The American Citizen Planner – Looking Back & Planning Ahead
~ by Daniel Walker, Senior Community Planning Extension Specialist
Since its adaptation by a subcommittee of the Purdue Land Use Team in 2019, the ACP-IN Signature Program has completed four successful sessions in collaboration with more than 15 ANR and CD educators. Over 120 members of local government boards and commissions, planning staff, and interested residents throughout Indiana have participated, and 91 have earned their Master Citizen Planner Certificate. The program equips local government leaders who may not have a background in planning practice and principles with the tools needed to serve their communities effectively. In addition to a robust series of online education modules, participants also hear from guest speakers and interact with other planners from their region and around Indiana. Residents of Indiana communities who want to learn more about how to get involved in planning processes have also taken and benefitted from this course.
2022 Spring Session Dates to Know
- February 1st – Registration Opens
- February 28th – Registration Closes
- March 1st – Program Begins
– April 28th, 7:00-9:00 pm eastern time – 1st Statewide Webinar
– June 9th, 7:00-9:00 pm eastern time – 2nd Statewide Webinar - June 9th – June 30th – Final Exam Window
- June 30th – Spring Program End
This spring, there are not one, not two, but three major program changes. First, the program will have revenue sharing with host educators. Second, educators who want to deliver the program will need to recruit five participants before moving forward with a program. Finally, ACP-IN participants will be able to access a newly developed Purdue short course on Environmental Planning and Community Engagement, featuring a series of new extension publications and videos.
If you are interested in hosting ACP-IN in 2022, reach out to your local government boards and commissions that play a role in planning to see if there is interest in an online or in-person training.
Finally, I invite you to attend an informational webinar for ANR/CD educators interested in learning more about the program and hosting requirements on Friday, January 14th at 2:00 pm eastern. Contact walke422@purdue.edu for Zoom meeting details.
