New Orleans Neighborhoods Partnership Network

New Orleans Citizen Participation Project (CPP)

What is the CPP?

A Citizen Participation Program is a vehicle for individuals, communities and neighborhoods to have greater access and impact on the policies and actions of our city government. It is a way for people and city government to work together to establish local priorities, create and implement solutions to our common issues.

Benefits to Neighborhoods?

CPP gives Neighborhoods, an opportunity to have direct input into city government priority setting and decision making. CPP makes it an obligation for Neighborhoods to receive information about projects, developments and other issues that impact them before they happen. CPP will provide formal resources to support the work that thousands of New Orleanians are already doing in their families, their communities, through neighborhood associations and other institutions. The people of New Orleans, from construction workers to neighborhood association presidents; parents engaged with our schools to health workers providing quality care within a strained health system, are rebuilding and remaking our city with a vision toward a brighter future for all of us. A CPP in New Orleans can help us by formalizing our role in city policy-making.

How can Neighborhoods be involved?

During the Citizen Participation Summit, our neighbors created 9 Action Teams that would tackle various components of the process to develop the New Orleans CPP. These components are;

1.) Building on What Exist
2.) Organizational Structure
3.) Scope of CPP Activities
4.) Inclusiveness and Outreach
5.) Race/Class/Gender
6.) Civic Education and Capacity Building
7.) Research and Data Needs for CPP
8.) Funding a Permanent CPP
9.) Vision/Mission Statement

The 8 Action Teams will be meeting within the next three weeks to set their agenda for the coming months. A yahoo group for each team will be created that will be linked through the NOLACPP.org website to be launched the first week of August. The website will contain more information about how you can be involved, schedule meetings and events, get access to more information on Citizen Engagement and other resources.

Created By: CBNO/MAC