The city of Aurora will be joining the Community Engagement Academy, a new program by the National League of Cities, officials announced Wednesday.
The 12-month technical assistance program focuses on helping cities develop core infrastructure and internal systems to promote clear, authentic communication between city governments and the residents they serve, according to a city news release.
“We are honored to be selected for this cohort with the NLC,” Aurora Mayor John Laesch said in the city news release. “The Community Engagement Academy will help staff amplify our continued commitment to clear, transparent modes of communication to our residents.”
Aurora will receive technical assistance from the National League of Cities on how to better involve resident voices into government processes and strengthen its relationships with community groups, the city news release said. This support includes coaching, process-change tools and a curated peer learning environment, officials said in the release.
“We’re working with cities to put the voice of their residents at the center of decision-making,” Jeanne Milliken Bonds, senior executive director of the National League of Cities’ Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development, said in the news release. “When a community steps up and joins programs like this Community Engagement Academy, they’re homing in on the mission that’s at the heart of local government.
“It’s thrilling to see the city of Aurora seize this opportunity to make an impact on an issue that will touch the lives of every resident,” Bonds said in the release.
Aurora will be joined in the Community Engagement Academy by the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, the city of New Haven, Indiana, the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, the city of Richmond, Virginia, and the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, according to the city news release.