Methods for active participation
Many participative processes are available to you in delivering community engagement. Participative processes are often the foundation of longer-term community engagement and development activities.
In some instances, it is more effective to use participative processes, for example, where an issue is critical to the community and there is a lack of clarity or agreement on the issue. However, where the issue is clear and there is agreement on direction, information and consultative processes are more effective.
Whole-of-community engagement
Whole of community engagement activities can include public meetings, celebrations, consultation fairs and exhibitions. There have been many creative approaches to developing whole-of-community engagement events.
For examples, refer to:
- Victorian Local Government Association web site
- Connecting with communities toolkit – Improvement and Development Agency, UK
Where the community is not in a particular location (for example, information technology businesses in Queensland), whole-of-community engagement activities can include mail-outs, conferences and email discussions.
Examples of large-scale community engagement participation processes include:
- open space technology, refer to Worldwide Open Space or Open Space Technology
- search conferences, refer to People In Charge or Future Search Network
- appreciative inquiry approaches, refer to Appreciative Inquiry and the Quest or Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits
- action research methodologies, refer to Collaborative Action Research Network
- community exhibitions, arts/theatre, refer to Citizens & Civics Unit of Western Australia, Consulting Citizens: A resource guide 2002, Citizens and Civics Unit, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Government of Western Australia
- televoting, refer to VLGA - Consultation and Engagement, Community consultation resource guide, Victorian Local Government Association
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