Share your ideas, help connect the community, and become a leader in the Denton Plan update by signing up to be a Denton Plan Ambassador (DPA)! This prestigious role will allow you to PUT YOUR STAMP on Denton Plan 2030. Denton Plan 2030 is an essential undertaking, and it is important that all Denton community members have an opportunity to be heard and to participate. There is no minimum or maximum age requirement, and serving as a DPA is as easy as 1…2…3…!
Denton Plan Ambassador
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Denton Plan Ambassador! The Denton Plan Ambassador program (DPA) is for interested community members who want to take a leadership/service role in the Denton Plan update process. It is an open group, there is no maximum number of DPA’s, and there is no minimum age requirement. The role of the DPA is to discuss the current status of the comprehensive plan update, bring feedback to the group and staff for discussion, and take information to the community to keep them engaged and informed. Keep reading to discover the background about DPA, learn how to sign up, and get informed about the DPA objectives.
Background behind the Creation of DPA: By communicating with community members and through the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) application process, it became clear that the volume of Denton stakeholders and residents who want to take a leadership role in the Denton Plan update could not be accommodated by the CAC. Although the CAC will still provide policy feedback for the update at key decision points, the City created an additional venue for citizens to engage in a leadership role in Denton Plan 2030 through becoming a Denton Plan Ambassador (DPA). DPA will mesh seamlessly with the CAC as engagement messengers and representatives to and from the community. Encouraging Denton’s youth to participate in Denton Plan 2030 is also at the heart of the creation of DPA.
Young DPA: The City of Denton and the Denton Plan 2030 Team recognize the importance of involving youth in the update process to harness their creativity and ideas and to provide civic engagement opportunities for them to exhibit leadership and service roles in. DPA allows Denton’s youth to take ownership in the process by organizing working groups and/or special projects with staff and DPA Mentor assistance.
For example, if a DPA group from local high schools wants to organize an art contest for who can best represent Denton’s “small town character,” City staff and DPA Mentors are available to help implement aspects of their project idea, such as posting the contest on EngageDenton.com for submissions. The working group would meet during the special projects/working group discussion section of the regular DPA meetings and could also schedule additional times to discuss their ideas if desired. The goal is to provide as much flexibility and creativity room in the DPA program to allow for creative ideas to flow from the community and be included in the update process on a regular basis.
DPA Role: The role of DPA is to discuss the current status of the comprehensive plan update, bring feedback to the group and staff for discussion, and take information to the community to keep them engaged and informed. The DPA opportunity can be as much as a young or adult community member wants to contribute as long as the minimum requirements are met. City staff is available to help encourage leadership and participation in DPA through a structured yet open channel of conversation and regular meetings. DPA will have meetings on a bi-monthly basis (on opposite months of the CAC) and attend community festivals and events to carry out the DPA functions. At the younger youth levels, DPA members can assist staff in reaching out through fun activities like Denton Plan scavenger hunts and art contests at the Community Forums to capitalize on the unfettered creativity of the younger generations while teaching them the importance of participating in civics. DPA members can also assist with the upcoming Community Forums during the exercises to provide informed perspectives on the Plan content and update process to their peers in the community.
The review of certain documents relevant to the update process will also be an optional role of DPA. The Citizens Advisory Committee will be providing policy feedback for the update at key decision points, but Denton Plan Ambassadors will be kept in the loop by a short presentation from a CAC member at each DPA meeting. DPA members will have the opportunity to share feedback on pending discussions of the CAC to serve as engagement messengers and representatives to and from the community. A DPA member will also volunteer at each meeting to attend the next CAC meeting to provide the seamless communication of DPA activities to the CAC.
Denton Plan Ambassador is a community member-led group that will have City staff guidance and facilitation. We encourage anyone who is interested to sign-up and take the challenge to serve and lead Denton on our path to the future.
DPA Documents:
Printer-Friendly DPA Program Description with Attachments
DPA Agenda (This document will be edited prior to each DPA meeting to reflect relevant information.)
List of DPA’s (Coming soon!)
Sign up to be a Denton Plan Ambassador below:
