Hang Tran is the Program Coordinator for Local Government Basics
and Collaboration and Partnerships for the Institute for Local
Government. (CSAC is one of the ILG’s parent organizations.)
There are many ways to measure “diversity” but California
consistently ranks as one of, if not the most diverse state in
the nation—with literally dozens of ethnicities represented in
the population. While this is more apparent in some parts of the
state than others, local governments should consider the ethnic
and cultural diversity of their communities when they are
planning and implementing public outreach and engagement efforts.
The Institute for Local Government (ILG), A CSAC sponsored
organization, recently released a new online toolkit to support
and enhance youth-civic engagement and work-based learning
efforts. The toolkit provides resources and materials for
counties and schools to collaborate to implement dynamic
programming that offers youth opportunities to become civically
engaged and interested in public sector careers through job
shadows or internships.
Local officials and staff play a vital role in the wellness,
health and safety of California’s children and families. To
address health and social disparities, counties are looking to
build upon innovative methods to maximize finite economic and
human resources. Specifically, agencies and staff are using
collective impact approaches to create healthier and more vibrant
communities. By leveraging collaborations and partnerships for
shared services, joint use or proactive program planning,
counties may achieve results greater than any one agency could
achieve on its own.
