Embedding engagement
Skills: in-house and commissioned work
Community involvement is a good example of an area of work where consultants cannot just be left to "go it alone". It will be important to manage the opportunities and risks associated with contracting out work. Some of these are listed below. It is helpful to think in advance about how to make the most of any contractor you employ.
Things to consider
- Skills of staff and others to handle the work directly, or to manage the contract
- Resources available
- Time available outside the core work of staff and departments
Advantages of contracting out
- Independence
- Not swayed unduly by organisational priorities or culture
- Critical friend role
- Professional expertise
- Breadth of experience to call upon
- Some members of the public may feel more comfortable discussing certain issues with external consultants than with police officers.
Risks of contracting out
- Lack of access to "inside information":
- community contacts
- organisational priorities
- If you contract out, you do not develop the expertise or skills internally
- Loss of ownership of information/ resources (eg a database) to the contracted organisation
- Loss of detailed knowledge gathered and potential for new relationships between stakeholders
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