The Collaboration & Public Participation Community of Practice (CPP CoP) brings together all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) employees to share information and expertise across the organization to effectively collaborate, resolve conflicts, and communicate levels of risk associated with various flood management options, environmental conflict resolution (ECR), and related USACE challenges.
Members of the CoP work directly with partners and stakeholders to ensure that communities are active participants in Corps activities, including involvement in the risk decisions that could affect their lives and properties. The CoP also strengthens relationships across districts, divisions and business lines through training opportunities and a network of internal USACE facilitators. An essential part of the CoP is to also improve USACE’s internal collaboration competencies – within Project Delivery Teams, across Programs within the same District, across USACE assents throughout the region and the nation.
Membership
CPP CoP membership includes all Corps of Engineers individuals that practice and share an interest in collaborative processes, including: public participation, stakeholder and partner engagement, risk communication, facilitation, conflict resolution, teambuilding, virtual collaboration, and collaborative technologies. Membership cuts across all USACE business lines and includes planners, program and project managers, engineers, project personnel, members of offices of counsel, those in environmental fields, cultural resources, social scientists, public affairs, and others interested in support of public participation and risk communication.
Elements that are essential to collaboration:
- Develop and provide a capable workforce
- Build and maintain relationships and alliances at all levels.
- Promote organizational communication
- Enhance organization learning
- Create a cultural commitment to transparency and collaboration with stakeholders
Information Exchange
Information is exchanged through the CPP CoP Sharepoint site (USACE only), including a CoP webinar series, Collaboration Corner newsletter, and a Lessons Learned page (USACE only).