Celeste Taylor imagined what it might be like to field a call in a 911 center, but she had no idea what the job entailed until she experienced it firsthand.
“There is a thin line between compassion and trying to get the information when somebody is being so emotional on the phone,” she said. “It’s different when you hear these calls and hear how they have to route them, prioritize them and ask for the right information. That was an eye-opener.”
Ms. Taylor, a regional branch manager for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, took part in the 2019 session of the Engage Toledo Ambassador Academy, a civic program that allows participants to engage in weekly work sessions throughout the city, such as spending time in the 911 call center, in order to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day operations in Toledo. She has since encouraged several of her colleagues to participate in subsequent sessions.
“I’m a librarian and I believe that I am well studied and educated enough but there were still things that surprised me, there were still things that enlightened me, and most of all there were things that empowered me,” she said. “I am committed to doing what I can for my community because that pays it forward. If I am helping my community it means I am making it safer for my children and my grandchildren.”
Engage Toledo Ambassador Academy was introduced in 2017 as a way to connect citizens to local government, said Jenny Jaqua, the Customer Service Commissioner who oversees the program. Since its inaugural year, the sessions have taken place annually with the exception of 2020 and participation has been strong, with more applicants than the 25 allotted slots per session. participants meet weekly for a 2.5-hour class over a 12 week period.
And similar to a citizen police academy where civilians get hands-on experience in law enforcement, the Ambassador Academy allows citizens to get hands-on experience in the city by touring facilities, meeting with city staff, elected officials, and business owners to gain a better understanding of how the city functions.
A new session will begin February 17 and plans are underway to add a second session next year as well as a junior ambassador program, Ms. Jaqua said.
“We have had an overwhelming response, people are thirsty for knowledge,” she said. “We want to educate them on city services, we want to empower them to learn about the city services and ask questions and be engaged.”
Small business owner Alexicia Sims took part in a session to learn more about the community. She recently joined the Junction Coalition board, a neighborhood revitalization organization, and is on the water affordability task force. She also owns two child care centers, a transportation company and a podcast studio.
“With me becoming active in the Junction Coalition, I wanted to know about the other pieces of the puzzle when it comes to the city that I hadn’t dealt with before,” she said, “There is so much more to know about the city. I was surprised to learn how many streets there are to take care of, like with the salt routes, now it makes sense that some streets don’t get touched.”
A graduation ceremony takes place in council chambers at the end of the session.
Newly elected Toledo City Council member Theresa Morris took part in several sessions while serving her first term in office. As part of the 2022 budget, the city has allocated approximately $5,000 to fund the program.
“I’m happy as a city entity that we are able to have people get involved and want to make things better,” she said. “Sometimes it takes new eyes to look at a program, It’s nice to have all hands on deck.”
Terwase Ngur, who works as a manager for the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library said that the program has provided an important opportunity to connect with city officials.
“I really enjoyed it, the program was so valuable,” he said. “It was something that I took to my staff and something that I employ when I interact with patrons too, so it was a great experience. Seeing these passionate public servants, it makes you want to make the community better,” he said. “You have to think of it as a civic engagement class.”
The Engage Ambassador Program is an extension of Engage Toledo, a communication initiative developed in 2015 under former Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson. The Engage Toledo call center houses a staff of 14 to handle incoming calls 24/7. Every call is logged, assigned a reference number and sent to the appropriate department.
The top five caller concerns, such as a frozen hydrant, flooded street, or leaf pick-up concerns, are sent to the mayor’s office daily. Engage Toledo works in conjunction with the public utility call center which houses 20 call takers Monday through Friday to address utility questions. So far this year, the center has fielded 87,214 calls.
“We are a one-stop shop,” Ms. Jaqua said. “One number is all you need to know to have a professional customer service representative answering your call and answering your email.”
For questions or to report an issue, email engagetoledo@toledo.oh.gov or call 410-936-2020.
For information about the Engage Ambassador Program, call 419-245-1888 or email Jenny Jaqua at jennifer.jaqua@toledo.oh.gov.
First Published December 24, 2021, 5:16 p.m.
