Community engagement
What is it? when it's used
Community engagement is an important part of the government's public service reform agenda. It has become increasingly central to how public services make decisions.
Most community engagement has tended to take place towards the end of a decision-making process, asking the public or users what they think of a particular policy or service when most of the decisions have already been taken. Increasingly, however, organisations are beginning to realise that community engagement can offer considerable value to both the organisation and the community at the early stages of the decision-making cycle.
Community engagement can:
- improve the quality of decisions;
- build trust, helping to break down the feeling of 'us' and 'them';
- establish agreement on priorities which can lead to a shared commitment to action.
This guide will take you through each of these stages, helping you to undertake and evaluate community engagement activities.
Engaging with the community after a tragedyFollowing the onset of war in Iraq and the death of Chinese cockle-pickers in Morecambe Bay, the number of racial attacks in Merseyside rose sharply. The Community Relations Department of the Merseyside Police Force responded to this increase by consulting with community representatives and the Independent Advisory Group. This led to the production of a ‘community reassurance' poster and a leaflet, which contained both a definition of racial harassment and a list of support agencies for anyone affected by racial abuse. The leaflet was circulated to community organisations and community members, who were encouraged to share their concerns either by speaking to officers, or via local groups. |
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