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Community Engagement Seminar
Workshop 1
Practical Tools for Community Engagement
Paul Higget, Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation
Key points from the presentation
- Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation (NIF) is a national
charity specialising in community engagement, stakeholder
participation, project development, training and research in the
field of community development.
- "Planning For Real" (PFR) is a tool used by NIF to
involve local communities in working with professionals and
agencies in development and other issues in target areas. It has
been used in Neighbourhood Renewal areas.
- PFR involves stakeholders' analysis to ensure the right people
are engaged. A model of the focus area is constructed to scale.
This is then used at PFR events as a visual spatial tool to
enable residents and professionals to identify problems or
future needs.
- PFR enables individuals or groups to have their say in a
non-threatening manner offering anonymity. It has proved useful
in identifying crime and disorder problems and pinpointing areas
of difficulty.
- NIF are committed to engaging traditionally hard to reach or "disenfranchised" groups. The preparation for their work involves analysis and action to achieve this.
Key points from the discussion
- Delegates were invited to undertake a short PFR exercise. This
involved selecting a "role" card to define the
character, circumstances and issues facing a potential resident.
Then, in role, to select "issue" cards and place them
on the scale model provided.
- Following this examples of PFR applications were given,
including a project in Edlington Doncaster, an area with high
crime rates.
- Discussions focussed on practical issues including cost,
engagement issues and managing expectations.
- Delegates were concerned that the exercise, unless fully supported by local planning departments and partnerships, would deliver very little. This highlighted the need for good preparation, including stakeholder analysis and action.
Download the full PowerPoint presentation 599 Kb
Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation website: http://www.nifonline.org.uk/
Last update: 31 March 2004