Dec 15 Lunchtime Workshop Seeks Feedback on Alexandria's Draft Indicators

Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative 
Lunchtime Workshop Series
Cosponsored by
ACT for Alexandria ■ City of Alexandria ■ Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria
■ Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy

The Alexandria Quality of Life (AQOL) Lunchtime Workshop Series bring people together around the key questions and challenges involved in further enhancing our great community.  How do we measure Alexandria’s Quality of Life?  How can agencies, nonprofits, businesses and community groups use this data to make our community an even better place to live, work and play?

In a conversational setting, we’ll discuss best practices and key insights about using community indicators to make meaningful community change, including ‘lessons learned’ from colleagues and peers.   

Join us for a stimulating discussion!  The workshops are free and open to the public; FREE LUNCH* is provided for the December program courtesy of Virginia Tech.  For more information, contact Beth Offenbacker, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy at boffen@vt.edu or 703 623 4811.

*Funding provided by Virginia Tech’s Institute for Society, Culture and Environment (ISCE)

Your Feedback Sought on Alexandria’s Draft Indicators

Thursday, December 15th

Noon -1pm

At our Thursday, December 15th Lunchtime Forum, we are asking for your feedback on the most recent set of Alexandria Quality of Life Community Indicators (AQOLI).  This list has already been through intensive vetting, but before it is finalized we are asking participants at our December 15^th program to provide us with feedback on any ‘fatal flaws’ among the indicators (e.g., something extremely important missing or needing clarification) and to identify any issues, concerns or advice about specific indicators. The draft report of headline indicators and associated data will be released in January 2012.

We will discuss the indicators list, and a draft set of supplemental indicators are also included in the document (see page 5) in order for you to better see the full scope of the indicators.  Join us for a workshop-style conversation on the 15^th about the draft indicators.  The indicators have been collaboratively developed over the last year by the City of Alexandria, the Alexandria Community Trust, Virginia Tech, and the Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria and they reflect extensive community input from subject matter experts, commissions, partnerships, and City staff.  The indicators listed are intended to describe our community's condition and provide us a means to measure progress towards our community's goals.

December 15^th Lunchtime Workshop Agenda

1. Introductions

2. Status of the AQOL Community Indicators Project

3. Feedback on the AQOL Community Indicators

·    Are there any fatal flaws among the headline indicators (e.g., something extremely important missing or needing clarification)?

·    Are there any issues, concerns or advice about specific headline indicators?

4. Data Issues

·    Are there any concerns, thoughts or advice about the data for the headline indicators?

5. Other Issues to be Discussed?

If you cannot attend on Dec. 15^th, please feel free to provide any feedback in writing to Dr. Matt Dull, mdull@vt.edu and Allen Lomax, aclomax@aol.com, by Friday, Dec. 16^th.

LOCATION: To be announced.  No charge to attend.  Seating is limited; please RSVP by Wednesday, Dec. 14th at http://tinyurl.com/43o282r

You're Invited: FREE Lunchtime Workshop on Thurs, Aug 4 - Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative

Join us on Thursday, August 4 for our third lunchtime program.  This month’s topic is GIS and data visualization.  Lunch is provided and there is no charge to attend.  Seats are limited.  Read on for details about the workshop and how to rsvp!

Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative

Lunchtime Workshop Series

Cosponsored by

ACT for Alexandria ■ City of Alexandria ■ Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria

■ Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy

The Alexandria Quality of Life (AQOL) Lunchtime Workshop Series bring people together around the key questions and challenges involved in further enhancing our great community.  How do we measure Alexandria’s Quality of Life?  How can agencies, nonprofits, businesses and community groups use this data to make our community an even better place to live, work and play?

In a conversational setting, we’ll discuss best practices and key insights about using community indicators to make meaningful community change, including ‘lessons learned’ from colleagues and peers.

Join us for a stimulating discussion!  The workshops are free and open to the public; FREE LUNCH* is provided for the July program courtesy of Virginia Tech.  For more information, contact Beth Offenbacker, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy at boffen@vt.edu or 703 623 4811. *Funding provided by Virginia Tech’s Institute for Society, Culture and Environment (ISCE)

Data Visualization: Using GIS Tools to Create Meaning and Guide Change

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Noon -1pm

The AQOLI project focuses on using a range of data sources to support informed decision making and action by public, private, nonprofit and community groups in Alexandria.  But sometimes the use of data can be overwhelming in understanding its meaning.  Many indicators projects around the country use data visualization tools – like GIS systems (Geographic Information Systems) – to make it easier to view and interpret complex community data. Join us on August 4 for an exciting discussion about the role of visualization in creating meaning and guiding community change.  Among the subjects we’ll explore include: -         What is GIS and how it is being used today in the City for visualizing data -         The applicability of GIS to data analysis -         Participatory GIS: an example of how to use GIS in conjunction with stakeholders to collect and display data -         The value of GIS data visualization for analyzing short- and long-term data trends Speakers include: □       Steven Chozick, GIS Division Chief, Department of Planning and Zoning, City of Alexandria □       Seth Peery, Senior GIS Architect/Enterprise GIS, Virginia Tech Geospatial Information Sciences

NOTE NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH:  Virginia Tech's Center for Public Administration and Policy, 1021 Prince Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314

Street parking nearby and also accessible via Alexandria’s DASH bus service

No charge to attend.  Seating is limited; please RSVP by Wednesday, August 3 at http://tinyurl.com/43o282r

You're Invited: FREE Lunchtime Workshop on Eco-City Alexandria on Thurs July 14

Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative
Lunchtime Workshop Series
Cosponsored by
ACT for Alexandria ■ City of Alexandria ■ Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria
■ Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy

The Alexandria Quality of Life (AQOL) Lunchtime Workshop Series bring people together around the key questions and challenges involved in further enhancing our great community.  How do we measure Alexandria’s Quality of Life?  How can agencies, nonprofits, businesses and community groups use this data to make our community an even better place to live, work and play?

In a conversational setting, we’ll discuss best practices and key insights about using community indicators to make meaningful community change, including ‘lessons learned’ from colleagues and peers. 

Join us for a stimulating discussion!  The workshops are free and open to the public; **FREE LUNCH** is provided for the July program courtesy of Virginia Tech.  For more information, contact Beth Offenbacker, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy at boffen@vt.edu or 703 623 4811.

Case Study:

Eco-City Alexandria and Community Indicators

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Noon -1pm

Beginning in spring 2007, the City of Alexandria partnered with Virginia Tech’s Urban Affairs and Planning Program (UAP) to design and facilitate a new, strategic collaborative planning process, called Eco-City Alexandria, to create an Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan to guide Alexandria toward sustainability. Eco-Cities are places where people can live healthier and economically productive lives while reducing their impact on the environment. They work to harmonize existing policies, regional realities, and economic and business markets with their natural resources and environmental assets. Eco-Cities strive to engage all citizens in collaborative and transparent decision making, while being mindful of social equity concerns. 

As part of this effort, the Eco-City Alexandria team conducted an inventory of existing City programs and plans and examined best practices from across the country and around the world to create a Compendium of Model Programs and Practices. Join us for an indepth conversation about the ‘lessons learned’ from creating these indicators and how they are being used to support the Alexandria Eco-City Charter.

Speakers include:

□        Bill Skrabak, Director, Office of Environmental Quality, Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, City of Alexandria

□        Joe Schilling, Professor of Practice, VT Urban Affairs and Planning Program and part of the Eco-City Project team

 

LOCATION: Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314

Street parking nearby and also accessible via Alexandria’s DASH bus service

No charge to attend.  Seating is limited; please RSVP by Wednesday, July 13 at http://tinyurl.com/43o282r