The Northeast Ohio Citizens League Process

A New Civic Space – The NEOCL Process

The Northeast Ohio Citizens League will engage active citizens in an intensive process of education, engagement, and exploration of the critical public policy issues facing Northeast Ohio. Through a sophisticated and integrated combination of Civic Education & Engagement, Civic Asset Mapping, Online News & Civic Dialogue, and Study Committee work, Citizens League members will develop well-reasoned, well-informed, and above all innovative, policy recommendations. This new and unique civic space will serve to engage all of our region’s diverse stakeholders in a meaningful and effective conversation around the enhancement of our region’s common good.

Citizen Education & Engagement

In order to engage citizens in the creation of meaningful, innovative public policy solutions, it is critical to first create a corps of informed and engaged citizens. Cultivating a shared, regional culture of progressive civic dialogue will go a long way towards creating an environment from which citizen-created public policy can be used to enhance the regional common good. Through such activities, NEOCL will break through emotionally charged partisan barriers by creating a new-shared civic space for meaningful, progressive, outcome-oriented civic dialogue.

Civic Asset Mapping

Civic Asset Mapping is the process of mapping and understanding the diverse, cross-sector network of stakeholders (individuals, organizations and resources) that interact to impact our community around particular issue areas. This process reinforces the work of civic education and engagement by aggregating and integrating more, and more varied, sources of information, data and expertise into this new civic space. This process will also serve to increase opportunities for dialogue and collaboration among community assets.

Online News & Civic Dialogue

The Online News & Civic Dialogue component will allow Citizens League members across Northeast Ohio to participate in the NEOCL process, regardless of geographic or time constraints. This new virtual civic space will keep members informed through relevant, up to date news and information, and connected through opportunities for online civic dialogue. This constantly evolving virtual space will enrich the NEOCL process by creating new communities, conversations, connections, and information not possible in the existing civic infrastructure.

Study Committee

The ultimate outcome of the NEOCL process is a set of public policy recommendations in an issue area designed by a diverse, non-partisan, citizen-led study committee. Empowered with the knowledge, community asset map, and civic tools built through the Civic Education & Engagement, Civic Asset Mapping, and Online News & Civic Dialogue work described above, Citizens League members will have a unique opportunity to develop well-informed, innovative policy solutions to the critical issues facing Northeast Ohio.

Northeast Ohio Citizens League Staff

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