• 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

Community engagement objectives

Once you have clarified the project goals, it is easier to develop objectives for your community engagement activity. The objectives will vary, depending on whether its purpose is to inform, consult or engage the community in active participation.

As a general guideline, consider disseminating information to explain the reason behind the non-negotiable goals. You also need to make it clear on which aspects of the project you intend to receive feedback and on which aspects (when relevant) you are providing the opportunity for community members to influence the project outcomes through active participation.

Examples of community engagement objectives

Inform	Consult	Active participation
Planning example
Need for and purpose of transport corridor Corridor layout to meet operating and safety requirements and expected demand Protected environmental habitats Cultural heritage sensitivities.	Wider community engagement on all issues, including location, services, forward program of works planning and amenity issues Engagement of special interest groups and adjacent communities on location of future passenger terminals/ interchanges.	Affected property owners on issues affecting corridor location Traditional landowners on cultural heritage issues affecting corridor location Conservation interests on environmental and conservation issues Local government on integration, waterways and social issues.
Policy example
Need and purpose of the policy Benefits for staff, agency and its clients Targeting of staff with professional accreditation relevant to client service delivery Benefit to be consistent with relevant professional organisation and contribute toward maintaining individual accreditation.	Professional organisation on possible benefits to include and degree of support available between the agency and professional organisation regarding maintenance of accreditation Client service staff/ staff associations on the possible range of professional organisations to be included.	Senior management on the benefits, procedures and costing Client service staff/ staff associations on the benefits, procedures and implementation of policy.