What is the process of getting to the Regional Plan?

Below is a suggested planning process to be used by regions in developing networks and leadership structure to plan and record E3 regional plans with input to the statewide E3 plan.  This process has been developed, piloted and evaluated by the Environmental Education Association of Washington (EEAW) working together with the Pierce County E3, NWE3 (Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan Island counties), and Thurston-Mason county E3 steering committees. The E3 Washington Design Team (social science, internet, evaluation, planning, and strategic planning professionals) provided input to fine tune this process.

This process is designed in order to accommodate  varying degrees of public input.  The agenda and session descriptions for this public,  participatory planning process can be utilized with 180 people or 25 people.  According to the region's needs, your Steering Committee should assess how and with how many people it should plan to work through the sessions with.  For help thinking through alternative structures please contact the EEAW office.

Quick Link to:
Pre-Event Development: Documents
4-Month Out Workplan

I.    First steps:  Fostering interest and convening diverse leadership

a.    Begin communications between the regional lead and EEAW
b.    Identifying and convening the regional steering committee and meetings
c.    Identifying and inviting the regional advisory council
d.    Paying attention to cultural, professional and geographic diversity in outreach

II.    Roles for committee members, leaders and other participants

a.    Steering committee roles and responsibilities
b.    Advisory council roles and responsibilities
c.    Participants and community members roles and responsibilities
d.    Facilitator and resource people roles and responsibilities
e.    EEAW roles and responsibilities

III.    Creating and Beginning Your Planning Process

a.   How will we complete the E3 Regional Template?
b.   Utilize four core sector strategies
         Pre-K12 schools and Teacher Preparation/Training
         Higher Education
         Media and Communications
         Nonformal/Community-based EE (the following places/spheres of activity)
         •    zoos/museums/aquaria
         •    outdoor and environmental learning centers
         •    environmental justice and public health programs
         •    adult technical assistance (including landowner-homeowner)              
         •    youth, families and after-school programs (e.g. stream teams)
         •    local government and utilities and other governmental entities

c.   Determine path and timeline to plan completion (by March 2008)
d.   Development of regional network listing and those to invite to participate
e.   Hold steering committee meetings to plan for E3 Regional Leadership               Summit (or other gatherings) and to complete plan.
f.    Utilize latest versions of sector draft strategies
   
IV.    Possible Scenario to Gather Regional Plan Input

a.    Hold Region-Wide EE Leadership Summit (all day)

• Participants include: regional steering committee and advisory council members, invited regional representatives, keynote speaker (if one is identified), EEAW representative, lead facilitator, resource people and/or small group facilitators, recorders.
• Primary objectives of the EE Leadership Summit are: a) to move the group to vision and assessment inspired work on SDS’s (Sector Draft Strategies) and b) to strengthen the community of EE stakeholders.

• Deliverables from this meeting are: a) regional vision statements, b)attributes of environmentally literate citizens, c) input on the “Lay of the Land”, and d) work on the Same Sector Draft Strategies by a broad-base of leader stakeholders.

b.    Second Planning Session-Steering Committee

• Participants include: regional steering committee, facilitator, EEAW rep (if  possible)
• Primary purpose of the meeting is to build upon the work completed from the EE Leadership summit. Small group work on the Sector Draft Strategies are incorporated into the Regional Planning Template along with summarized vision, model citizen, and “lay of the land” input prior to this second meeting. At the meeting measurable outcomes and outputs are developed that track with the goals, objectives, activities, resources and owners. The regional plan as a whole is created and sections further refined as a result of the meeting.
• Deliverables from this meeting are: the first draft of a detailed regional E3 plan.

c.    Third Planning Session-Steering Committee

• Participants include: facilitator, steering committee
• Primary purpose of the session is to prioritize the workplan into implementation phases to produce an implementation timeline. Recommend using a 3-phased approach to focus resources and efforts in the implementation of the plan
• Deliverables from this meeting are: a multi-year, 3-phased implementation plan for the regional E3 plan.

*Note:  Other scenarios for gathering regional representative input and moving towards plan completion are possible.

V.    Presentation of the Regional E3 Plan

a.    The regional plan is emailed to the regional network for input
b.    Regional advisory council provides final review and sign-off
c.    The regional plan is uploaded on the E3 Washington website along with raw data, planning documents and examples of tools used in the region.
d.    State-level E3 plan writers utilize the regional plan to design state-wide strategies and priorities which are circulated back to regional steering committees.
e.    Using the plan individuals, organizations, partnerships and both public and private resources are identified and secured for the implementation stage.

Documents:

Pre-Event Development: Documents
4-Month Out Workplan

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