For many, the civic space is where we experience community – and the newer tools of connection make it possible for us to do community in ways that frame the ’new local’ for each of us.
The civic space is where a lot of innovation incubates and takes root, closest to the ground. Here you’ll find conversations with local leaders, public sector practitioners, innovators and change-makers about how they’re working to create more connected, liveable, digital cities and communities.
Examples of themes to be explored include:
• Smart connected cities
• Civic 2.0
• e-Democracy
• Public participation
• Civil society
Connecting citizens to civic performance in Edmonton
The City of Edmonton has launched a Citizen Dashboard on top of their open data catalogue. Ashley Casovan, Edmonton’s Strategic Coordinator for ICT, explains how the initiative is creating new insights for citizens as well as city officials about how the city is performing on delivery of a selection of key services.
Creating a Commons for Europe
Inspired by programs such as Code For America, the newly-formed Commons4Europe program is working with seven cities to bring together government administrations, digital innovators, volunteers and local businesses to develop and push a civic transformation program. Esteve Almirall and Carles Ferreiro from the Commons4EU consortium, based in Barcelona, Spain, explain the integrated approach they’re taking to innovation and development across a diverse range of civic cultures.
Game on: 24 hours to imagine the future of government
For 24 hours in January 2013, the Institute For The Future hosted a global game for citizens around the world to imagine the future of government through civic innovation. Jake Dunagan, IFTF’s Research Director talks about why this is an important theme to explore.
Tech for Engagement: Mapping the Field
Two years ago, the Knight Foundation embarked on a program to look at ideas, tools and projects to increase civic engagement and participation. Damian Thorman, National Program Director, shares some insights from the KF Tech for Engagement initiative so far, and highlights some of the key focus areas for collaboration in the future.
Creating the Commons – building civic connections for innovation
Building a culture of collaboration and participation is a key ingredient to making innovative programs work in cities.
Mark Headd talks about his time with Code for America as their Head of Government Relations, and shares some of the emergent learnings from the intersection between the various elements of CfA’s program – the cities, the fellows, the brigade, the commons and now the start-ups.
Open Data Cities of the Future
In advance of the Open-Data Cities Conference in Brighton, UK, convenor Greg Hadfield talks about the ways in which all elements of a city – leaders, government, local institutions and businesses as well…
Participatory budgeting for genuine citizen engagement
In the countdown to the OGP2012 forum in Brasilia, Tiago Peixoto from the World Bank Institute’s ICT4Gov program discusses the value, opportunities and challenges of participatory budgeting.
The Civic Commons
Nick Grossman joins Gov 2.0 Radio for a conversation about civic innovation, including the latest from Civic Commons and how to communicate the benefits of tech-enabled civic transformation to leaders as well as…
Crowdsourcing emergencies with Bushfire Connect
In this episode, we chat with Maurits van der Vlugt, one of the co-founders of Australia’s Bushfire Connect service on the power of the crowd in an emergency. Maurits talks candidly about the…
Julio Gonzalez Altamirano + Matt Esquibel: Opening Austin
We’re joined by Julio Gonzalez Altamirano from Open Austin and Matt Esquibel from the City of Austin to talk about open government, open data, and civic application development in the city. A lot…
