Bellevue, WA is a national leader in civic development training for emerging & high-potential leaders in nonprofit & local government area. With changing demographics all across the US, city halls are becoming innovative nonpartisan talent centers for debate, integration & cooperation.
With city motto like: “Bellevue welcomes the world. Our diversity is our strength. We embrace the future while respecting our past”, newcomers & old-timers feel invited to engage and work together to contribute to the civic life of the city.
Bellevue’s Leadership Program called “Bellevue Essentials” offers plenty of ideas & opportunities where to step up to local challenges. Topics are pragmatic and balanced: parks & community services, economic development, utilities, finance, transportation, safety, neighborhood leadership, public/private partnerships, and more. Participants have a chance to meet & interact with city staff & councilmembers to learn about the public process hands-on.
Councilmember Jennifer Robertson:
“We launched the Bellevue Essentials program when I was the Deputy Mayor back in 2013. Since that time the program has effectively connected residents with the city and created new leaders which strengthen our community. I recommend this program to any resident who wants to engage with our city and to be part of shaping Bellevue into an even more livable and more amazing place than it is today.”
Graduates become members of Bellevue Essentials Extended Alumni Network and serve on city and neighborhood boards & advisory committees. Many say they’ve learned where to plug-in their talents and how to listen to diverse perspectives. More comments below:
Bellevue Essentials on city website: click here
Comments:
I have to say that the Bellevue Essential program blows me away in every aspect of the expectations, including the speakers, content and logistics etc. The speakers/owners from each department are very well prepared and engaged in the process; the varieties of exercises from onsite tour and demo, role play and project discussions are very helpful to understand how the city government works; the overall program team is also very well organized to ensure everyone have a great experience. I feel very lucky to be part of the learning experiences and I encourage everyone who is interested in Bellevue civic matters to take advantage of this great program!
What a fantastic few weeks we’ve had together learning more about what makes Bellevue a leader in the community, civic, and economic spectrum. Being a part of this unique experience has given me the opportunity to get to know and learn from all of you; members of my greater Bellevue community, that I may not have otherwise interacted with.People are our greatest asset and from what I can see, Bellevue is rich with diversity, innovation, and kindness! Imagine the change we could create if more cities offered their citizens an opportunity to learn from each other’s differences and invest in shared goals and interests. We need more of that!
Bellevue Essentials has been an illuminating experience for me both in terms of understanding the intricacies of local governance but also hearing the multitude of voices and opinions within our class. As individuals, we represent not only ourselves but also the Bellevue community through our participation in this program. Thus, our engagement is not merely indicative of our own desires and ambitions but is ultimately serving a greater purpose- that of fostering civic engagement and deepening a community-wide understanding of the public policy process.
I strongly believe that education is the foundation for all successful endeavors we undertake. Our class brings a wealth of knowledge from both the public and private sector.
I thoroughly enjoyed Bellevue Essentials. It provided great insight into how the City of Bellevue is organized and the challenges and tradeoffs that our city leaders face. Most of the classes were hands on and highly interactive. The conversations and networking with other residents was also great (show up early if you can to eat and socialize). The course has inspired me to become more civically involved.
What makes this program amazing is the opportunity to explore diverse perspectives & to learn from expert city planners. By engaging with city staff from key departments; utilities, transportation, finance, parks, police/fire or community services, I’ve developed a new sense of appreciation for the complexities of decision making that the City & Council has to go through to make our city thrive for all: young, aging & all economic levels. With hands-on games like budget allocations or public hearings in city council chambers, we got a real life experience how democracy works at local level. I have better idea now how to partner with city to serve our neighborhood needs such as Crime Prevention, Emergency Preparedness, Neighborhood Enhancement, Tree Canopy Preservation, Parks Development, Traffic Mitigation & Growth Management.
Leave A Comment