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Tag Archive for community participation and public outreach

Oct. 18: Register Now for Changing Lanes Conference

You’re invited to Changing Lanes: A Transportation Conference on Technology, Trends, and Change on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at the Union League of Philadelphia! Join leaders from around the tri-state region to learn how technology, funding, and the changing workforce are affecting the transportation field, today and well into the future.

Session topics include: diversifying our transportation workforce, funding the region’s visionary transportation projects, using technology for civic engagement, and more.

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Dedicated to Health Care for Philadelphia’s LBGT Community: The Mazzoni Center

The Mazzoni Center, in the heart of Philadelphia, is the only single health care provider in the region that specifically targets the unique health care needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. With only minor service interruptions to its patients and clients, and in spite of going through significant organizational turmoil, Mazzoni moved to occupy a brand new facility on May 30, 2017 on Bainbridge Street, just east of Broad Street.

On June 20th, APA’s LGBTQ and Planning Division’s Co Vice-Chair, Communications, Justin Dula, AICP, organized a group of approximately 25 attendees for a 2-hour evening tour of the new facility with Philadelphia’s Queer Urbanist Exchange. The tour was conducted by Mazzoni’s Director of Development, Mytili Jagannathan, to showcase the four floors of new space that will be used for one of the newest and most comprehensive LGBT service facilities in the nation.

Founded in 1979 as an all-volunteer clinic to serve the needs of sexual minorities in Philadelphia around the time when the first cases of HIV/AIDS began to appear in the early 1980s, the organization quickly responded, becoming the oldest AIDS service organization in Pennsylvania, and the fourth-oldest in the nation. As Mazzoni grew and evolved to meet the needs of the community, it combined HIV/AIDS-related services with a broad array of interconnected health care and supportive services: outreach, prevention, education, direct medical and care services, psychosocial services, legal services, and support groups. Now, over 35,000 individuals benefit annually from the services of the Center and demands have continued to grow.

Mazzoni Center is now going through a time of turmoil that is threatening the continued existence of the organization, has continued to provide services to clients and move to the new location. There were substantial management and board changes after allegations surfaced of illegal and improper conduct among management and doctors after the groundbreaking of the new building. Now, Mazzoni is working to enter into an era of transparency and accountability and regain the trust of the LGBT community, particularly patients and staff of color, transgender and gender non-conforming. The construction of a new facility amidst this organizational crisis may be one of the few bright spots for the Mazzoni Center in the past months and can hopefully be a catalyst for reconnection with the community.

Easily accessible to public transit, the existing building that Mazzoni renovated was formerly home to a Department of Public Welfare office that had been unoccupied for several years. The total gut renovation substantially expanded the space available to Mazzoni’s existing spectrum of services, which now includes a primary care medical practice, mental health counseling program, case management, housing-subsidy program, and food bank, in addition to all of the previously-existing services such as legal services, education and prevention programs, bringing all of Mazzoni’s programs and services to a single, central location.

The new Mazzoni Center location nearly doubles the size of the family and community medical practice space and creates more opportunities for hiring additional clinicians; it incorporates additional wellness services and provides care to many more people than the old space allowed. Mazzoni will also greatly expand its Open Door behavioral-health program, add several more counseling rooms and therapists, and open the region’s first Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) dedicated to providing recovery services specifically for LGBTQ individuals struggling with addiction.

The new building also features a ‘town hall’ gathering space, where community events, educational programs, and wellness workshops will take place. As Ms. Jagannathan and Board of Directors members advocate about the new facility: “Providing our staff with a more functional and efficient work environment is another important step in improving overall delivery of care. Our staff is truly the heart and soul of what we do, and the reason that so many people have entrusted us with their care for so many years. Bringing the full staff together under one roof will foster more effective staff collaboration and communication, with common spaces designed and configured to promote meaningful interaction among our many care and service providers.”

The APA’s LGBTQ and Planning Division wishes the Mazzoni Center the very best in its efforts to strengthen it accountability and transparency needed to reconcile relations with our community and continue to fulfil its exceptionally important mission in the Philadelphia region. Congratulations on a successful transition to your new home, where we hope the newly restructured and community based organization will provide improved services for decades to come.

This article was authored by Justin Dula, AICP and Neal Stone, AICP and appeared in the LGBTQ & Planning Quarterly Newsletter, summer 2017 edition. Justin Dula, AICP, is the Chair of the Southeast Section of APA Pennsylvania and Co Vice-Chair for Communications of the LGBTQ and Planning Division. Neal Stone, AICP, is Past Chair of the LGBTQ and Planning Division. Photos courtesy of Justin Dula and Christian Xtn Hansen.

Join the Engagement Committee in June 2 at 2!

Have ideas for how APA Pennsylvania Southeast section can reach its members? Have suggestions for how better to get value from your membership? Share them during the Engagement Committee call. The Engagement committee’s next call is Friday, June 2, 2017 at 2 pm. Any interested section members are welcome to join by calling 1-866-499-7054, conference code 735 289 0020.


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Join the 2/22 Engagement Committee Call at 2pm

Have ideas for how APA Pennsylvania Southeast section can reach its members? Have suggestions for how better to get value from your membership? Share them during the Engagement Committee call. The Engagement committee’s next call is Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at 2pm. Any interested section members are welcome to join by calling 1-866-499-7054, conference code 735 289 0020.

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Engagement Committee Call on 10/26 at 1!

APA Pennsylvania SE Section LogoHave ideas for how APA Pennsylvania Southeast section can reach its members? Have suggestions for how better to get value from your membership? Share them during the Engagement Committee call. The Engagement committee’s next call is Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 1pm. Any interested section members are welcome to join by calling 1-877-292-8255 passcode 1207385. (Note this is a new number updated from previous calls)

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Oct. 26: Inside the Planner’s Studio

Speaker Change!

Due to a schedule conflict, Anne Fadullon is not available to speak at Inside the Planner’s Studio. We are happy to announce that Patty Elkis, Director of Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) will be the featured guest on Inside the Planner’s Studio.

  • 6:30-7:00: The event will begin with networking. Light h’orderves and drinks will be provided. Mentors and students from the mentor program will have the opportunity to meet during this time.
  • 7:00-7:45: The Inside the Planner’s Studio program will take place.
  • 7:45-8:00: Ms. Elkis will take questions from the audience.
  • 8:00-8:30: There will be additional time to network after the event.

Inside the Planner’s Studio with Patty Elkis & Karen Thompson

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM

The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania

Fisher Fine Arts Building, Room 401 (34th Street & Walnut Street)

(Entrance is on the west side of the building, facing College Green.)

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Cost: Free—with Eventbrite registration

Have you ever wondered how someone became such a successful and effective planner? What advice they could provide about civic engagement? What projects are they are most proud of and why? APAPASE’s “Inside the Planner’s Studio” series asks these questions and more. We’re honored to have Patty Elkis, Director of Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, as our 3rd speaker in the annual “Inside the Planners Studio” speaker series. Karen Thompson of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation will be asking Ms. Elkis about her career, civic engagement, and her advice for planners. Karen will skip the small talk and ask Ms. Elkis the big questions: What pivotal moments have shaped her career? If she could go back, would she do anything differently? You’ll have to come to find out! If you have any questions you would like to ask Ms. Elkis, you can enter them when you register here.

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Sept. 22: Bicycle Coalition Community Meeting

The Bicycle Coalition’s strategic planning community meeting is Thursday, September 22, at Circle of Hope. We want you to join us for the discussion to make bicycling a safer and more fun way to get around for anyone in the Greater Philadelphia region. We are currently—and will be—crafting our three-year strategic plan for 2017-2019, and rely on members and partners to help drive our vision for impact. At our community meeting, you will have a direct impact on our work over the next three years, and beyond.

All details of the meeting are here. Please RSVP if you plan on coming.

Inside the Planner’s Studio

Speaker Change!

Due to a schedule conflict, Anne Fadullon is not available to speak at Inside the Planner’s Studio. We are happy to announce that Patty Elkis, Director of Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) will be the featured guest on Inside the Planner’s Studio.

  • 6:30-7:00: The event will begin with networking. Light h’orderves and drinks will be provided. Mentors and students from the mentor program will have the opportunity to meet during this time.
  • 7:00-7:45: The Inside the Planner’s Studio program will take place.
  • 7:45-8:00: Ms. Elkis will take questions from the audience.
  • 8:00-8:30: There will be additional time to network after the event.

Inside the Planner’s Studio with Patty Elkis & Karen Thompson

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM

The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania

Fisher Fine Arts Building, Room 401 (34th Street & Walnut Street)

(Entrance is on the west side of the building, facing College Green.)

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Cost: Free—with Eventbrite registration

Have you ever wondered how someone became such a successful and effective planner? What advice they could provide about civic engagement? What projects are they are most proud of and why? APAPASE’s “Inside the Planner’s Studio” series asks these questions and more. We’re honored to have Patty Elkis, Director of Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, as our 3rd speaker in the annual “Inside the Planners Studio” speaker series. Karen Thompson of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation will be asking Ms. Elkis about her career, civic engagement, and her advice for planners. Karen will skip the small talk and ask Ms. Elkis the big questions: What pivotal moments have shaped her career? If she could go back, would she do anything differently? You’ll have to come to find out! If you have any questions you would like to ask Ms. Elkis, you can enter them when you register here.

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Apply for Philadelphia Citizen Planning Institute!

CPI photoCitizens Planning Institute (CPI) will be accepting applications for the Fall 2016 course from August 22nd – September 19th. This seven-week course empowers citizens to take a more effective and active role in shaping the future of their neighborhoods and of Philadelphia through a greater understanding of city planning and the steps involved in development projects.

Special topics this session include community engagement 101, historic preservation, and urban agriculture and food access.

Classes are held on Wednesday evenings October 5th – November 16th from 6-9pm at 1515 Arch Street in Center City.

See the 2016 fall CPI Flyer or visit CPI’s new website: www.citizensplanninginstitute.org for applications and more information. Contact 215-683-4648 or cpi@phila.gov with any questions or to request a hard copy of the application.

Join DVRPC’s Public Participation Task Force

 

PPTFlogo

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), as part of its ongoing efforts to engage citizens in Greater Philadelphia, has opened a selection round to solicit new members for its Public Participation Task Force (PPTF).

The PPTF is comprised of Board-appointed members and citizens at-large selected through an application process open to all residents of the nine-county DVRPC region. The task force provides ongoing access to the regional planning and decision-making process, reviews timely issues, serves as a conduit for DVRPC information to organizations and communities across the region, and assists the Commission in implementing public outreach strategies. For more details about the PPTF, visit www.dvrpc.org/getinvolved.

DVRPC is seeking applicants with an interest in planning, knowledge of regional issues, a history of civic engagement, and effective communications skills. Task force membership will also strive to reflect the region’s geographic, ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity. Individuals interested in serving as members on the task force must submit an application by December 31, 2015. Applications are available to the public at libraries throughout the region, online at www.dvrpc.org, and by contacting Shoshana Akins, Public Participation Planner, at 215-238-2817 or sakins@dvrpc.org.

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