‘Change By Us Philly’ website will connect residents to City Services and allow Philadelphians to take an active role in improving the City.
Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the Mayor’s Office of Communications announce the launch of the ‘Change By Us Philly’ website. This website serves as an interactive, social media platform that enables citizens to connect with City officials, community-based organizations and each other to share ideas and create projects to benefit the City of Philadelphia. The website is accessed at philly.changeby.us and is operational.
“Our Administration wants to know what is important to its citizens and actively works to make the changes Philadelphians want and need,” Nutter said. “The ‘Change by Us Philly’ website is an innovative, social media tool that will enable Philadelphians to present ideas to City officials, get involved with existing City projects and create new initiatives to make Philadelphia a smarter, safer, greener, cleaner and better City.”
Change By Us Philly was created by Code for America, CEOs for Cities and Local Projects with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The website will be administered by the Mayor’s Office of Communication. Non-profit partners will assist the Office of Communications with site maintenance and upkeep.
“The City of Philadelphia has been a pioneer with its use of technology to engage citizens, and it is continuing its leadership by launching Change By Us,” Jennifer Pahlka, Founder and Executive Director of Code for America said.
Julia Klaiber, Director of External Affairs at CEOs for Cities said, “Our ambition with Change By Us was to reinvent public participation in America. The traditional models no longer work in a world where technology is a primary method of engagement and where citizens can and should be co-creators of civic solutions. It is a true testament to Mayor Nutter’s leadership that Change By Us is launching in Philadelphia.”
In addition, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced a $25,000 civic innovation grant program, which will incorporate the use of the Change By Us Philly platform.
“Philadelphia has long been a city of innovation and invention, and Philly residents are eager to find solutions that strengthen their neighborhoods,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Philadelphia Program Director for the Knight Foundation. “Change by Us is just one of the ways that new technology, in the hands of residents and leaders, can put citizen action at the center of community change.”
Philadelphians create user accounts at philly.changeby.us to begin posting ideas, joining or creating projects on the site and connecting with resources. An “idea” on Change by Us is any solution, insight or question about a local or citywide issue. A “project” is any specific action that helps achieve the goal or mission. For instance, projects to make the city greener might include a neighborhood tree-planting project.
A “resource” is a link to helpful information or tools from city agencies or community-based organizations for use by project creators and contributors. Participants can select resources to add to a project based on their potential benefit to help accomplish the goals of the project.
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