking about. How do you approach this conversation?
Take a pause, ground yourself, and be patient! Wait for them to share, and respond to them in a regular tone.
You are an employee in the Mayor’s Office of Housing, and you are trying to get the word out about the different opportunities and resources available for affordable housing and pathways to homeownership. How do you go about getting the word out, ensuring no one is left out? (Name at least three different outreach methods.)
Sharing word-of-mouth in person with diverse residents across all neighborhoods, especially with historically excluded communities
Connect and share materials with all E&I Academy departments to share on their newsletters / social media
Putting up flyers at bulletin boards at BHA buildings, BPL branches, BCYFs, City Hall, other City buildings
Working with CBOs / CBO leaders to get the word out, particularly with communities you aren't reaching
A constituent with long hair, wearing a pink dress and using a mobility aid comes to the front desk of your neighborhood BCYF center asking where the closest bathroom is and if any menstrual products are available. How do you direct them?
Be relational – say hello, share your name and pronouns, and then answer their questions
Maintain trauma-informed / gender-based violence awareness
Avoid making assumptions - Don’t assume they mean the women’s bathroom – share with them all the possible bathrooms available.
Make sure you highlight an accessible route to a bathroom with accessible stalls.
Your team is planning a listening session to hear from Boston constituents on how to design a new public meeting space at City Hall. What are at least five considerations that should be made when planning this listening session?
Consider the universal goal and the 5 P’s
Be aware of the loaded historical experiences of trust and distrust of Boston’s communities with the City of Boston
Location (is it accessible, are there multiple accessible transportation methods to get to location, are there gender-neutral bathrooms, is it responsive to community needs and concerns about safety for immigrant communities, are there navigation signs)
Be in active communication with LCA & Disabilities Commission to ensure that you are effectively incorporating accessibility – and use checklists!
Ensure all vital documents for residents are translated and provide translated materials when requested
Accommodations notice in materials
Interpretation, ASL, CART at the event
Outreach to diverse communities (see community outreach)
Gender affirming/neutral language in all emails / materials
Option for people to opt out of photos
Sensory-friendly / accessibility
Share the agenda in advance of the listening session
Provide name tags and pronoun pins
Share your pronouns in your intro
Provide sensory supports such as stim tools (and ear plugs if available)
Provide menstrual products in all restrooms regardless of gender
Consider the care needs of participants (childcare, eldercare, etc.)
Utilize COB Supplier Diversity for vendors
What are the 5 P's that can help you take a targeted universal approach to program and policy design?
Purpose: Which social determinant(s) of health does this universal goal support? What COB values are at play?
People: Who in Boston is most impacted by issues relating to the universal goal? In what ways?
Place: Which Boston neighborhoods / locations will be most impacted by decisions related to the universal goal?
Power: Where is decision-making power held to advance this universal goal, and how will it be shared equitably?
Process: How can we target different populations in Boston to achieve the goal & measure / evaluate impact?