Portland Enagagement Project Public Events Kick Off

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A photo of three people sitting on a concrete bench, talking. The right side of the photo is obscured by magenta gradient color. in the far bottom right corner are two overlapping white speech bubbles.
Your voice matters! Work together with Civic Life and the City to build an engagement model that works for all Portlanders and allows us to solve issues today and in the future.
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Four hands hold cutout speech bubbles. The words inside read "Share your Portland ideas."

PEP Listening Sessions Now Open!
The last time our City created a fresh framework for civic engagement was 1974. In 2023, we’re still using that framework. Sometimes it works. Too often, it doesn’t. Despite our best efforts, many Portlanders face barriers that stop them from engaging with their government.

Our city has changed over the past 50 years and it will keep evolving. The Portland Engagement Project (PEP) is the opportunity for all Portlanders to work with the City to design a more equitable community engagement model to solve issues today and into the future.

Civic Life brought in Pregame, an independent consultant group, to lead the public PEP listening sessions and hear from you!

  1. Join alistening session. Learn more about PEP, the project timeline, and how Pregame created this process to help Portland design an engagement model that works for us. All Portlanders are invited to attend or host a listening session. Pregame has scheduled more than 15 listening sessions from now to the end of April. Many of these sessions are co-hosted by neighborhood district offices and other community groups. 
  2. Take a shortsurvey. Pregame has developed a5-minute survey available in multiple languages. It's a way to share your ideas on how our future engagement structure could work.
  3. Host a Listening Session. Are you part of a religious community, book club, sports team, volunteer group, or other community group interested in this type of engagement? Ask Pregame to host a listening session. 
  4. Facilitate your own discussion! Are you part of a neighborhood association, community group, nonprofit or other civic-minded group that wants to discuss these ideas on your own? Pregame will be hosting a Do-It-Yourself training on Friday, March 3. A recording will be available after so groups can host discussions by themselves at a time that works for them. 

What is the result of my participation?
By building proactive engagement structures, the City, community-based organizations, neighborhood associations, and individual Portlanders can work together to prevent or reduce social vulnerability and livability issues and support our communities to thrive.

For more information on the listening sessions, visit Pregame’s PEP website.

Text in an orange speech bubble reads, "You are invited to our PEP Talk. Save the date! April 27-29, 2023." Below the speech bubble, text reads, "The Office of Community & Civic Life and Oregon's Kitchen Table is hosting PEP Talk, a 3-day event bringing community members, City of Portland staff, and engagement experts together to learn about and discuss different engagement models and concepts that could work for Portland." The Civic Life, City, PSU and Oregon's Kitchen Table logos are at the bottom.

Save the Date!
The PEP Talk is co-hosted by Civic Life, Portland State University’s Center for Public Service, and Oregon’s Kitchen Table. We have scheduled locations in west, north, and east Portland and will be live-streaming the event to enable as many Portlanders as possible to take part in the discussions.

  • Day 1 – Thursday, April 27 – Portland State University Native American Student & Community Center
  • Day 2 – Friday, April 28 – June Key Delta Community Center
  • Day 3 – Saturday, April 29 – David Douglas High School South Campus

Come for the free food and stay for some good government! Civic Life will provide more information about the event and how to sign-up in the coming weeks.

Learn more at portland.gov/civic/portland-engagement-project.

Two people talk at a large reception desk. One of the people points at a computer screen, showing some information to the other person.
 

Have a Question? PDX 311 can Help!

The City of Portland wants to improve our engagement with all Portlanders. The PDX 311 team makes contacting your local government easier by acting as a “front door” for both the City and the County to find information, report issues, and request services.

The dedicated PDX 311 staff is also available to help those needing translation, interpretation, or other accommodations take the Portland Engagement Project survey. The goal of the survey is to hear ideas from all Portlanders about how the City can best communicate with you.

For non-emergency assistance, call 3-1-1, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., or email 311@PortlandOregon.gov.

What is the Portland Engagement Project?
The Portland Engagement Project (PEP) is the opportunity for all Portlanders to work with the City to design a more equitable community engagement model to solve issues today and into the future.

You have already heard about our 95 data-rich neighborhood profiles showcasing livability issues. As of last week, the independent consulting group Pregame is ready to host community listening sessions across Portland for community members to share their ideas for how to improve City services and solve the root of civic issues. Join a session or take the survey! You voice matters.

Listening Sessions: The City will host listening sessions to gather input from Portlanders. Data: Civic Life is using 2020 Census data to understand who we serve and what they need. Mulit-day summit: The City will host a summit for experts to present engagement models and concepts to Portlanders. City Network: City staff will learn from what other cities are doing. Design + Enactment: Civic Life will make a public report, design the new model, get City Council approval, and implement it starting in 2024.

To learn more about the components of PEP, please visit our website.

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