ROANOKE, Va. – The City of Roanoke is partnering with the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance to strengthen community engagement efforts.
Engagement Ready Roanoke is a City of Roanoke will include listening sessions to gather input from stakeholders, community members and city staff. Virginia Tech and the city will use feedback from the listening sessions to develop a foundational nonprofit skills course and community engagement training for community leaders and City staff members.
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The City and Virginia Tech are developing a foundational nonprofit skills course based on input received from City staff, funders, nonprofits, and community-based organizations at listening sessions in the late winter and early spring of 2025.
The course will begin in mid- to late-spring and will take place over six months in 2025, with capacity for 10 to 15 nonprofits to participate. Two representatives from each participating nonprofit or community-based organization are expected to complete the course.
City Staff Engagement Training
In mid- to late-2025, through a mixture of collective workshops and individualized trainings, City Departments will evaluate their community engagement practices and look for areas to improve trusting communications and collaborative capacity.
Community Listening Sessions
The community is invited to attend listening sessions in November and share their experiences working with the City.The four sessions are scheduled in different areas across the City:
- Wednesday, November 12 in the Patrick Henry High School Cafeteria from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
- Thursday, November 13 at the Western Virginia Water Authority on Hollins Road from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
- Saturday, November 15 at the Fire-EMS Training Center from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Monday, November 17 at the Community Empowerment Center from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
An onling survey is available for those unable to attend in person: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/roanokeengagement