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16 <br /> Attachment C <br /> the Renaissance team can support the collection of ideas and feedback and their translation into actionable <br /> recommendations. Our expertise will result in context appropriate, community-generated strategies guiding the future <br /> growth and development of the Orange County Transit system. Our knowledge and application of best practices, <br /> innovative tools, and capacity-building strategies will provide residents and community leaders with the strong <br /> foundation needed to make informed decisions about the County's transit future. <br /> We propose two waves of engagement during development of the transit plan and each wave is structured around two <br /> approaches to community outreach and engagement.The first approach (what we have described as a "transit summit") <br /> convenes recognized community stakeholders who have a vested interest in supporting Orange County's transit plan. <br /> Recognizing that it is extremely difficult to attract the interest of a broad range of residents and service-users,the transit <br /> summit is focused on leaders, advocates, organizers, service providers, staff, and more.These key stakeholders will be <br /> invited to the summit as representatives of their respective communities, clients, constituents, etc.The event will be <br /> educational—building capacity in these key community leaders to act as informed liaisons to the planning process. We <br /> will also facilitate a robust exchange of information to learn about the needs and values of various community groups <br /> and to vet preliminary ideas with attendees.The results of this event will be the identification of a nascent set of <br /> community transit goals and the development of a network of embedded project"ambassadors." During the second <br /> wave of engagement the final transit summit provides an additional opportunity for stakeholders to share their <br /> community knowledge and to respond to varying transit scenarios developed for the project. <br /> With the help of the County, we will conduct outreach for the transit summits, invite participants,track RSVPs, prepare <br /> meeting materials, and facilitate the summits. We will rely on the County to provide support by: <br /> — Helping the consultant find contact information for key participants and helping to craft a robust list of invitees <br /> — Advertising the event on social media and other County communications channels <br /> — Emailing invitations (we find that response rates are improved when the invitation comes from the client and not <br /> the consultant) <br /> — Securing an event space <br /> — Providing supplies such as tables and chairs <br /> — Providing refreshments, childcare, and transportation to attract participants (if desired) <br /> — Welcoming participants to events. Examples of potential invitees to this event include: <br /> o Orange County Habitat for Humanity <br /> o UNC Hospitals <br /> o Durham Tech <br /> o Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools <br /> o County/municipal staff(planners, transportation, aging, social services, public health, parks and rec) <br /> o GoTriangle/Chapel Hill Transit/Orange County Public Transportation/Piedmont Area Regional <br /> o Transit/GoDurham <br /> o Uber/Lyft drivers <br /> o Transit operators <br /> o El Centro Hispano <br /> o Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association <br /> The second approach we take to community engagement is what we refer to as "high touch" or tactical engagement. <br /> This type of engagement is less formal but more targeted and typically involves going to the public, rather than <br /> expecting people to come to us.Tactical engagement might include surveying riders at the County's busiest transit hubs, <br /> providing information and getting feedback at community events like Last Fridays, and doing pop-up engagement at <br /> grocery stores or farmers markets. Because Orange County is so large and the population so dispersed,tactical <br /> engagement is a great way to facilitate involvement on a broad geographic scale. For example,we might consider a pop- <br /> up at a house of worship in one of the more rural communities on Sunday when folks are leaving church. Or we might <br /> see if we can facilitate a pop-up during an event at one of the rural fire departments. <br />