GVMC Staff Member Receives Charrette Planner Certification

On February 18 Jay Hoekstra, Senior Planner, completed two and a half days of training with the National Charrette Institute (NCI) to become a Charrette Planner.

The NCI Certification Program includes the necessary tools and techniques to prepare individuals and organizations for planning, managing and facilitating a Charrette. Charrettes capable of transformative community change require careful planning and execution. The NCI Charrette Planner and Public Meeting Facilitator courses give the framework and the hands-on skills to successfully use the power of the dynamic charrette process.

An NCI Charrette combines this creative, intense work session with public workshops and open houses. The NCI Charrette is a collaborative planning process that harnesses the talents and energies of all interested parties to create and support a feasible plan that represents transformative community change.

This type of charrette IS:

• At least four consecutive days
• An open process that includes all interested parties
• A collaborative process involving all disciplines in a series of short feedback loops
• A process that produces a feasible plan
• A generalist, holistic approach

This type of charrette is NOT:

• A one-day workshop
• A multi-day marathon meeting involving everyone all the time
• A plan authored by a select few that will affect many
• A “visioning session” that stops short of implementation

The National Charrette Institute (NCI) is a nonprofit educational institution. For more information on training go to http://www.charretteinstitute.org/.

If you are considering a municipal or neighborhood charrette, please also consider inviting GVMC Planning out to assist you in that effort.

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