## Community Engagement & Public Consultation Seminar & Masterclasses A Decade Of Dialogue

Rhion Jones Programme Director The Consultation Institute

## Agenda

10.00 A Decade of Dialogue Rhion Jones
Looking @ the best Jon Bradley & Elizabeth Gammell
More with More...Hugh Flouch
11.15 Coffee
11.30 Successful Engagement with Children & Young
People David Jones
12.00 Expert Panel: Rhion (chair) Hugh, David, Jon & Davy
12.30 Lunch
13.15 Facilitated Masterclasses
- Stakeholder Management Rhion Jones & Elizabeth Gammell - Using Social Media for public engagement & consultation Jon Bradley - Facilitation Skills for 2011 David Jones
- Applying Big Society ideas Davy Jones
16.00 Ends

## Why Are We Here? Coalition Promises More Public Engagement

- Coalition Agreement Commitments - Comprehensive Spending Review - Police Reform Bill - NHS Reform - Planning Reform - Localism Bill

## Individual Perspectives Differ

- Whose views?
- How to detect views 
& opinions?
- Can we use 
new technology?
- How to reap wider
benefits?

## Different Kinds Of Engagement

- Attracting the public as paying customers - Seeking their views about what they want
...& what they have experienced

## Looking @ The Best... Most Public Bodies Now Have A Duty To... So Much Depends Upon What We Learn Early In Life

- The **Culture & Sport Evidence** programme concludes
childhood experience, education, age & socio‐economic
status are important predictors of arts attendance
- Relationships between arts attendance & well‐being - Most effective way to increase engagement is to
increase public education & promotion

## Inform We Consult When There Is Something To Influence...! Behind The Scenes At The Theatre Collection

- Accredited Museum & Research Centre opens its doors
- Twilight Talks & visits to widen awareness of what's
available...

## Best Practice Case Promoting The North‐West Film Archive

- Produced 30 minute film documentary about Hulme &
Moss Side
- Intergenerational engagement – explaining to people what
the university had collected in ways acceptable to local
audiences
- Cultural sensitivity helped! 

## Consult

Sport & Recreation in Basingstoke: Oct‐Nov 2010

- 240 individual questionnaires
- 46 Clubs surveyed - 65 Delegates at Sports Sector Conference

## Used To Determine Investment Priorities Major Developments Always Attract Controversy ... Cowdenbeath Football Club Redevelopment Of Central Park Stadium

- Planning decisions often involve potential conflicts - Retail v Sport - Football v Stock Car Racing

## Consultation Is Now Under Way.. Difficult Decisions Also In The Arts Public Expenditure Reductions Best Practice Case Study Video More With More: Local Digital Communities, Neighbourhoods & Public Services People Always Want To Cut The Services Used By "Other People"

- County Councils & London Boroughs making
savings in Library Services
- Strong element of "Big Society" alternatives - Use of new technology 

## Study Methodology

- Desk research
- Users - 500+ survey, focus groups, interviews - Councillors & council officers - 200+, focus groups, 
interviews
- Site administrators - interviews

## Scale Of London Ecosystem

- Citizen-led sites - >160 - Twitter - >180 neighbourhood-based - Resident Associations / Friends of groups - 1,320 
(est.)
- Commercial local sites

## New Groups Local Websites - The Menu

- Built and green environment: streets, litter and recycling - Transport and travel - Local services, facilities and shops
- Monitoring & campaigning - Homes and houses - Exchange, lost and found - Looking after children - Governance and politics - Disturbances and irregularities - Entertainment and recreation - Local news & information, local people and local history - Wider world politics and current affairs - Homespun philosophy

## Study Focus

•
Social capital and cohesion
•
Empowerment, civic involvement and coproduction
•
Relations with councils
•
Implications for councils.

## Neighbourly Relations

'yes, there's the occasional idiot, but they are normally shot down by the majority.'

## Information Sharing

•
People are helpful if someone asks for advice
•
Feel much more informed about neighbourhood  

## Feelings Of Influence Social Impacts

As a result of using the local website:

- Neighbourly relations
;
- Collective efficacy
;
a little or much more able to influence decisions in area

- Information sharing
;
- Belonging and attachment
;
- Social Inclusion and diversity
?

## Influence Civic Participation As A Direct Result Of Using Their Local Website Over The Past 12 Months:

•up to 54% of users had been in touch 
with their councillor
•up to 42% with a council officer •up to 50% with their MP

## Attitudes To Officials

East Dulwich councillor - can we help? 

Posted by *James Barber* 02 September, 2009 10:05 

## Hi,

My name is James Barber and I am one of the three East Dulwich ward councillors. 

My two colleagues are cllrs Rosie Shimell and Jonathan Mitchell. We're Liberal Democrats and part of Southwark Liberal Democrats. 

If you have any issues or concerns related to East Dulwich or Southwark Council then please let me or one of my colleagues know. I guarantee we will listen and answer all ideas and issues raised and hopefully help you solve them. Normally I will look in two or three times a week to see any new postings. Alternatively you can email me directly on james.barber@southwark.gov.uk. 

I look forward to hearing from you, James Barber

## Co-Production Delivering Services? Civic Impacts & Implications Neighbourhoods Connect Aims

| -   |  Feelings of Influence                   |
|-----|------------------------------------------|
| ;   |                                          |
| -   | Civic participation                      |
| ;   |                                          |
| ;   |                                          |
| -   | Improved relations with public officials |
| ;   |                                          |
| -   | Informing & understanding                |
| ;   |                                          |
| -   | Support for co-production                |
| ?   |                                          |
| -   | Channel for service delivery             |
| ?   |                                          |
| -   | Support for behaviour change             |

## Successful Engagement With Children & Young People

Points to consider……..

•Reputation, Credibility and Image •What you are consulting about makes sense to 
young people
•Access all areas – inclusion – seldom heard
•Deliver on promises •Understand how young people communicate •Dignity, Respect and Integrity

Provide young people, aged 11 ‐ 26, with a 
mixture of information, ideas and 
opportunities to help them get the 
most of their lives.  

## Local Application And Adaptation:

Dialogue Youth is a partnership between Young Scot, 
COSLA, Scottish Executive, Local Authorities, their 
community planning partners and young people.
A national strategy delivered through local action.

www.dialogueyouth.org

## Impacts………

A nation of informed young people
Increased opportunities for young people 
to access and influence relevant services
Increased participation levels in projects, 
activities and decision‐making processes
Young people as capacity builders and 
perception and image of young people

## Impact 4: Capacity Builders And Activists Key Messages Consulting Young People..

Aim high, young people deserve it!
Political and senior official commitment is crucial
Genuine involvement ‐ think differently
Sustain the excitement, motivation
Develop the brand and ownership
TRUST the young people involved

- Building social capital - Transforming services
- Democratic engagement