Exploring Aladdin s Cave : Community Engagement - an essential ingredient for vibrant, resilient communities

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1 Exploring Aladdin s Cave : Community Engagement - an essential ingredient for vibrant, resilient communities Community engagement is a way of including the views of our community in our planning and decision making processes. Rockdale City Council, NSW, 2006 Community engagement refers to the process by which community benefit organisations and individuals build ongoing, permanent relationships for the purpose of applying a collective vision for the benefit of a community. The LGAQ defines community engagement as the process of building connections between government, citizens and communities on a wide range of policy, program and service issues. Community Engagement Policy Development Guide, March 2010 Community engagement refers to the many ways in which governments connect with citizens in the development and implementation of policies, programs and services. Engagement covers a wide variety of government-community connections, ranging from information sharing to community consultation and, in some instances, active participation in government policy development and decision-making processes. Engagement acknowledges the right of citizens to have a say and to get involved in the business of government. Effective community engagement allows government to tap into diverse perspectives and potential solutions to improve the quality of its decisions. Communities - geographical and those of interest - do not exist in stasis or isolation. They are organic and reflect both their own social fabric and the influences of broader communities and agendas. Equally, community engagement is dynamic and interactive. Successful community engagement is one where all stakeholders experience a relevant; meaningful; accessible; and authentic process To be effective and positive (Aladdin s Cave) community engagement must: have a goal or intent that is matched to the overall project; offer a process that is aligned with the intent; be cognisant of the community s experience and expectations; be clearly communicated; and deliver! It is about the journey with a community! bukaji consultants page 1

2 WHAT WILL OUR CONVERSATION BE ABOUT? Derived from Arnstein s (1969) seminal work, the intent of community engagement is usually viewed in terms of a continuum of increasing levels of community participation. Community engagement is designed to achieve very specific outcomes. Understanding the goal of engagement as a function of the project in which it s placed is the first and crucial step in creating great connection with a community. How does community engagement link to the overall project? Why do we want to link with the community - purpose? Who do we wish to engage? What outcomes do we need and how will we measure them? INFORMING CONSULTING INVOLVING / PLACATING COLLABORATING / PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY DECISION Providing information to increase awareness or understanding Inviting feedback on a proposal, decision or process Actively working with the community throughout a project on a bilateral basis Sharing responsibility for the development of preferred options and alternatives with the community Final decisionmaking is the community s responsibility International Association of Public Participation (IAP2), 2010 It is critical that the goal of the engagement is well understood and selected on the basis of the fit with both the project and the community. Clarifying the goal of the engagement sets the limits of what can be offered to the community. Generally speaking, the terms Consulting, Involving, and Collaborating can be perceived as ambiguous. Each is very specific in terms of what processes can be linked to these and the type of outcome that can be achieved (as per the above table). It is important to realise that greater levels of community involvement does not necessarily correspond to a better outcome. HOW DO WE CONNECT OVER THIS ONE? A clear goal for the engagement enables the selection of strategy options that may work well with the community. It is important at this stage, that antecedent and mediating variables are taken into account. Typically, they ll include: community history public profile of the project bukaji consultants page 2

3 community perceptions of project as impacting on individual or collective life or lifestyle degree of contentiousness or support around the project or decision target group - the people who ll be most effected or are the key stakeholders Is this the right community to connect with around this project? Are there key contacts? What s been the experience of other community engagement here? What s their experience of us to date? Do we need to build bridges before we can engage on this topic? How s our timing? What s our capacity? Most communities will have some experience of community engagement. Some communities are fatigued from research, consultation and engagement processes. The experience of past engagement will directly influence the community s response to the next process. This can vary from hostility to apathy, enthusiasm and to over-identification. You can have the most creative or the ultimately standard process. Their success will be largely influenced by it ability to form some resonance with the community. Sometimes community engagement processes are brought to a community that has unfinished business or unresolved issues with the project or previous decisions. In these situations, a bridging strategy is usually required. Often, this can mean identifying key individuals or groups in the community who have the history and the ability to talk through the current emotional state of the community. Their input and support can guide not only the process but, if these individuals or groups perceive it as valuable, segue into the engagement process. Understanding this as one of the factors that will shape the community s response to an engagement strategy helps to select the design and practical aspects of the project: key stakeholders, time frame, location, process. Strategies need to be considered in terms of their potential to reach the target group and pique their interest to find out more or participate in the engagement. Here are few ideas... brochure web site competition reference group working party signage forum workshop corner conversations survey committee social event community fund note paper partnership bumper stickers social research artist in residence newsletter festival conference delegated decision fact sheet polling ritual collaboration focus group crowd sourcing pilot program social media bukaji consultants page 3

4 LET S TALK... It is often useful to consider this aspect of community engagement in terms of invitation. It is an invitation to the community to become involved. The level of involvement and that nature of it is the community s decision. The skill of community engagement is in the design and facilitation of the process. Feeling confident? You should be if... You know that the strategy congruent with the engagement goal, responsive and well-targeted for the community. The budget and resources are confirmed. The time frames are adequate. You have access to the community through the channels that are most likely to reach them. You have the right people facilitating the process. You have clearly communicated intention of the engagement - what s offered and what people can expect. Community engagement can be a one-off meeting or a process that spans years. The acid test for delivering a strategy is the degree to which it is received as authentic by the target community. Congruence between the project, the process and the community s expectation all come together at this point. HERE S HOW IT WENT Follow-through and evaluation are important design elements that require energy and commitment. Bilateral forms of engagement require some type of feedback or post-engagement feedback. As with other aspects of community engagement, it must be relevant, to scale and meaningful. It must also be timely. The completion of an engagement has implications both for the specific piece of work and the success of future community engagement. All processes have a beginning, middle and end. Informing stakeholders of the outcome of their investment is simply good manners. Do you have a contact list or plan? How do stakeholders wish to be advised? What is the agreed time frame for feedback or follow-up? Are ongoing linkages or connections required FINAL THOUGHTS More and more, communities expect to be active participants in the shaping of their local and regional neighbourhoods. They expect the opportunity to contribute to discussions and decisions about services, facilities and infrastructure that will effect their lives and lifestyle. Correspondingly, community engagement is an increasingly important and expected element of the planning bukaji consultants page 4

5 and delivery of communities and activities of government. The implementation of a principles based legislative framework for Local Government places community engagement as a central pillar of good governance. Placing communities at the heart of decisions that effect their life, well-being or future is essential in the development of communities that are robust, vibrant and resilient. REFERENCES Arnstein, S.R., (1969) A Ladder of Citizen Participation, Journal of the American Institute of Planners, Public Participation Spectrum, International Association of Public Participation (IAP2), 2004, Maree Machin bukaji consultants community design maree@bukaji.com.au bukaji consultants page 5