In light of the changes in public sector funding now more than ever, organisations need to involve communities in helping them to make tough decisions about services, spending and investment priorities. We know that involving communities can lead to better decision-making and getting services right the first time.
But how do we do that in a way that involves marginalised groups and those voices unheard in local areas. How do we reach the elderly, many in the migrant community and those who fall below the poverty line?
This workshop will focus on identifying groups and targeting them for engagement and in creating on-going community conversations through both online and face-to-face techniques. It will illustrate how developing conversations can cascade into a variety of engagement activities and have an influence on policy formation as well.
Participants of this workshop will gain:
- An understanding of promoting accessibility, valuing cultural diversity, promoting participating reducing disadvantage and exclusion will help in the planning and design of community engagement.
- What level of participation is it hoped will be achieved?
- Focusing your attention and strategy to to identify the stakeholders?
- Understanding the importance of brokerage
- Deciding what can be done online and through social networking
- Resources
- Are there any limitations?
- Timely feedback and next steps
The programme*
The morning session will explore the new opportunities and challenges in community engagement. It will concentrate on the importance of targeting relevant groups and then creating an on going conversation to create inclusivity and connection.
Community Engagement, Targeting and Conversations
09.30 Coffee and Registration
10.00 Introduction to day and overview (Francis Sealey, GlobalNet21)
10.15 Identifying your target groups and finding the best methods to engage (Tamina Mir)
10.30 Engagement Through Connectivity – Developing Community Conversations (Francis Sealey)
10.45 Questions and discussion
11.00 Case Study 1 – Targetting Unheard Voices and creating Conversations Wiltshire County Council Case Study (Francis Sealey)
11.10 Continuing Case Study 1 .Working with Targeted Groups to develop on going conversations, new activities and policy development. (Steve Milton Wiltshire County Council via Skype)
11.45 Case Study 2. Engaging Communities Through Digital Stories – Sports Inspired On Health & Well Being in Barking, (Kat Hodge)
12.10 Lunch
12.45 Overview of the afternoon session. The afternoon will provide opportunities to engage in interactive sessions on both targeting and creating community conversations with Case Studies.
12.55 – This will be an interactive session where we will participants will be split into two or three groups to discuss what groups they seek to engage and how they would target these groups. (Tamina Mir)
13.30 Feedback from Groups (Tamina Mir)
13.50 Case Study 3 Engaging The Elderly: Making Skype Accessible. (Francis Sealey)
14.00 Releasing the potentials of Skype – Ewan Marshall via Skype.
14.20 Case Study 4 Working with Communities Through through Community Champions ( Ian Simpson and Guinness Housing Association by Video)
14.35 Social Networking & The New Media to engage and develop conversations – some examples through GlobalNet21 (Francis Sealey)
14.55 – This will be an interactive session where we will participants will be split into two or three groups to discuss, given the case studies they have seen, how they would develop community conversations with their targeted groups that involves them and helps to link them with others. (Tamina Mir)
15.30 – Feedback From Groups (Tamina Mir)
15.45 – Concluding Session – Summarising the Themes of the Day ( Francis Sealey & Tamina Mir)
16.00 – Close
* This programme was correct at the time of publication but may be altered to reflect speaker changes that are beyond our control.
