• Community engagement in context
  • Community engagement - an overview
  • Community engagement in a representative democracy
  • Key challenges for the public sector
  • Implications for public sector managers
  • The context for engagement
  • Clues to good community engagement
• Planning CE
  • Community engagement and the policy/planning cycle
  • Project goals
  • When is engagement necessary?
  • Community engagement objectives
  • Community research
    • Media research
    • Community profiling
    • Community segmentation
    • Community and issues analysis
  • Key communication messages
  • Selection of engagement techniques
  • Managing risk
  • Evaluation planning
  • Planning transition and exit strategies
• Implementing CE
  • Working with communities
  • Organisational culture
  • Resourcing
  • Structures and processes
  • Continuity and follow up
  • Representation and control
  • Coordination
  • Other issues
  • Embedding good practice
• Methods
  • Overview of methods
  • Methods of information-sharing
  • Methods for consultation and deliberation
  • Methods for active participation
  • Advanced participative methodologies
  • Choosing an engagement method
• Event management
  • Event engagement processes
  • Choosing a facilitator
  • Structuring the event
• Evaluating CE
  • Introduction to evaluation
  • Principles of evaluation
  • Identifying outputs and outcomes
  • Purpose and approach to evaluation
  • Evaluation criteria and indicators
  • Methods of measuring community engagement
  • Steps in evaluating community engagement
• Risk management
  • Identifying risks
  • Assessing risk
  • Managing external risks
  • Managing internal risks
  • Risk assessment and management plan
• Skills
  • Community engagement skills profile
  • Options for skills development
  • Building the skills of your team

Clues to good community engagement

The following table sets out the elements of good community engagement practice and the range of factors that support such practice. These are based on Australian and international experience.

Elements of community engagement	Factors that support elements of community engagement
Will, genuine motivation	Motivation to engage and achieve an outcome Negotiated expectations and limits Preparedness to be influenced by community input Adequate planning and funding
Outcomes focus	Ensuring that engagement processes seek to achieve positive outcomes for both the government and the community Clarity and transparency regarding the way engagement activities link to broader outcomes
Relationships and trust	Accessibility Reciprocity Communication Consistency Continuity of contact Delivering on promises Responsiveness
Leadership	Shared leadership Collaborative focus for leaders Attitudes and skills of leaders
Decision-making and legitimacy	Legitimacy to influence decisions A decision-making purpose for engagement Internal approvals and support for engagement
Inclusiveness	Diversity of community included Equity of opportunity to participate Processes that are accessible and allow broad participation Information and awareness Capacity-building opportunities for community
Project management structures and procedures	Organisational arrangements Scoping Protocols Techniques and methods Timing, including transitioning and exiting Resourcing Coordination
Accountability	Engagement processes accountable as good practice Government accountability for outcomes from engagement Government and community with mutual obligations
Skills	Refer to Skills section
Satisfaction	Gauging the extent of satisfaction with engagement Managing expectations and distinguishing the process from the outcome Adjusting the process to respond to dissatisfaction
Follow-up, sustainability	Appropriate ongoing engagement Feedback Thanking participants