Creating sustainable and ongoing solutions is often closely related to the involvement, engagement and ownership of a diverse group of people and opinions. Ms Chapin specialises in facilitating diverse interest groups to harness commonalities and explore differences as a critical foundation for creating innovative, appropriate and practical programs and associated documentation, tools and communication strategies. This collaborative design process has evolved as a bullet proof approach to creating projects that have longevity and add value well beyond the initial project.
// Case study //
Los Alamos County: Landfill Development Stakeholder Engagement Project
Los Alamos County was faced with a mandate to close their un-permitted landfill within two years. Ms Chaplin worked with the County to create an extensive communications plan for the stakeholder engagement process.
Implementation of the plan included presentations to civic groups, stakeholder interviews, a project web page, radio interviews and focus group meetings was critical to the public support that the project enjoyed.
The process resulted in a new, unforeseen alternative to build a LEED certified Transfer Station.
Real community engagement
“The approach Arcadian Solutions took to this project changed the way I think about stakeholder engagement. Setting clear objectives, clarifying expectations up front and providing step by step processes and opportunities for input, laid the groundwork for real community engagement. We were able to transform this project into something special. The outcome was not a redesign of our landfill as we initially planned, but instead our community helped shape a change the scope to a LEED certified transfer station.”
— Regina Wheeler, Los Alamos County