REMARKS
Improving outreach and engagement for VAB meetings
0:52:21
ยท
3 min
Jason Loughran discusses efforts to improve outreach and engagement for Veterans Advisory Board (VAB) meetings, highlighting strategies to increase attendance and participation.
- Loughran suggests leveraging city council offices to disseminate information about VAB meetings to reach more civically engaged veterans.
- DVS has experimented with holding meetings in high-profile venues, such as Barclays Center, to attract more attention and attendance.
- Despite these efforts, attracting larger audiences remains a challenge.
- The discussion emphasizes the need for collaboration between DVS, VAB, and city council offices to improve communication about meetings and increase veteran engagement.
- Council Member Holden suggests exploring venues like Citi Field for future meetings to potentially draw more attendees.
Jason Loughran
0:52:21
And and, chair, just a comment on this topic.
0:52:24
I think that where where you and and other council members could be really helpful in us is obviously those folks that attend are civically engaged.
0:52:32
These are some of the most impressive veterans in New York City who are attending these meetings, and they have, fantastic ideas.
0:52:40
They have legitimate concerns.
0:52:42
And, you know, to your point, I'm sure that there are other civically engaged people in other districts, that if we got this information out via their city council office, I think we hope that we could recruit more of these civically engaged people who maybe are not identifying right now as veterans, but are pushing their advocacy in some other district that we don't know about.
0:53:03
So we would like to work with city council, in a greater way to actually advertise the community board meetings throughout every city council district, not just the wonderful, committee that we have in city council.
Robert Holden
0:53:16
But but just but you're aware like I my question though, are you you're aware of the attendance that that people are not showing up?
0:53:24
Yeah.
0:53:24
So what do you do about that?
0:53:25
Do you do you do you question the board?
0:53:27
You say, well, you know, this person hasn't showed up.
0:53:28
Maybe we should make a recommendation to the mayor that his appointment or or the city council's appointment is is not showing up, or they're not participating.
0:53:38
Well, I
James Hendon
0:53:39
wanna I'm sorry.
0:53:39
I I thought we're talking about attendance for the board members or talking about attendance for the VAV.
Robert Holden
0:53:43
Yeah.
0:53:43
The VAV, meetings.
0:53:45
Because there's 5 a year.
0:53:47
Right?
0:53:47
There's 5 1 in each borough.
Mercedes Elias
0:53:48
Mhmm.
Robert Holden
0:53:48
At least that's the idea.
Jason Loughran
0:53:50
I know one thing that we have done.
0:53:52
I mean, just recently, when we had our last meeting at Barclays, we facilitated the the meeting with the b VAB.
0:54:01
And, you know, we put a lot of thought into a centralized location, a place that garnishes attention.
0:54:08
And, you know, we really thought that by I mean, Brooklyn Nets was very kind to provide, beverages and a space for us.
0:54:17
It was beautiful.
0:54:18
And so, you know, thinking about how do we make maybe how do we transform a a community meeting from, you know, your traditional, hall with some coffee in the back to, you know, Barclays Center and and nice beverages, that really didn't draw it in.
0:54:34
So we're we're definitely trying things.
0:54:36
It's just a matter of, again, all the good points that you guys are bringing up in terms of how do we get in front of the people who are civic engagement.
Robert Holden
0:54:43
So so yeah.
0:54:43
But I I I'm glad that you're, I mean, that if if you get some place that's great, like Citi Field
Jason Loughran
0:54:49
Right.
Robert Holden
0:54:50
Or I'm in Queens.
0:54:51
If you get if you got Citi Field and they're going to provide they're gonna provide food and a nice atmosphere.
0:55:01
That would that should be a draw.
0:55:03
Not only for the board members, which we wanna include just Yeah.
0:55:07
Veterans, the community, the public, the community to to show up.
0:55:12
And we have publicized that.
0:55:13
I'm sure the I I think it's full.
James Hendon
0:55:14
I think it's full.
Robert Holden
0:55:15
VA being.
James Hendon
0:55:16
I think it's in line with VA set it up where we'll be able to put the word out exactly where the meeting will be well in advance.
0:55:22
I think that will directly input impact attendance.
0:55:27
Yeah.
0:55:27
What's the question?
Claire Barker
0:55:28
I want.
Robert Holden
0:55:28
Okay.
0:55:30
Council member Vicki Paladino has a question.