What is a citizens’ academy?

A citizens academy (also known as a neighborhood college, city or county university, city or county 101) is an in-depth look at the many functions of local government from the citizen’s viewpoint.

Most communities organize the program as a 10-12 week course that focuses on direct services, such as planning, police, fire, streets, solid waste management, water and sewer. The course is often coordinated by a single staff member, but each session is led by department and division heads sharing their knowledge. Graduates of the course gain an appreciation for the organization’s resources and capacity to meet the needs of the community.

Benefits for the participants

In exchange for this substantial commitment of time and energy, the participants acquire:

• A “behind-the-scenes” familiarity with community services.
  
• The chance to meet and make connections with other civic-minded residents.
  
• The knowledge and personal contacts to become effective leaders in their neighborhoods, by knowing how to report an abandoned vehicle, how to request “traffic calming” measures on a street, how to arrange for a bulky waste pickup for a community clean-up effort, etc.
  
• A clearer understanding of the big picture that’s needed to run for elected office in the community.

Benefits for your organization and the community

The organization and the community as a whole benefit from citizens’ academies, often in ways the board and staff did not anticipate. Some benefits that were mentioned include:

• Insight into the public’s perception of the organization and its services.
  Staff members learn first hand the public’s expectations about the level of services provided and hear common misconceptions about organization policies and procedures.
  
  
• The opportunity for staff members to develop or polish their presentation skills.
  Each session gives less visible division heads the chance to shine and prepare key staff for more demanding presentations, such as site visits by bond rating agencies.
  
  
• The chance to win over critics of particular programs or services.
  One North Carolina community even solicits a few avowed critics to participate in each class, making sure to moderate discussions to keep them from dominating group discussions.
  
  
• A ready source of qualified and motivated applicants for appointed board and commissions.
  Nearly all organizations encourage graduates to apply for openings on boards and commissions, and some elected boards give preference to academy graduates in filling slots on appointed boards and commissions.
  
  
• A cadre of ambassadors for the organization.
  Some graduates become regular attendees at board meetings, informed citizens who write supportive letters to the editor of the local newspaper, and even grass roots organizers for needed community programs.

Costs

The cost to sponsor a citizens academy varies with the amenities you provide. The table below shows sample costs for a group of 20 participants over ten classes, plus a separate graduation event, beginning with basic expenses and ending with optional items you may or may not want to include.

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