Virginia Beach will continue a program launched this year to teach neighborhood leaders the ins and outs of local government.
In February, 10 people completed a version of City Hall 101: Civic Leaders Academy, which gave them a fuller understanding of city operations and encouraged communication.
Nancy Bloom, the city’s public engagement manager, said the curriculum was developed from feedback from citizens and civic organizations.
“We wanted to equip the participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary so that they can actively represent the needs of their organizations,” she told City Council on Tuesday.
The academy met weekly during two months, visiting municipal locations while speaking directly with leaders. Two academy classes are planned for 2027, with the first to start in January.
The program is geared toward members of neighborhood groups, though spots may be available to the general public, too. Information about applying will be released in the coming weeks.
Participants gained a better sense of department roles, got to interact with city staff and had a broader understanding of services, according to feedback gathered by the city.
“I think a lot of people are surprised about how many, you know, moving parts there are,” Mayor Bobby Dyer said.
Tammie Mullins-Rice, past president of the Seatack Civic League, was part of the first class. She wanted to educate herself so she could take that learning back to the community. She said interactions with city personnel were valuable.
“As much as they’re educating us, we were able to educate them about what our concerns and needs were,” she said. “So it worked both ways.”
Elaine Fekete, president of the Sandbridge Beach Civic League, participated and is glad the academy will keep going.
“It was an excellent opportunity to network, to learn more about what each department does so that, as a leader in your community, you know who to call and who to interact with,” Fekete said.
The city’s program is different from the academy teaching the inner workings of public affairs hosted by the Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organizations. Rick Boyles, the group’s president, said the academy is on hiatus but will return when the political season ends.
“We’re going to start the academy back up after the election,” Boyles said Tuesday. “It hasn’t gone anywhere.”
