To truly progress against complex social issues, data-driven practices, and programs will only be effective when community members engage in them. Engagement is based on a framework of guiding principles, strategies, and approaches that respect the right of all community members to be informed, consulted, involved, and empowered about decisions and outcomes that impact them. It should foster trust and productive relationships to make sustainable decision-making and effective governance possible.
If you are trying to decide on something you know will affect a large part of the community, you must do everything possible to ensure the decision is well-understood and widely supported. Without a robust process, you will likely end up with a recommendation that some people like and others don't.
A broad-based, inclusive approach to engagement can also help you achieve better outcomes for your project and your community. It will give you the time to understand your stakeholders' issues and priorities, and it will build relationships and trust in a way that will benefit you and your project in the long run.
It will also mean that you will have a social license to operate, which means you will be more resilient during times of change and more support to respond if something goes wrong. So it's all the more important to do it right and start early!
Community engagement is critical for public space, placemaking, and urban development projects – especially those funded by taxpayers' money. Whether the project is a school, a bridge, or a hospital, community members have their ideas and needs that need to be considered before the building process can move forward.
When done properly, community engagement builds deeper, stronger, and more trusting relationships between public organizations and communities. And it helps governments make data-driven decisions.
Generally, it is based on a framework of guiding principles, strategies, and approaches that respect the rights of all community members to be informed, consulted, involved, and empowered about decisions and outcomes that impact them.
This is why the guiding principles, tools, and strategies of community engagement should foster trust and productive relationships to make sustainable decision-making and effective governance possible. As policymakers, elected officials, philanthropists, and nonprofit leaders shift resources to data-driven initiatives, this becomes even more important.
There are many reasons why community engagement matters. It can build stronger relationships between you and your community, increase trust, and ensure all voices are heard during decision-making.
You can get better results from your project by engaging your community early. The people that live and work in your community have a wealth of knowledge, experience, history, and context that you might not know about.
They can help you build your understanding, avoid political landmines and ensure you deliver the best possible long-term outcome for the whole community. Whether you're building a school, bridge, or hospital, the best outcomes will come from a collaborative, inclusive, and transparent process. Without this, a community will feel left out, their ideas won't be fully considered, and a project could go wrong.
A well-designed community engagement process will produce several measurable outcomes. These include a more informed and engaged population, better-informed decision-makers, and the ability to deliver the best long-term solutions for your community's most pressing issues.
A broad-based community engagement approach will also likely reduce your project risks – particularly regarding public space projects. In particular, if you're planning a new school or other infrastructure, involving the community early and often will give you a clearer idea of what your project will likely achieve and help you identify potential pitfalls before they start.
For private projects, a good community engagement scheme will also help you move faster through the entitlement process, which is about getting government approval before making any serious headway. For example, suppose you can gather the right information from the community and demonstrate how your plans are likely to be improved by the inputs they've provided. In that case, you'll be ready to win government approval without breaking a sweat.