Community Engagement and its sensationalism:
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?
To do this, we need a strategic approach that involves both online as well as face-to-face engagement. This workshop will look at both and discuss how we can develop a strategy for success.
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.
Community Engagement and its sensationalism
09.30 Coffee and Registration
10.00 Introduction to day and overview (Francis Sealey, GlobalNet21)
10.15 Understand the new opportunities and challenges in Community Engagement
10.30 Identifying your target groups and finding the best methods to engage.
10.45 Questions and discussion
11.00 Case Study 1 Community Catalysts – Champions and Brokers (Sarah-Jane Menzies)
11.20 Case Study 2 Case study Sports Inspired and Barking (Kat Hodge)
11.40 Case Study 3 Engaging The Elderly: Making Skype Accessible.(Ewan Marshall of Speakset)
12.00 Lunch
12.45 Overview of the afternoon session – Does it inspire engagement from your partners,
Councillors, staff, and the community?
13.00 Interactive session- How good is your community engagement?
Participants will then be split into two groups and asked to prioritise the items, to develop their own views on what each item could provide in terms of support to come up with any ideas of their own. The two groups will then be asked to present on their finalised list.
13.45 Feedback from Groups
14.00 Facilitated group discussion where participants will discuss how they work with communities. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, good and bad, about working with community groups.
14.45 Social Media to engage with local residents, providing real-time information, updates on services & changes and details of events and activities. It is also an effective way of communicating with communities on topics of interest and receiving feedback.
15.05 Questions and discussion
15.20 Taking this forward – generating a buzz of ideas and innovation that will energise and inform this work into the future
15.45 Feedback
16.00 Closure
* This programme was correct at the time of publication but may be altered to reflect speaker changes that are beyond our control.
