About

Welcome

Welcome to Together South Bend, a site where we can listen and interact with you -- where you can have your say on various projects, programs, and topics that affect you and your neighbors. This is a way for you to provide your thoughts to elected officials and City staff quickly and easily. Together South Bend was created by the City of South Bend in 2021 to facilitate community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together South Bend allows residents to provide input on city projects in a safe environment when it is convenient for you. Whether you have 5 minutes or lots of time to share, you can learn about what is happening in South Bend and help make our community more awesome. Just click on what interests you, and get started today!

Our Team

You, the residents, are the experts on your neighborhood. Our team, comprised of several staff members from the City of South Bend Department of Community Investment, lead the engagement process, gather information from residents, and create plans with goals and strategies that can help make the neighborhood's vision a reality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I submit my feedback?

Submit your feedback via the online discussion forums, quick polls, forms and surveys relevant to each of the projects currently open for consultation.

To participate for the first time, simply:

Sign up for Together South Bend by clicking on the "Sign In" button in the top right of any page
Choose a username and password
Complete a few quick questions about you
You will receive an email to validate your email address
Return to the website and click the "Sign In" button

Note: Your comments will appear under your username, and you can comment anonymously through a username of your choice.

Question: Why is the City of South Bend engaging online?

Traditional public consultation usually involves attending public meeting or providing written submissions to council, and this can often be time consuming and inconvenient, and sometimes intimidating. Together South Bend gives you the opportunity to have your say on issues that are important to you, at a time and place of your choice.

It is a quick, safe and convenient way to have your say on a range of issues and topics.
It is a great way to keep up to date and contribute your views on issues affecting your community.
You can see what other community members think about an issue or topic, respond with your own views and engage in a discussion.
You don't have to attend community meetings at a set place and time, you can contribute at a time and place that suits you.
It allows for a range of different people, with different views to discuss matters that impact the community.

Question: Why do I need to register to this site to make a comment?

While registration is not required to access Together South Bend, it is necessary for many of the more interactive engagement opportunities. We ask you to register to the website for a few reasons.

It helps ensure that a broader set of perspectives have an opportunity to be represented by attributing feedback and frequency of feedback to individuals.
It promotes accountability and encourages people to provide more thoughtful responses because feedback can be attributed to them.
It also means that we can let you know any news if something major changes about the project.

Question: Can I use this site anonymously?

Yes, you can use this website anonymously. Even when you register and post comments, your anonymity is protected because you are identified by your chosen screen name.

Questions: What happens to my feedback/comments?

All comments, ideas and suggestions are collated and used by the relevant project teams to inform the development of strategies, programs and activities, or to gain an insight into community views and opinions.

All feedback provided will be considered; however, this does not mean that every suggestion will affect the project or be adopted as proposed.

Note: All comments you make through this website will become public records for anyone to read.

Question: Is my privacy protected?

Yes! Your privacy is absolutely protected and the City will only use your email to contact you with updates and to invite you to participate in projects.

Your email address will not be distributed to any third party or used for any other purpose.

Who can I contact about Together South Bend?

Together South Bend is coordinated by City of South Bend's Engagement & Economic Empowerment Team.

If you have any questions about content or the engagement process, please email together@southbendin.gov.

If you have a question regarding a specific project, please contact the relevant Team. Their contact details can be found in the "Who's listening" section for each project.

Question: How are discussion forums moderated?

All public comments within discussion forums, guest books and questions and answers are moderated 24 hours a day seven days a week, for inappropriate language, comments that disrespect other participants and for comments that are off topic.

All moderation is carried out by Engagement HQ and all moderation is independent to the City of South Bend. The moderators do not edit or alter any comments and will only remove comments deemed to be significantly off topic, offensive or malicious, in which case they are removed from the site immediately and the person who posted the comment is advised by email. See the moderation policy(External link) for more details.

Moderation Policy

All public facing contributions - that is, contributions that can be seen by other website users are moderated in accordance with the moderation rules set out below.

Never post personal information about yourself or another participant. This includes identifying any individual by their real name if they have not already done so, or providing personal contact information.
Never identify a staff member of the consulting organization by name.
Don't defame anyone or any organization. A comment is defamatory if it lowers or harms the reputation of a person or organization. If you wish to insult anyone, this is not the place to do it. If you wish to accuse anyone of wrongdoing or incompetence, this is not the place to do it.
Don't post anything that could be considered intolerant of a person's race, culture, appearance, gender, sexual preference, religion or age.
Don't be obscene and don't use foul language. Lots of people from different backgrounds participate on this website. We want them to be able to continue to do so from home, work, school, university or wherever they may be. Disguising swear words by deliberately misspelling them doesn't make them any less offensive.
Don't personally insult or harass other participants. Always focus on the logic of the argument rather than the individuals involved in the argument. Participants are entitled to choose not to enter into debate with you.
Don't post or link to any inappropriate, offensive or illegal material. Don't post any advertisements.
Don’t promote self-harm, suicide, violence or criminal activity of any kind.
The use of emoji or images to convey inappropriate meaning consistent with the rules outlined above will also be moderated.
Ensure comments seek to address the topic or focus of the engagement activity at hand. Users which intentionally distract from or ignore the discussion topic may have their comments treated as off-topic and removed.
Please don't raise concerns about the moderation on the site as it disrupts the flow of any discussion. Please direct any queries regarding moderation directly to the moderation team at support@engagementhq.com.

Moderation Policy

The following are not enforceable rules, rather they are suggestions about etiquette to help keep the website respectful and constructive.

It's a good idea to read through the information on the site and the other participant comments before getting involved in the discussion yourself.
Always respect the views of other participants even if they don't agree with you.
Be constructive. It's okay to disagree with other forum participants, in fact we encourage debate, just keep the dialogue positive.
Always keep things civil. We recognize that this can be difficult sometimes, especially when you are passionate about an issue, but it is important to keep the discussion focused on the issues rather than letting it deteriorate into personal insults.
Once you've left your comment keep an eye on the project to see what other people have to say.
If you feel that someone has insulted you, report their comment to the moderator by clicking the “Alert Moderator” button. Don't perpetuate the dispute. The moderator will take a look at the offending comment and decide whether it should be removed.
Stay on topic. The projects on this website have been created for a specific purpose. Please stay within the boundaries of the subject matter.
Turn off the "CAPS LOCK". Writing in ALL CAPS is the equivalent of SHOUTING and can cause offence.
Choose one place to post each of your unique comments. Don't cut and paste the same comment into lots of different places on the website. These may be considered duplicates and could be removed.
Don't be a "troll". Trolls intentionally incite annoyance or offense. They do not participate constructively in the discussion and do not add any value to the debate.
Don't bully, harass or threaten other participants. If another participant proffers an opinion that you don't agree with, you have no right to demand that they support their position with a detailed argument. They do not have to respond to your questions. It is up to each individual to participate as much or as little as they wish.
Please respect the moderators. Their job is to keep the forum safe and constructive so that everybody gets to have their fair say. It is not always an easy job.

Welcome

Our Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I submit my feedback?

Submit your feedback via the online discussion forums, quick polls, forms and surveys relevant to each of the projects currently open for consultation.

To participate for the first time, simply:

Sign up for Together South Bend by clicking on the "Sign In" button in the top right of any page
Choose a username and password
Complete a few quick questions about you
You will receive an email to validate your email address
Return to the website and click the "Sign In" button

Note: Your comments will appear under your username, and you can comment anonymously through a username of your choice.

Question: Why is the City of South Bend engaging online?

It is a quick, safe and convenient way to have your say on a range of issues and topics.
It is a great way to keep up to date and contribute your views on issues affecting your community.
You can see what other community members think about an issue or topic, respond with your own views and engage in a discussion.
You don't have to attend community meetings at a set place and time, you can contribute at a time and place that suits you.
It allows for a range of different people, with different views to discuss matters that impact the community.

Question: Why do I need to register to this site to make a comment?

While registration is not required to access Together South Bend, it is necessary for many of the more interactive engagement opportunities. We ask you to register to the website for a few reasons.

It helps ensure that a broader set of perspectives have an opportunity to be represented by attributing feedback and frequency of feedback to individuals.
It promotes accountability and encourages people to provide more thoughtful responses because feedback can be attributed to them.
It also means that we can let you know any news if something major changes about the project.

Question: Can I use this site anonymously?

Yes, you can use this website anonymously. Even when you register and post comments, your anonymity is protected because you are identified by your chosen screen name.

Questions: What happens to my feedback/comments?

All feedback provided will be considered; however, this does not mean that every suggestion will affect the project or be adopted as proposed.

Note: All comments you make through this website will become public records for anyone to read.

Question: Is my privacy protected?

Yes! Your privacy is absolutely protected and the City will only use your email to contact you with updates and to invite you to participate in projects.

Your email address will not be distributed to any third party or used for any other purpose.

Who can I contact about Together South Bend?

Together South Bend is coordinated by City of South Bend's Engagement & Economic Empowerment Team.

If you have any questions about content or the engagement process, please email together@southbendin.gov.

If you have a question regarding a specific project, please contact the relevant Team. Their contact details can be found in the "Who's listening" section for each project.

Question: How are discussion forums moderated?

Moderation Policy

All public facing contributions - that is, contributions that can be seen by other website users are moderated in accordance with the moderation rules set out below.

Never post personal information about yourself or another participant. This includes identifying any individual by their real name if they have not already done so, or providing personal contact information.
Never identify a staff member of the consulting organization by name.
Don't defame anyone or any organization. A comment is defamatory if it lowers or harms the reputation of a person or organization. If you wish to insult anyone, this is not the place to do it. If you wish to accuse anyone of wrongdoing or incompetence, this is not the place to do it.
Don't post anything that could be considered intolerant of a person's race, culture, appearance, gender, sexual preference, religion or age.
Don't be obscene and don't use foul language. Lots of people from different backgrounds participate on this website. We want them to be able to continue to do so from home, work, school, university or wherever they may be. Disguising swear words by deliberately misspelling them doesn't make them any less offensive.
Don't personally insult or harass other participants. Always focus on the logic of the argument rather than the individuals involved in the argument. Participants are entitled to choose not to enter into debate with you.
Don't post or link to any inappropriate, offensive or illegal material. Don't post any advertisements.
Don’t promote self-harm, suicide, violence or criminal activity of any kind.
The use of emoji or images to convey inappropriate meaning consistent with the rules outlined above will also be moderated.
Ensure comments seek to address the topic or focus of the engagement activity at hand. Users which intentionally distract from or ignore the discussion topic may have their comments treated as off-topic and removed.
Please don't raise concerns about the moderation on the site as it disrupts the flow of any discussion. Please direct any queries regarding moderation directly to the moderation team at support@engagementhq.com.

Moderation Policy

The following are not enforceable rules, rather they are suggestions about etiquette to help keep the website respectful and constructive.

It's a good idea to read through the information on the site and the other participant comments before getting involved in the discussion yourself.
Always respect the views of other participants even if they don't agree with you.
Be constructive. It's okay to disagree with other forum participants, in fact we encourage debate, just keep the dialogue positive.
Always keep things civil. We recognize that this can be difficult sometimes, especially when you are passionate about an issue, but it is important to keep the discussion focused on the issues rather than letting it deteriorate into personal insults.
Once you've left your comment keep an eye on the project to see what other people have to say.
If you feel that someone has insulted you, report their comment to the moderator by clicking the “Alert Moderator” button. Don't perpetuate the dispute. The moderator will take a look at the offending comment and decide whether it should be removed.
Stay on topic. The projects on this website have been created for a specific purpose. Please stay within the boundaries of the subject matter.
Turn off the "CAPS LOCK". Writing in ALL CAPS is the equivalent of SHOUTING and can cause offence.
Choose one place to post each of your unique comments. Don't cut and paste the same comment into lots of different places on the website. These may be considered duplicates and could be removed.
Don't be a "troll". Trolls intentionally incite annoyance or offense. They do not participate constructively in the discussion and do not add any value to the debate.
Don't bully, harass or threaten other participants. If another participant proffers an opinion that you don't agree with, you have no right to demand that they support their position with a detailed argument. They do not have to respond to your questions. It is up to each individual to participate as much or as little as they wish.
Please respect the moderators. Their job is to keep the forum safe and constructive so that everybody gets to have their fair say. It is not always an easy job.

Page last updated: 08 Jan 2024, 08:29 AM

About

Who's Listening