Highland Planning’s Ambassador Program: Building Bridges in Community Engagement

At Highland Planning, we believe that successful community development starts with meaningful engagement. That’s why we’ve developed our innovative Ambassador Program, a unique approach that has revolutionized how we connect with diverse communities across our projects. From Reimagine RTS to Rochester’s Urban Forest Master Plan and Capital Region Vision Zero, our Ambassador Program has been at the forefront of our most impactful initiatives.

Honoring People Through Local Representation

Our Ambassador Program is built on the foundation of our core value: Honor People. We understand that every community has its voice, and it’s our job to listen. By recruiting and training residents as ambassadors, we ensure that traditionally underrepresented voices are not just heard but amplified.

Our ambassadors are more than just project representatives: neighbors, friends, and trusted community members. They bring unparalleled empathy and understanding to their roles, treating every interaction with respect, kindness, and cultural sensitivity. This approach allows us to create a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

Making It Sparkle: Going Above and Beyond in Community Engagement

When we say “Make it Sparkle,” we mean infusing passion and care into every aspect of our work. Our Ambassador Program exemplifies this value through its comprehensive training process and creative engagement strategies.

Comprehensive Ambassador Training: The Foundation of Excellence

Our rigorous and thorough training process is at the heart of our Ambassador Program’s success. We believe that well-prepared ambassadors are key to meaningful community engagement, and we spare no effort to ensure our ambassadors are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to excel. Our training program covers several crucial areas:

  1. Project Knowledge: Ambassadors receive in-depth education on the project’s goals, timeline, and potential impacts. This ensures they can accurately convey information and answer questions from the public, making them true project experts in their communities.
  2. Engagement Techniques: We train ambassadors in various outreach methods, including conducting surveys, facilitating interactive exercises, and organizing pop-up events. They learn how to engage diverse groups effectively and make complex information accessible to all community members.
  3. Cultural Competency: Given our diverse communities, ambassadors are trained in cultural sensitivity and how to respectfully engage with people from various backgrounds. This training helps create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued.
  4. Active Listening: We emphasize the importance of genuinely hearing community concerns and feedback. Ambassadors learn techniques for effective listening and note-taking, ensuring that every community member feels truly heard and understood.
  5. Conflict Resolution: Ambassadors are prepared to handle challenging situations with grace and professionalism. They learn strategies for de-escalating tense situations and dealing with combative or angry members of the public. This includes:
  6. Remaining calm and professional at all times
    1. Acknowledging and validating concerns without agreeing or disagreeing
    2. Redirecting conversations to productive topics
    3. Knowing when and how to involve project leadership if needed
  7. Data Collection and Reporting: Proper documentation is crucial for informing project decisions. Ambassadors are trained in methods for collecting and documenting community feedback, ensuring that all input is accurately captured and can inform the project.
  8. Public Speaking: We guide how to effectively present information in various settings, from one-on-one conversations to small group presentations. This helps ambassadors confidently represent the project in any situation.
  9. Safety Protocols: The safety of our ambassadors is paramount. They learn safety procedures for different outreach scenarios, including door-to-door canvassing and attending community events.

Our training process goes beyond lectures and presentations. We incorporate interactive elements like role-playing exercises, where ambassadors practice handling scenarios they might encounter in the field. This hands-on approach helps build confidence and refine skills in a supportive environment.
Ambassadors receive ongoing support and mentorship from Highland Planning staff throughout their tenure. Regular debriefing sessions allow ambassadors to share insights, discuss challenges, and refine outreach strategies. This continuous learning and improvement process ensures that our Ambassador Program remains dynamic and compelling, truly embodying our value of “Embrace Change.”

Investing so thoroughly in our ambassadors’ training and development ensures that every interaction with community members sparkles with professionalism, empathy, and expertise.

Embracing Change: Flexible and Evolving Engagement

In the ever-changing landscape of community development, our value of “Embrace Change” keeps us agile and innovative. Our Ambassador Program is designed to be flexible, adapting to the unique needs of each project and community.

Whether it’s conducting outreach in multiple languages for the Reimagine RTS project or organizing pop-up events for the Urban Forest Master Plan, our ambassadors are always ready to try new approaches. We regularly debrief and refine our strategies, welcoming new ideas and perspectives from both our ambassadors and the communities they serve.

Real Impact, Real Results

The success of our Ambassador Program speaks for itself:

  • For Reimagine RTS, ambassadors conducted over 150 outreach sessions and collected nearly 14,000 surveys.
  • In Rochester’s Urban Forest Master Plan, eight Tree Ambassadors engaged over 1,200 residents and collected 1,425 surveys.
  • The Captial Region Vision Zero initiative saw increased awareness about traffic safety and valuable input on dangerous intersections and roadways

Looking Forward: NFTA Bailey Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Launch

As we prepare for the NFTA Bailey Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Launch in Buffalo, we’re excited to bring our Ambassador Program to new communities. Our ambassadors will play a crucial role in educating residents about Bus Rapid Transit, gathering input on station design and pedestrian amenities, and ensuring that the final design truly reflects the needs and aspirations of the diverse communities along the Bailey Avenue corridor.

At Highland Planning, we believe that great communities are built on solid relationships and meaningful engagement. Our Ambassador Program is more than just an outreach strategy; it’s a testament to our commitment to honoring people, making our work sparkle, and embracing change. With our ambassadors and the communities we serve, we’re not just planning for the future – we’re building it, one meaningful interaction at a time.

Author: Megan Morsch, Public Engagement Lead / Director of Marketing & Business Development

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