Candid discussions yield long-term results
Making citizens advisory committees effective
A theme that sometimes comes up in Patron Insight's research is the concern that district leadership and typical residents aren't on the same page – and those residents don't feel the district understands what is most important to them.
The solution: A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), which is a cross-section of residents who serve as a test audience for trial balloons and take information out to the community to educate residents – and share their experiences with others.
When identifying members for a CAC, ensure the group is a true cross-section of the patron population in your district. This means you need “cheerleaders” and critics, those who are very involved and those who stay pretty much on the edges, business leaders, and members of the faith community. Think about the “melting pot” that is your community, and you’ll identify the right individuals.
Once the CAC members have been selected, start your first meeting with a general “what’s working/what isn’t” agenda. Pinpoint the areas that need to improve and those become the topics for future meetings – figuring out how to improve in these areas.
Depending on the “temperature” in your district, it might be wise to consider using an outside facilitator – at least for the first meeting, when passions are likely to be at the highest. Patron Insight can help you determine what would be best for your situation.
Since this is a volunteer committee, make certain you are presenting topics that will glean fruitful information for the district, while showing the committee members their presence in this group is needed and valued. Remember, these folks will leave the meeting talking about what took place. It’s important to make certain they have plenty to say!
To further demonstrate your appreciation for member’s input, allow absent CAC members the opportunity to provide their input to the district on what was discussed via a simple online survey and e-mail.
To truly help the CAC have a positive impact, the district should promote the activities and outcomes of the group to the broader patron population as well as smoothly transition new members in over time – to keep the group and its ideas new and fresh.
The result: An engaged group of citizens who will ensure your district is innovative and successful to provide the highest-quality education.
Patron Insight can offer the structure and guidance to help you create an effective citizen advisory committee. Contact Rick Nobles today at rick@patroninsight.com or 913-484-0920.
