MODULE 1: Welcome

1.1 Welcome to the community engagement toolkit

This toolkit has been developed by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) to assist rural, remote and Indigenous local governments in Australia to improve their engagement with the communities that they serve. Community engagement is essential to democratic government. There are plenty of guides, handbooks and toolkits on community engagement, but the difference with this toolkit is that it is specially designed for the needs and circumstances of rural, remote and Indigenous councils. ACELG recognises that small councils in regional and remote Australia do not necessarily have the staff and resources to undertake elaborate community engagement activities. This toolkit is designed to be a practical guide for councillors and staff of smaller councils to improve how they engage the community, by following simple tips and advice and using practical tools and methods that are suited to their circumstances.

This toolkit was authored by Michael Limerick, Melissa Sutton and Susan Sheppard for the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG). Images courtesy of Victoria Daly Shire and Roper Gulf Regional Council.

1.2 How to use the toolkit

There is no single way to use this toolkit. It can be read like a book from start to finish, or you can simply go to the topics that interest you by using the navigation bar in the left-hand column.

The intent of the toolkit is to provide basic information for anyone new to community engagement, but there are plenty of links to other resources if you want to read more in-depth. ACELG has also published a comprehensive database of community engagement resources which is available on the website.

If you are just interested in the practical tools and templates that can be downloaded, click here for a list of the resources.

1.3 Modules in this toolkit

The modules covered in this toolkit are:

1. Welcome - This module introduces the toolkit.

2. Introducing community engagement - This module provides an introduction to the concept of community engagement for local governments.

3. The role of councillors in community engagement - This module looks at the role that elected councillors can play in engaging the community.

4. Developing a community engagement policy - This module explains the value for councils of having a formal community engagement policy and provides guidance about how to develop and implement such a policy.

5. Developing a community engagement plan for a particular project - This module describes the basic steps in planning and implementing a community engagement process for a particular issue, decision or project about which a council wants to engage its community. 

6. Selected engagement tools for rural, remote and Indigenous councils - This module provides practical guidance and resources for community engagement tools that are commonly employed by rural, remote and Indigenous councils, specifically public meetings, surveys and social media. 

7. Analysing and using community input - This module looks at how data furnished from community engagement processes can be analysed and interpreted for use in council decision making.

8. Encouraging community involvement - This module looks at why people often don't get involved in council affairs and suggests strategies to educate residents about local government and encourage them to get involved.

9. List of practical tools and templates - This module lists all resources provided throughout the toolkit for easy access.

MODULE 2: Introducing community engagement

2.1 Overview

This module provides an introduction to the concept of community engagement. It covers:

• what 'community engagement' means
• why community engagement is important for local governments
• the types of issues local governments should engage the community about
• the common challenges and risks in community engagement.

2.2 What is community engagement?

Put simply, community engagement is the process of involving the public in the business of government. Although there are many terms used to describe this process, 'community engagement' is the most widely-accepted term by Australian governments. Other commonly used terms that refer to community engagement or aspects of community engagement include 'public participation', 'citizen engagement', 'public engagement', 'public consultation' and 'empowering communities'. Community engagement is:

• a two-way process of interaction between a local government and its constituents; and
• about something, such as a decision the local government needs to make, or a problem or issue affecting the community that the local government wishes to address.
   

What is engagement?

Because community engagement covers a wide range of activities it is useful to view community engagement as a continuum based on the level of involvement of the community. Most governments in Australia, including local governments, refer to the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation to describe the various levels of community engagement.

Source: International Association for Public Participation

For a local government, the possibility of using the fullest form of participation in the IAP2 spectrum, 'Empower', will be limited by the council's legislative responsibility for making decisions. Local governments are typically unable to fully delegate decision-making to the public.

Based on an OECD model, the Queensland Government uses a simpler categorisation of the levels of community engagement. In this model, 'active participation' encompasses the IAP2's categories of 'involve', 'collaborate' and 'empower':

Source: Queensland Government, 2011

2.3 Why is community engagement important?

The community elects its council at periodic local government elections, but its involvement in local government should not stop there. It is fundamental to democracy that citizens have a right to be involved in the decisions that affect their lives. Furthermore, if a council doesn't involve the community, it will be less able to make decisions that are responsive to changing community needs, informed by the facts, and understood and respected by the community. 

The benefits for the local government in improving its community engagement include:

• tapping into wider sources of information, perspectives and potential solutions, which improves the quality of decision-making
• ensuring decisions respond to the community's expressed needs and desires, which will ensure value for money for expenditure and improve respect for council
• raising awareness in the community about the issue for which they are being engaged and the local government's response, which will improve the community's compliance with council's direction
• the opportunity to build consensus around the decision, which will reduce conflict
• demonstrating a willingness to involve the community, which increases council's legitimacy and respect in the community
• demonstrating more transparency and accountability in the way decisions are made.
   

There are also benefits for citizens who participate in community engagement processes, such as:

• opportunities for learning, accessing information and resources, and building new skills
• improving networks and connections in the community
• feeling 'listened to' and valued
• influencing council's decisions to better meet citizens' needs and aspirations.
   

There are also legislative reasons for local governments to undertake community engagement. In many parts of Australia legislation requires local governments to engage with the community about certain issues, such as about making new local laws, developing a council plan or community plan, or getting community input into the delivery of particular services. The National Competition Policy introduced in the 1990s led to various legislative requirements to consult businesses in the community before imposing anti-competitive regulation.

The community itself has growing expectations of being informed about, and having a say in government decisions at all levels. These expectations are increasingly recognised in legislation, such as freedom of information (FOI) or right to information laws, or rights to seek administrative or judicial review of decisions, including rights to ensure decisions are based on reason and reasons for decisions are provided. These trends have significantly increased accountabilities in all tiers of government and, along with intensive media scrutiny and the free flow of information through modern technology, there is no way to conceal poor process.

Improving community engagement practices is especially important where local councils have been amalgamated into regional local governments. The more distant that local communities are from local government offices and administrative hubs, the more important it is for the council to have effective strategies for engaging them in the council's business. Communities that previously had access to a local council will quickly become agitated if they feel that decisions that affect them are being made in distant locations without reference to their hopes or concerns. This has been a particular challenge for the larger regional councils formed in the Northern Territory in 2008, where community disenchantment prompted the introduction of new "local authorities" as a means for local communities to have greater engagement with their regional council. It is also a challenge confronting large rural-remote shires in Western Australia that are taking up responsibility to deliver services to remote Indigenous communities that were previously delivered by local organisations or community councils.

2.4 What types of issues should councils engage about?

Each council needs to consider the types of issues where it is most important to engage the community. There is obviously no need to engage the community in every aspect of a council's decision-making or service delivery. There are some issues where residents will just expect the council to get on with managing the service, without bothering residents for their opinion.

Questions to ask in considering whether community engagement is necessary?

• Is the council required by legislation to engage the community about the issue?
• For example, local governments will, in most cases, be required to consult the community before making new local laws (by-laws) or planning schemes.
• In some parts of Australia local government legislation also requires councils to engage the community about community plans.
   
• Is it an issue where the quality of the outcome will depend on stakeholder input? 
• For example, a new community sporting facility will have better usage if residents have been consulted about its design and location. By contrast, there is no need to consult the community about the design of a new sewerage treatment plant, as this is a technical matter.
   
• Is it an issue where the quality of the outcome will depend on the motivation and commitment of the community to comply with the council's decision or direction?
• For example, if the council is deciding whether to enter the Tidy Towns competition, the motivation of residents to get behind the campaign will be pivotal for its success.
• If the success of a new local law will depend on the community being aware of the law and complying with it, community engagement will assist with this.
   
• Is it an issue where the quality of the outcome will depend on the cooperation and collaboration of individuals or organisations in the community?
• People are more likely to be willing to cooperate in implementing a decision that they have been involved in making.
   
• Is it an issue that the local government has any power or discretion over?
• There are many services for which local government has no discretion over the service delivery as the budget allocation, priorities and service delivery model have all been dictated by the State or Commonwealth funding body.
• o There is no point consulting the community about such services if the council has no power to act on the feedback.
   
• How complex is the issue?
• For issues where there are multiple challenges and potential solutions, the value of community input will be much greater.
• If there are people with expertise in the community who might be able to assist with the decision, there is a further reason to engage the community.
   
• How significant will the impact of the decision be on the community?
• The community expects to have the opportunity to be involved in decisions that will have the greatest impact on them.
• Impacts may be social, economic or environmental in nature.
• It is particularly important to engage communities about decisions with a financial impact on residents, such as increased rates, fees or charges. 
• Decisions that will cut back valued services or facilities are significant topics for engagement.
   
• How significant will the impact on the council's financial operations be?
   
• How politically sensitive is the issue in the community?
• If there is consensus and wide acceptance about the council's approach to an issue then there is less need for community engagement, in contrast to a situation where an issue is highly contentious.
   

In practice, the key issues about which rural, remote and Indigenous local governments tend to engage their communities are the following:

• community planning and land-use planning
• local government corporate planning (strategic plan and vision etc.)
• local government service levels/standards
• proposed local laws/by-laws
• the design and location of new infrastructure or facilities (including roads)
• specific projects or programs (such as sport and recreation, employment and training, community safety/crime prevention, flood mitigation, tourism)
• youth issues
• legislative, policy or service issues that are the responsibility of higher levels of government, but where the council wishes to convey community views (such as alcohol management plans, housing, education, the environment and health).
   

¹ Central Desert Shire Council 2011, Community Engagement Strategy and Policy.

2.5 What are the challenges and risks in community engagement?

Local governments need to be aware of the key challenges and risks involved in community engagement and how to address them. The following table highlights some challenges and what councils can do to address them.

Managing community expectations

Residents may have unrealistic expectations that council will implement all their suggestions or that council has broader authority than is really the case.

What councils can do:

• Be clear about the reasons for engagement
• Clearly state the parameters for the decision about which council is engaging (what is negotiable/non-negotiable, possible/impossible, what council has authority over/no authority over)
• Be clear that the intent is not to generate a 'wishlist'
• Don't engage beyond the 'information' stage if the issue is one where people will have little influence on decisions or outcomes
• Explain the process fully and provide feedback at key points in the process about decisions and approaches being taken
• Inform and involve key community members in implementation.
   

Lack of follow through

If the council is not seen to follow through on the outcomes of a community engagement process, the community may lose faith in the process.

What councils can do:

• Make sure some smaller actions are implemented in a short time after initial engagement
• Before engaging, ensure that the council has the necessary resources and implementation arrangements in place 
• Have explicit and achievable action plans
• Let the community know what is being implemented.
   

Lack of representativeness and inclusiveness

More vocal and well-organised interest groups may be more active than marginalised groups in the community. Some people may lack the time, confidence, language skills or mobility to contribute equitably. Unrepresentative participation will undermine the quality of the outcomes and the credibility of the process.

What councils can do:

• A judgment needs to be made about representation and the level of input that is practical and achievable
• Use existing social networks, key informed people and appropriate methods for engagement
• Provide multiple opportunities and means for people to have input
• Ensure that engagement events are accessible, culturally appropriate and welcoming for a range of different stakeholders
• Be prepared to tailor engagement activities to the needs of different groups
• Ensure that feedback is provided and people have an opportunity to be involved in implementation.
   

Over-engagement

Unnecessary or unproductive engagement can lead to 'consultation fatigue', making people cynical and antagonistic about community engagement. Indigenous communities, in particular, often complain about excessive consultation with few outcomes.

What councils can do:

• Build in the results of previous engagement processes
• Focus on issues relevant to people, rather than broader issues or issues more relevant to the council
• Coordinate engagement processes with those of other governments
• Use established social networks to 'piggyback' on existing community meetings rather than having additional events
• Ensure that consultation is meaningful and has outcomes
• Focus efforts on the stakeholder groups whose concerns, aspirations and needs are less well understood, rather than those whose perspectives are already well known.
   

Negative input

People may be overly negative in their input due to broader frustrations with the council, such as from a lack of engagement in the past or from a view that their feedback was not adequately considered in previous engagement activities.

What councils can do:

• Listen actively to stakeholder concerns, acknowledge past experiences, and be polite and respectful
• Focus discussion on the future, not the past
• Use appropriate engagement methods (e.g. not a public meeting if there is controversy or anger).
   

Not enough time or resources to engage well

Half-hearted, poorly planned or poorly resourced community engagement will lead to poor outcomes.

What councils can do:

• Be realistic about what level of engagement is possible with the available time and resources
• Ensure adequate time and resources are available before starting.
   

Constituents' lack of interest in participating

Many councils struggle to get sufficient participation by residents in engagement processes such as community meetings and workshops and are therefore reluctant to spend resources on engagement.

What councils can do:

• Plan the process to make sure that you are inviting all relevant people and groups, and that the ways of involving them are appropriate
• Before undertaking engagement, ask people from different groups how they would like to be involved
• Identify the natural community 'hubs' around which people gather and engage with people there, rather than expecting them to come to council. These hubs will vary for different groups (e.g. daycare or family service facilities for contacting parents and families, the aged persons home for contacting the elderly, or the basketball court for contacting young people)
• Ensure that activities are fun, social and held at a time of day and in locations that are convenient for people
• Make sure that everyone has a chance to be involved – for example, cater for people who have a disability or who may not have English as a first language
• Be clear to people about the influence that they can have over the issue you want to discuss with them; people are more likely to participate if they know their views will have an impact
• Provide feedback to people about how their input has been reflected in the project or idea and follow up with them about any ideas or actions they suggested.¹

¹ Adapted from Jim Cavaye, 'Community Engagement: Skills Development Workshop', delivered to Australian General Practice Network, 2010; Queensland Government 2011, Engaging with rural and regional communities: community capacity building toolkit for rural and regional communities.

MODULE 3: The role of councillors in community engagement

3.1 Overview

This module looks at the role that elected councillors can play in engaging the community. In particular, it covers:

• the reasons why community engagement is important for councillors
• what councillors themselves can do to engage the community or lead community engagement by the council organisation
• what council staff can do to encourage councillors to embrace the community engagement, particularly in the face of scepticism or resistance to the idea.

3.2 Why community engagement is important for councillors

Section 2.3 set out the reasons why community engagement is important for local governments. Councillors are key leaders of a local government and need to be actively involved in community engagement. The following extract from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council's Community Engagement Framework explains why community engagement is a key part of a councillor's role:

Engagement occurs at all levels of local government. Councillors play an important role in representing the interests of residents and ratepayers. This requires a solid understanding of community needs and the ability to set objectives to meet these needs. Providing community leadership, guidance and facilitating communication between the community and council is the core business of a councillor.

Often councillors are required to establish priorities between competing demands for limited resources. This means that councillors need to be able to access many and varied views that will enable them to make balanced decisions based on a whole-of-community view. Community engagement is therefore critical to the success of the relationship between the councillor, the community they represent and [the relevant] Council.

Councillors hold high office and are subject to intensive scrutiny. To be effective in the role, it is crucial to understand the following: 

1. Good governance requires councillors to exercise their functions:
1. diligently - that is, on the basis of the best available information and advice which will include the perspectives, ideas and information available from residents
2. democratically - that is, keeping residents well informed and encouraging involvement in council business as appropriate.
    
2. There are increasing levels of accountability exacted in relation to decision making, including:
1. certain legislative requirements for consultation (in local government legislation and in other laws such as the Native Title Act 1993)
2. legal rights to the review of administrative decisions (requiring defensible decision making and the provision of reasons for decisions)
3. laws requiring council meetings to be open to the public and meeting minutes to be publicly available, which increases scrutiny of council’s decisions
4. a willingness of some residents to complain to the ombudsman or a local MP if they are upset about a council decision
5. for councillors in Indigenous communities, community or kinship obligations create very strong expectations that councillors will be accountable in a cultural way.
    
3. Effective and meaningful engagement is the best way to discharge these responsibilities and there are major risks to councillors' performance and personal standing by not engaging effectively.

The key message for councillors is that by embracing community engagement they demonstrate their understanding and respect for the democratic process at the same time as improving their ability to do their job well. From a personal political point of view, they also ensure that they are not left struggling and exposed.

Councillors representing Indigenous communities face particular challenges in community engagement. For example, in Aboriginal culture there may be very strong kinship obligations requiring the councillor to act in the best interests of his or her family and consult important individuals (e.g. elders) about particular issues. On the other hand, the councillor’s duty as a member of council is to consider the best interests of the entire community and not act in a manner that could be considered partisan or give rise to a conflict of interest. This will be a difficult balancing act which is best managed by the councillor engaging as broadly as possible with all groups and families in the community, and making a special effort to manage the expectations of his or her own family by explaining the duties of councillors to act in the best interests of the entire community. The councillor can commit to bringing his or her kin group’s particular perspectives to the council table, but will need to emphasise that councillors are part of a team that ultimately have to make collective decisions that balance the interests of all parts of the community.

Tip: Consider the potential headlines

While it is always more productive to consider community engagement in terms of the benefits that the council and community will gain from the process, from a pragmatic perspective it is also worth keeping in mind the potential headlines if the council fails to engage the community or does so poorly. 

Source: Coast Reporter; ABC News.

3.3 What councillors can do

Key actions councillors can take to advance the objectives of community engagement are to:

• promote an organisational culture around openness and accountability, including through the development and adoption of a Community Engagement Policy
• show leadership in motivating and supporting others to work together
• reflect on their own skills in working well with people and reconciling differences
• support the key community members and groups who drive voluntary work and provide a basis for engagement
• support training and development for staff in community engagement
• seek and take advice on community engagement exercises
• get involved in such exercises in appropriate ways (particularly in giving feedback so that people can see that they have been heard) and take advice on the nature of that involvement.

3.4 What staff can do to encourage councillors in community engagement

Research has revealed that many councillors in rural areas are resistant to undertaking community engagement because they see it as:

• unnecessary – councillors believe that they already have good networks in the community and understand their concerns, and that residents have ready access to them directly
• unwanted – there is a belief that residents don't want to be consulted about new developments because they are primarily interested in achieving progress, and therefore aren't concerned with common topics of consultation such as sustainability or environmental issues
• unproductive – councillors see community engagement as time-consuming and costly, and do not believe that it leads to real results.¹
   

These views can make it challenging for councillors to embrace the idea of community engagement, especially when rural, remote and Indigenous councils have scarce resources at their disposal. By providing relevant information and highlighting potential benefits, staff have a role in assisting councillors to embrace community engagement.

Tips: How staff can assist councillors to embrace community engagement

• Seek support for development of a Community Engagement Policy (refer Module 4)
• Highlight the many benefits to the council, because community engagement:
• harnesses community ideas and expertise beyond the usual/predictable contributors
• helps resolve contested issues and get 'buy-in' for council's plans
• provides a reality check on assumptions, beliefs and data or other information
• makes it less likely that council will make mistakes or waste effort 
• provides opportunities to build relationships 
• reduces criticism by improving community understanding and averting complaints that people were not engaged
• enhances public confidence in council decisions, and council's reputation generally.
• In pursuing particular engagement exercises, seek 'in principle' support for engagement early in the process, including an acknowledgement that it will need to be resourced
• Make the process as straightforward as possible in terms of the active role of councillors
• Acknowledge that final decisions rest with the whole of council rather than an individual councillor
• Meet resistance with examples of how engagement has worked well elsewhere
• Highlight examples of where good community engagement by the council in the past has helped avert conflict and has led to better decisions
• Assure councillors that lessons have been captured from previous attempts and past pitfalls will be avoided
• Engage with councillors early in the planning phase to understand and address any concerns/reservations and accommodate any outstanding concerns in the design
• If there are concerns about workload pressures, explain that the 'hands on' role of councillors may be less than expected and, in particular, that their main role during the process will be to listen
• Explain any efforts to coordinate with other engagement processes in the local government area, and seek to rationalise these
• Point out the broader context and any additional benefits from the exercise, for example acquiring leverage on another issue, or relationship building as the foundation for an upcoming, more challenging exercise
• Get commitment to creating a positive culture around engagement, and a commitment to training and development for senior and mid level staff in both community engagement practices and communications generally
• Build reminders about community engagement into council reporting and other templates – for example, an engagement checking tool in staff reports to council that identifies what community engagement has occurred or will occur, and describing the process and results.
   

Staff may wish to use the following PowerPoint presentation to introduce to councillors the concept of community engagement. This can be an important first step towards convincing councillors to develop a Community Engagement Policy for the council, as described in Module 4.

Resource: Presentation for staff to introduce to councillors the concept of community engagement

Download presentation: PDF; PPTX

¹ Pini, B & McKenzie, FH 2006, 'Challenging Local Government Notions of Community Engagement as Unnecessary, Unwanted and Unproductive: Case Studies from Rural Australia', Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 27-44.

MODULE 4: Developing a community engagement policy

4.1 Overview

This module:

• explains the benefits for a council of having a formal community engagement policy 
• provides general guidance about what is included in a community engagement policy
• suggests a process for developing a community engagement policy that is meaningful and supported by councillors and staff alike
• explains how to embed a community engagement policy in the council's everyday business.

4.2 Does your council need a community engagement policy?

Although not always essential, developing and adopting a community engagement policy can be useful for the purposes of:

• engaging councillors in a discussion about the importance of community engagement, leading to an agreed position on the principles that underpin the council's particular approach to issues subject to engagement – in other words, the process of discussing and making a policy serves to 'get everyone on the same page' and ensure councillor buy-in for any future community engagement undertaken by staff and councillors
• providing strategic guidance to individual councillors and council staff in how to approach community engagement
• publicly stating the council's commitment to engaging the community in council business – this might be useful in countering criticisms that the council has not been adequately engaging with the community.

4.3 What is covered by a community engagement policy?

Although the format and scope of policies vary widely amongst councils, a community engagement policy usually covers the following things:

• a definition of community engagement
• a statement of the council's commitment to community engagement, sometimes connected back to the council's strategic vision or mission
• a set of principles that will guide the council's approach to community engagement.
   

Some councils' policies also go further and spell out:

• the sorts of issues that the council will engage about
• the types of tools that the council will use to engage.
   

4.4 The process of making a community engagement policy

Every council has its own processes for developing and adopting a new policy. There is sometimes a tendency for councils to treat adopting a policy as a compliance matter, so that staff draft up a policy (usually based on a precedent from elsewhere) and the council 'rubber-stamps' it. It is essential, however, that councillors understand and support the council's commitment to community engagement, so staff should seek to actively involve councillors in the process of developing the policy. The following process is suggested:

1. Council presentation

– introduce the idea of community engagement to the councillors by delivering a general presentation on what community engagement is and why it is important

– you may choose to use the template PowerPoint presentation provided in Section 3.4.
 

2. Councillor workshop on draft policy

– either at the presentation or at a subsequent meeting hold a short workshop discussion with councillors (and staff where appropriate) to start the process of drafting the community engagement policy

– at the workshop, council should

(a) start by reflecting on the council's past and current practices for engaging the community, by discussing questions such as:

– apart from elections, when do residents tend to get involved in council issues?

– what has council done well in engaging the community in the past?

– what are council's weaknesses in community engagement?

– what does council want to do better in community engagement?

– what will be the benefits to council if community engagement is improved?

(b) develop a statement of council's commitment to community engagement 

(c) agree on a set of principles that will guide the council's approach to community engagement

(d) discuss the types of issues and decisions where councillors believe it is a priority to engage the community more

(e) discuss the potential costs of doing more community engagement (in terms of staff time and budget needs).

(For (b) and (c), the sample text in the Sample text for use in community engagement policies document may help to generate discussion and ideas.)
 

3. Staff to prepare a draft policy

– based on the workshop outcomes, staff can prepare a draft policy for council's consideration.
 

4. Council resolution to adopt policy

– at a further meeting, council adopts the policy as per its usual policy-making process.
 

5. Make an allowance for community engagement in council's annual budget

– at the council's next annual budget planning session, potential costs of community engagement exercises should be considered and specifically included where appropriate.

4.5 Embedding community engagement in council business

The challenge for a council is to make sure that a stated commitment to community engagement in a new Community Engagement Policy does not become merely vague rhetoric or an occasional 'add-on' activity for contentious projects. Rather, community engagement needs to be embedded as a regular feature of the way council does its business.

Tips: How to ensure an ongoing focus on community engagement

• Nominate a staff member as the responsible officer for community engagement. This position could act as a central resource for the council as a whole, including:
• championing and embedding community engagement processes across the organisation
• ensuring community engagement is part of project management processes
• upskilling other staff
• leading engagement activities or assisting other staff in planning and delivering engagement
• evaluating the effectiveness of council's engagement activities.
• Add oversight of community engagement processes to the portfolio responsibilities of a councillor.
• Encourage support staff and/or councillors to undertake community engagement training.
• Modify the council's template/format for all council reports to include a section entitled 'community engagement' to report on planned engagement about the issue at hand, or engagement that has already been done by staff in preparing the report.

5.2 Seven steps for a successful community engagement process

In this module, the following process is described step by step.

• STEP 1 – Decide whether community engagement is required
• STEP 2 – Define the objectives and scope of the engagement
• STEP 3 – Identify who will be engaged
• STEP 4 – Choose the right tools to engage
• STEP 5 – Engage
• STEP 6 – Report back to council
• STEP 7 – Close the loop (report back to stakeholders).

5.3 STEP 1 – Decide whether community engagement is required

It is important to be clear about whether community engagement is needed for a project, because unnecessary community engagement will waste council resources and create disappointment or frustrated expectations in the community. Section 2.3 of this toolkit sets out a series of questions to ask in considering whether community engagement is necessary.

Tool: Deciding whether engagement is necessary

You may wish to use the following matrix to help assess the need for community engagement for the project:

It should become clear in completing the table above whether community engagement will be of value for the project under consideration.

5.4 STEP 2 – Define the objectives and scope of the engagement

It is important to be clear about the council's objectives from the community engagement process and to define what is and what is not within the scope of the issue being engaged about.

To clarify the objectives and scope of the engagement, the council first needs to ask two questions:

• what is the issue at stake that the council is ultimately considering?
• what part of this issue does the council wish to engage the community about?
   

This requires the council to be clear about the issue at stake as well as what is negotiable or non-negotiable as far as involvement of the community is concerned. For example:

• the issue at stake might be setting the priorities for spending the council's allocated budget for landscaping and beautification, and the part of this issue that the council wants to engage the community about is the preferred locations and types of landscaping or beautification to be carried out. The budget has already been allocated, so what is outside of scope (non-negotiable) is whether council should have allocated more or less of its overall budget to this purpose or to other areas
• if the issue at stake is flood mitigation measures the council might put in place, the council needs to be clear whether the engagement with the community is about getting feedback on the range of possible measures or is simply about identifying the impacts on the community of a measure (e.g. a new levee bank) that the council has already decided to implement
• if the issue at stake is the contents of the council's community plan, the scope of the community engagement might be as narrow as seeking feedback on community priorities for service delivery in the next 12 months or as broad as generating a range of views about what should be the council's long-term strategic vision for the community.
   

At this point, it is worthwhile spelling out the focus questions that the council is seeking to have answered during the community engagement. For example, in consulting about a new community hall, the council’s focus questions might be about the seating of the hall, the activities it can accommodate, and the facilities that community groups will require. The importance of clarifying focus questions up front is that they will:

• guide the council in working out who needs to be engaged (see Step 3) and how best to engage them (see Step 4)
• assist in writing up the report back to council (see Step 6).
   

A major constraint for many councils is that so much of their funding and their program and service delivery methods are set by higher levels of government, leaving them very little discretion over how they do things locally. Before conducting community engagement about a program or service that the State/Territory or Commonwealth has funded it is important to work out how much scope there is to change the program or service in response to community views. It is advisable for councils to discuss the proposed community engagement with the funding body to clarify the appropriate scope of engagement.

Tip: Don't promise the world! 

For any community engagement, it is very important to be clear about the constraints, such as who makes the final decision, what can realistically be changed and what resources are available. It is better to promise something small that can be delivered from the community engagement exercise than something large that can't be delivered.

Having identified the issue at stake and what is in and out of scope for the engagement, the council needs to decide what level of engagement is required. As explained in Section 2.1 of this toolkit, the level of community engagement by a local government can be anywhere along the following spectrum: 

Deciding the level of community engagement for a particular issue or project will depend on the council's assessment of the factors discussed in Step 1, related to the level of impact, complexity and sensitivity of the issue:

• if the assessment was 'Low' for most of the criteria in the table in Step 1 but the council still wanted to do some form of community engagement, the appropriate level of engagement might be 'Inform', which simply involves letting the community know about the decision or direction council is taking
• if the assessment was 'High' for issues such as the need for the input of residents, the importance of residents being motivated and committed to the council's decision, the extent to which the decision is complex and requires expert input and diverse perspectives, the potential impact on the community and the level of political sensitivity, then the council should choose a higher level of engagement involving 'Active Participation' of residents.
   

Tool: Matrix for deciding the required level of engagement

This matrix can be used by local governments to decide what form of community engagement is appropriate. It is adapted from a matrix developed by the South Australian Government and the Local Government Association of South Australia.

Scoring guide for the matrix:

Degree of complexity

• LOW: there is only one clear issue and/or problem that needs to be addressed, there are a limited number of options to address them, and there are unlikely to be options that the council has not identified; or
• MEDIUM: there are one or two issues and/or problems that need to be addressed, there are a range of options that need to be considered, and there are likely to be a few more options that the council has not yet identified; or
• HIGH: there are multiple issues and/or problems to be addressed, the range of options is still unclear, and there is potentially a wide range of options that have not yet been identified.
   

Degree of political sensitivity/potential community impact or outrage

• LOW: the impact of the issue or decision will be limited (in terms of the number of people affected and budgetary impact), there is a general acceptance throughout the community regarding council’s current direction on the issue, and there is little likelihood of community groups becoming vocal about the issue; or
• MEDIUM: the issue or decision will cause some impact and inconvenience in the community, there is a diversity of views about the issue, and there are groups who are likely to be vocal about the issue; or
• HIGH: the issue or decision will affect a large number of people in the community and/or involves significant council funds, the community's expectations seem different to those of council, and there are groups who have already been vocal about this issue.
   

Source: adapted from Community Engagement Handbook - A Model Framework for leading practice in Local Government in South Australia, Local Government Association of South Australia, 2008.

5.5 STEP 3 – Identify who will be engaged

This step involves identifying the people both within and outside the council who will be engaged during the community engagement process. This requires working out which people have a stake in the issue – in other words, the various 'stakeholders'. 

The table below lists some common stakeholders in a local government community engagement process.

For each stakeholder it is important to identify:

• What is their interest or stake in the issue that council is engaging about?
• What value will they be able to bring to the issue? (e.g. expertise, diverse perspectives, potential support.)
• What information will they need from council?
• What are the best methods to engage them?
   

The following sample stakeholder analysis tool could be used.

Tool: Stakeholder analysis

Example of a completed stakeholder analysis

For an example of a completed stakeholder analysis, see Table 1 in the attached consultation report by the Scenic Rim Regional Council - Download

5.6 STEP 4 – Choose the right tools to engage

There is a very wide range of different tools that a council can use to engage with the community. The council's choice of tool will depend on the level of engagement it is seeking. The IAP2 gives the following example tools for the different levels of engagement:

Source: International Association for Public Participation

The tools that the council chooses will depend on factors such as:

• the stakeholders the council wants to engage – different tools will be better for different audiences
• how wide the scope of the engagement is – for example, if the council has already decided much of the issue and there are many parts of the decision that are non-negotiable, then a more specific tool such as a survey on a defined range of options will be better than an open-ended workshop discussion
• the subject matter of the engagement – for example, visual tools such as posters or models will be better to engage residents about designs for a new community hall than a radio advertisement
• the risks in the process – for example, for a highly contentious issue, smaller workshops may be better than a large-scale public meeting to manage potential conflict between participants
• the time, cost and expertise constraints – the tools used will have to be able to deliver the engagement outcomes within a timeframe and using the budget and staff/consultant resources and expertise available.
   

For some projects, it will be necessary to use several tools for engagement, especially if there are diverse stakeholder groups that the council wishes to engage.

Useful link: Queensland Government's 'Engaging Queenslanders' website

This website provides information about 50 engagement methods and techniques under three levels of engagement: information-sharing, consultation and active participation (this broadly follows the IAP2 spectrum, except that 'involve', 'collaborate' and 'empower' are collapsed into 'active participation'). The tools are summarised in the following table but a description and case studies of the use of each tool are contained on the 'Engaging Queenslanders' website and in the associated downloadable guide.

Queensland Government's 'Engaging Queenslanders' suite of engagement tools

Adapted from Engaging Queenslanders, Queensland Government.

For rural, remote and Indigenous local governments, many of these tools will be too complex, expensive or ill-suited for small, dispersed populations in remote areas. However, the table illustrates that there is a very wide range of ways to engage residents and it is vital to select a tool that fits the council's needs for a particular engagement exercise.

Part 6.2 of this toolkit looks specifically at the types of community engagement tools that rural, remote and Indigenous councils tend to focus on. Detailed advice is provided on three commonly used tools: community meetings, surveys and social media.

Useful links: Descriptions of engagement tools and techniques

In addition to the 'Engaging Queenslanders' website, the following resources provide very good explanations of different engagement methods and techniques specifically for local governments:

• Sunshine Coast Council, Community Engagement Toolkit
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Centre for Municipal Development), Local Government Participatory Practices Manual.

5.7 STEP 5 – Engage

This step involves implementing the tools and methods of engagement that have been chosen for the project. Implementation of engagement should be carefully planned using standard action planning methods that would be used for any project delivered by council. For example, the practical issues to be planned before carrying out any community engagement exercise include: 

• What tasks need to be done? (task list)
• Who will do each task? (responsibility)
• When will they be done by? (timeframe)
• What funds and other resources do we need? (resources)
• How will we know if they have been done successfully? (performance indicators and targets)
   

The template Community Engagement Plan in Section 5.10 includes a simple table to enter these planning details. 

It is important to keep good records about the community engagement (e.g. dates of meetings/activities, how many attended etc.) because this will need to be included in the report to the council.

Tips: How to do community engagement

There are many tips and handy hints in the various guides about how to do community engagement. Here are some sage ones:

Kill apathy as a concept: Despite a widespread belief that people aren't interested, the reality is that they do care about the issues that affect them. Start where people are at, not where you want them to be.

Communication x10: Show what has been achieved – it's not just about doing, it's also about letting people know what is being done. Make sure you let people know what is going on – information is always the first stage! Two-way dialogue is critical to any change process.

Make it meaningful: Remember that any plans you make should lead to action. Everyone gets bored of participating when nothing actually happens. As people see things happening, confidence in the process will follow and soon there'll be no holding them back!

Be prepared to be unprepared: If you think you know exactly what's going to happen, it's probably not engagement. Don't try to stifle or control the process too much. Be flexible and prepared to respond to what's happening around you.

Have fun!: Anything new can be scary but remember to have fun! Fun is not the F-word and if you want people to get involved it's got to have appeal. After all, having fun makes us happy and well-being is important to us all.

Take it seriously: Producing lots of brochures is not enough to strengthen government-citizen relations.

Start from the citizen's perspective: Consider the citizen's perspective first and treat them with respect.

Deliver what you promise: Pretending and manipulating backfire. Keeping your word and building trust is essential.

Take the time: Stronger government-citizen relations needs time to be built and to show effects.

Be creative: There is often no ready-made solution to your challenges.

Balance different interests: Master the political challenge of balancing divergent inputs.

Be prepared for criticism: Criticism and debate are part of democracy.

Involve your staff: Be open and engaging internally as well as externally.

Develop a coherent policy: Remember: strengthening government-citizen relations is itself a policy.

Act now: Prevention is better than cure.

List adapted from OECD, Citizens as Partners: OECD Handbook on Information, Consultation and Public Participation in Policy-making, 2001; Urban Forum and NAVCA, Developing Your Comprehensive Community Engagement Strategy, 2009.

5.8 STEP 6 – Report back to council

There is no point doing community engagement for the sake of it – to be meaningful the engagement has to have an impact on the council's decision-making. Therefore, this step is about analysing, collating and summarising all the feedback and outcomes from the community engagement process and ensuring it is taken into account by the decision-makers in council, whether that be senior staff or the elected council. This step also paves the way for Step 7, which is 'closing the loop' by reporting back to the community participants about the engagement.

Module 7 contains some suggestions regarding the analysis of data collected from community engagement exercises so that it can be used effectively to improve council’s decision making. Section 7.4 discusses what to include in a community engagement summary report and includes links to example reports by local government. Where council has used a survey, Section 6.4 provides some suggestions about how to present survey results, including links to some example reports prepared by local governments.

Section 7.5 includes tips about what to include in the meeting agenda report back to council summarising the engagement results and providing recommendations for action. A template for this report to the council is also included.

5.9 STEP 7 – Close the loop (report back to the stakeholders)

Part of good community engagement is letting the participants know how their contribution was taken into account when council made the final decision, as well as advising what final decision was taken. This part of the process is often overlooked, but is crucial to 'keeping the faith' of the community and ensuring that people feel valued, which will in turn make people more likely to participate in future community engagement.

Reporting back to the participants is often called 'closing the loop' because, as the following diagram illustrates, it is part of an ongoing engagement loop by a council with its stakeholders.

As discussed in Step 3, the stakeholders in an engagement process include people within the council as well as the community, so internal stakeholders should be included in the reporting.

Methods for reporting back to the stakeholders on an engagement activity could include:

• a written report circulated to stakeholders or available on the council's website (see Module 7 for tips and examples of reports of community consultation results)
• an event or celebration around the completion of a project
• an update in the council's newsletter
• a media article in the local newspaper about the results of the community engagement process
• a community meeting where the council delivers a presentation on the engagement outcomes
• short updates provided by council at meetings of local community organisations
• an update on community radio about the outcomes
• a poster or leaflets summarising the outcomes available at council’s office or posted on a public noticeboard.
   

Don't forget, people who participate in a council's community engagement activities do so voluntarily in their own time, so it is always important to say thanks!

MODULE 6: Selected engagement tools for rural, remote and Indigenous councils

6.1 Overview

The purpose of this module is to provide practical guidance and resources for rural, remote and Indigenous councils in using selected community engagement tools. These tools have been identified as ones that are commonly used by rural, remote and Indigenous councils.

6.2 Tools typically used by rural, remote and Indigenous councils

ACELG's review of the published community engagement policies of rural, remote and Indigenous councils and interviews with various staff of these councils reveal that the tools that these councils tend to rely on are as follows:

Engagement tools typically used by rural, remote and Indigenous local governments

Further information about how to use these tools can be found in numerous guides and toolkits on community engagement. Useful links include:

• The Queensland Government's 'Engaging Queenslanders' website
• Sunshine Coast Council's Community Engagement Toolkit
• The Federation of Canadian Municipalities's (International Centre for Municipal Development) Local Government Participatory Practices Manual.
   

The rest of this module provides detailed information and resources about three specific tools commonly used by rural, remote and Indigenous councils: public meetings, surveys and social media.

6.3 Public Meetings

Overview

For smaller councils in rural and remote areas, public meetings are a common way of engaging the community. This is particularly so for Indigenous councils, where there is often a history of whole of community meetings being the principal form of engaging residents dating back to the days when Indigenous communities were run as church missions or government reserves. 

A public meeting typically involves:

• the council advertising a meeting open to all residents to discuss a proposal or an important issue affecting the community
• presentation of information by councillors and/or council staff at the meeting
• in most (but not all) cases, an opportunity at the meeting for residents to express a view or ask the council questions.
   

On the spectrum of community engagement, therefore, public meetings extend only so far as the 'Information-sharing' or 'Consultation' stages. They do not normally permit active participation of community members in the decision-making process. 

Aboriginal community meetings

In some Aboriginal communities, there is a tradition of the council making important decisions on the basis of a consensus position that emerges at (or following) a public meeting attended by most of the community members (effectively a 'community meeting'). In these cases, a public/community meeting does extend into the realm of 'Active Participation' on the spectrum of community engagement as the council is directly involving the community in the actual decision-making. The typical format for a community meeting can often be problematic for this purpose, however. For example, the meeting may be dominated by larger or more powerful families within the community, or become a forum for longstanding enmities between families to play out in an unproductive manner. Aboriginal councils should consider the use of methods other than community meetings for engaging the community directly in decision-making processes – for example, various workshop formats discussed below could offer better processes for managing rivalries, facilitating participation and reaching consensus positions.

When to use a public meeting

In deciding whether a public meeting is the best way to engage the community, the council should consider the following factors:

When a public meeting is appropriate:

• when council wants to communicate with a large number of people
• when council wants to reinforce that it is open and directly answerable to the community by giving residents the opportunity to directly question councillors or staff
• when council is seeking only general feedback.
   

When a public meeting is not appropriate:

• when council wants detailed feedback on an issue
• when council wants to hear from marginalised or less vocal sections of the community
• when there are tensions within the community around an issue which are likely to be difficult to manage in an open forum 
• when confidentiality may be an issue
• when the subject matter is not of great interest to the broader community.
   

Benefits of a public meeting:

• any community member can participate
• requires little expertise and few resources
• the same information can be delivered directly to a large number of people
• community can hear the perspectives of other community members as well as the council.
   

Limitations of a public meeting:

• can generate an adversarial, or 'us-and-them' atmosphere between council and community
• with a larger number of people there is limited opportunity for interaction between council and community 
• meetings may be dominated by vocal minorities, with the silent majority unheard
• it can be difficult to keep a meeting on topic
• attendance may not be representative of the community
• it may be difficult to encourage people to attend where it is not about an issue of great interest to the broader community.
   

Where the council is seeking more in-depth discussion, more detailed feedback and a greater level of participation, then a workshop will usually be a better option. 

A guide to holding a public meeting

The following process can assist the council to plan and run an effective public meeting:

Stage 1 – Planning a public meeting

A. Define the issues

It is important to clearly define the issues about which the council wants to inform the community and seek feedback at the public meeting. The negotiables and non-negotiables need to be clearly defined up front so that community expectations can be managed.

B. Identify the target audience

Is the council seeking to engage with the whole community or specific groups in the community? This should be clearly defined as it will affect choices such as where and when the meeting will be held.

Decide whether the media will be invited to the meeting.

C. Decide the purpose of the meeting

What exactly does the council expect from the meeting? Is the purpose of the meeting one or more of the following:

• inform the community about an issue
• give residents an opportunity to ask questions
• obtain feedback or suggestions from the community.
   

As noted earlier, in some Aboriginal communities the purpose of a public meeting attended by the whole community (a community meeting) might extend to reaching a consensus position about a decision to be made by the council. 

D. Select the date, time and venue

In this step, it is important to consider the following:

• check that the proposed date does not clash with other events
• schedule the meeting at a time of day when people can attend, taking into account the needs of groups such as women, full-time workers, families, youth etc.
• choose a venue that is comfortable and familiar, accessible, an appropriate size for the expected attendance level and, if necessary, relevant to the issue under discussion (e.g. near a project being discussed).
   

E. Notify the public

Provide notice about the meeting using appropriate channels, such as one or more of the following:

• advertising in newspapers or newsletters
• community radio
• notice boards and posters in public places
• the council website
• a letter box drop
• invitations to specific stakeholder groups
• 'word of mouth', for example through councillors and staff getting out into the community to directly inform people about the meeting
   

Clearly indicate the topic to be discussed, the purpose of the meeting, and how and why the community's participation will be important.

The public should be given sufficient notice of the meeting, usually at least two weeks. It is also a good idea to provide reminders closer to the meeting date itself.

The invitation might include a date and address for RSVPs if council wishes to know how many people will attend and who will attend. This might be required for the purposes of catering or organising the venue, or the council may be happy to leave this open-ended.

F. Organise human resources

Decide who will facilitate the meeting, e.g. a skilled facilitator, a councillor or a council staff member.

Decide what role councillors should play at the meeting. Considerations include:

• it may be best if councillors refrain from a 'hands on' role and instead maintain a neutral position in order to be seen to be listening to the community's views
• where councillors have already publicly stated a position on an issue this can be openly put forward as a starting point, but councillors should then limit involvement in the process in order to give the community the opportunity to respond to the position without a perception that the process is biased
• where councillors will be directly involved in a meeting, they could chair the process or play a 'master of ceremonies' role, but they should strive to uphold the engagement process as objective and unbiased
• the involvement of councillors may be important to demonstrate a commitment and interest in listening to the community's views.
   

Decide what role council staff should play:

• staff who are directly involved in the issues and are therefore able to answer questions on the referent project should be involved
• sufficient staff should be allocated to organise and manage the logistics of planning and running the meeting, including: organising the venue and catering, venue setup, greeting and registering participants, taking minutes and providing follow-up to the meeting (e.g. answering questions unable to be answered on the day and distributing minutes/outcomes).
   

To prepare the councillors or staff who will run the meeting, it can be helpful to role-play questions that are likely to be asked by the public. 

G. Prepare the agenda and information required for the meeting

Prepare the agenda with speakers and indicate times and activities.

Decide on the need for a welcome to country by traditional owners or other local protocols such as opening with a prayer.

Work out what information the public will need at the meeting (e.g. posters, displays, handouts, leaflets, feedback forms) and prepare this before the meeting:

• information required is typically the objective of the proposal, the main issues affecting the community, the community's role, and the alternative options
• ensure the status of the information provided is clear – for example by stamping the documents 'DRAFT'
• ensure information is in plain English and other relevant languages (e.g. Indigenous languages), and clearly tailored to the community's information needs (i.e. how it will affect them).
   

Prepare the presentation to be delivered at the meeting (e.g. a speech or PowerPoint presentation).

If the media is invited to the meeting, prepare a media kit with relevant information.

H. Organise meeting logistics

Organise the various logistics, such as:

• catering, taking into account dietary requirements (e.g. the high incidence of diabetes amongst Indigenous community members)
• interpreters (if necessary)
• liaison with the venue about room set-up
• sound and audio-visual facilities (e.g. microphones, amplifiers, a laptop and digital projector)
• printing of agendas and materials for distribution
• budget for convening the meeting (venue hire, catering, facilitator – as required)
• security (if necessary)
• any other logistics (e.g. transport for elderly community members).
   

Stage 2 – Running the meeting

A. Arrange venue layout

Set up a sign-in table and make sure that the contact details for participants are captured so that follow-up information can be provided.

Lay out seating to engender a collaborative atmosphere (e.g. in a semicircle) and avoid a sense of 'us and them'.

Ensure good signage and directions.

B. Follow good meeting process

Consider the following aspects of meeting process, as appropriate:

• greet people at the door
• observe cultural protocols or practices such as: welcome to country; acknowledgement of Aboriginal traditional owners; opening or closing the meeting with a prayer; a minute's silence to acknowledge recently departed elders or dignitaries, or to acknowledge recent tragedies
• start on time (or explain delays)
• discuss housekeeping issues, such as location of toilets and emergency procedures
• introduce speakers and seek introductions from participants if appropriate (i.e. in a small forum)
• acknowledge presence of dignitaries (if appropriate)
• explain the agenda and process up front
• manage expectations by clarifying that not every suggestion will be acted upon, but that the council wants to hear a wide range of views
• establish ground rules, such as everyone having the right to contribute, the need to respect other opinions etc.
• manage time according to the agenda
• ensure that the council presentation is a reasonable length (e.g. 30-45 minutes)
• provide an opportunity for participants to provide feedback or ask questions – ensure that everyone who wants to speak has an opportunity (including both men and women) and that no one person dominates – specifically invite comment from people other than dominant individuals
• take questions on notice for later follow-up where council is unable to answer at the time
• explain the follow-up to the meeting (how feedback will be used by council and how outcomes will be reported back to participants).
   

C. Manage conflict and criticism effectively

In public meetings there is a high risk of conflict between participants and strident criticism by community members towards the council. The following tips can assist in managing conflict and criticism:

• Use active listening – acknowledge that you understand what people are saying by paraphrasing back to them and using positive gestures such as nodding and maintaining eye contact
• Let people get things off their chest and then repeat the key points back to them to confirm that you have understood them correctly
• Write a few points on butcher's paper, a whiteboard or an electronic screen so the vocal critic can see that their issues have been heard and noted down
• Acknowledge the feeling or emotion behind critical comments (e.g. by saying 'it sounds like you feel as if...')
• Ask the critic what they want as an outcome
• Test the opinions put forward by a vocal critic by asking the other participants what they think of the ideas put forward by the critic
• Where a participants' comments are beyond the scope of the engagement, acknowledge the issues but remind people about the objective of the meeting and refocus discussion on the issues at hand
• Remind people who seek to monopolise the meeting that the council is keen to hear from as many participants as possible and that they need to let others take a turn
• If a person is dominating discussions, agree to meet them privately later to discuss their specific concerns 
• Counter negative comments with a positive statement and identify opportunities for positive ideas to emerge from criticisms
• Refocus the discussion on what people do agree on – the common ground
• Where necessary, be assertive in reiterating ground rules set for the meeting such as refraining from raising voices, using inappropriate language, making sexist or racist remarks etc.
• Try not to react angrily or defensively
• Try not to take criticisms personally – recognise that they are typically directed at the position, not the individual
• Don't try to bluff – if you do not know the answer say so and give a commitment to find out and respond later
• Don't give people inaccurate information to try to fob them off
• Stick to the facts.¹
   

D. Record feedback

Ensure that all feedback by community members at the meeting is written down in a record of the meeting, which will be used for the meeting follow up in Stage 3. During the discussion, it may be worth having someone recording dot points of participants' feedback on a flipchart or whiteboard so people can see that their views are being listened to.

Stage 3 – Following up the meeting

A. De-briefing

The day following a public meeting, hold a staff debriefing session to discuss the outcomes, what was done well, and what can be improved upon at future meetings. This self-evaluation can be included in the report back to the council – see the template report format provided in Module 7.

B. Report back to the council

Use the summary of the public comments at the meeting and the records about the number and groups of people who attended to report back to the council so that the feedback can be taken into account by the council in making the decision. Module 7 contains some suggestions about how to analyse the feedback from community consultations in order to include it in a report for council. This information should be contained in a report back to the council – see the template report format provided in Module 7.

C. Report back to the community

There are three types of information that will need to be reported back to the community following the meeting:

• answers to any questions that were not able to be answered at the meeting where the council promised to follow up 
• a summary of the outcomes of the meeting (for the benefit of not only participants but also for the broader community)
• a report back to the community about how the feedback was used by the council in its decision-making and what the council's final decision is.
   

This reporting back could occur in stages or all at once depending on the availability of the information. The important thing is to demonstrate to the community that the council listened and that it took the community's views into account. This is known as 'closing the loop' – see Step 7 in Module 5 for a discussion of methods of reporting back to the community.

¹ Adapted from ACT Government, Engaging Canberrans: A guide to community engagement, 2011, pp. 48-55.

6.4 Surveys

Overview

Surveys are one of the most useful tools for consultation with residents. They can assist in providing information about council business, but their most important role is to obtain information from the community, such as demographic information, information about service needs, feedback about proposals, or overall community opinion on particular issues.

In the past, surveys have been expensive to administer, collate and analyse, but online surveys and computer software now make this a relatively inexpensive option for smaller councils. Many local governments are now using online surveys to consult residents about a range of issues.

When to use a survey

In deciding whether a survey is the best way to engage the community, the council should consider the following factors:

When a survey is appropriate:

• when council wants to obtain detailed feedback from a large number of people from diverse backgrounds
• when council is seeking robust statistical data about community opinion on an issue to assist in making a decision
• when the issues and options about which council wants feedback are clearly defined.
   

When a survey is not appropriate:

• when council wants extensive qualitative feedback (some qualitative feedback is possible through open-ended questions)
• where council is undertaking engagement as a way of encouraging debate about an issue in order to move towards greater consensus within the community
• when options are not yet determined or clearly defined.
   

Benefits of a survey:

• statistical data about community opinion are helpful in making and justifying decisions
• by undertaking a survey a far larger number of people can be heard than is the case for meetings or other processes
• a survey can reach some of the 'silent majority' who do not attend engagement events, which can counter the disproportionate influence of vocal interest groups in other engagement processes (e.g. forums and written submissions)
• people can express their opinions and remain largely anonymous, especially for self-administered online surveys
• participation is more flexible for residents than attending a meeting or workshop, as they can complete the survey at a time that suits them
• where it is done online or using computer software, survey delivery and analysis is very cost effective.
   

Limitations of a survey:

• if questions are poorly worded and misinterpreted by participants, then feedback will not be meaningful
• it can be difficult to attract a strong response rate and a representative sample of the population
• if council does not have some in-house capacity to interpret and present the results, a consultant may be required
• surveys administered face to face will be resource-intensive (consultants' fees or staff time)
• there is less opportunity for community dialogue and debate about the issues and options than in face-to-face engagement methods such as workshops.
   

A survey is often used in conjunction with other engagement tools such as community meetings or workshops. This enables statistical data about community opinion to complement other detailed qualitative information from the narrower range of interests typically participating in other engagement forums.

Typical topics for local government surveys

Councils use surveys to obtain information for a wide variety of purposes, including those set out in the table below. Follow the links to view examples of surveys in use by local governments:

Survey design

Before designing a survey, it is important to be clear about the survey's objectives:

• What is the purpose of the survey? For example:
• to obtain demographic information that will help council plan services or advocate for more government funding
• to obtain feedback on a proposal or plan
• to gauge community opinion.
   
• What type of information is being sought? For example:
• quantitative data about a defined range of options or proposals
• qualitative data such as ideas and suggestions.
   
• Who is the target audience for the survey? For example:
• a particular demographic group (youth, women, elderly, ethnic groups, Indigenous people etc.)
• anyone who is interested in the topic
• a representative sample of the community in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, geographical location.
   
• How will the information be used? For example:
• a report to council to assist with making a decision
• a needs assessment that will inform the design of a new facility
• a submission to the State Government for funding or support for a proposal.
   

Tips: Designing surveys

• Surveys should include a short introduction setting out the background information, the purpose of the survey, and how the information will be used.
• Questions need to be clear, concise and in plain English (avoid jargon and technical terms for services – for example, use 'rubbish collection' instead of 'waste management service').
• Questions should only cover a single issue to avoid the situation where a respondent agrees with part of a statement but not another part.
• Shorter surveys are likely to have a better response rate and will not deter people from undertaking future council surveys. A survey should ideally take no longer than 10 to 15 minutes.
• Closed-ended questions are easier for respondents because they reduce the level of uncertainty. They also make it easier to interpret and report the results. These questions require an answer from a set of choices, a level of priority/ranking or an assessment scale, for example 'Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree'; 'Very important, Important, Somewhat important, Of little importance and Not important at all'; and 'Completely Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Completely Dissatisfied'.
• Open-ended questions enable the respondent to offer a response in their own words and are useful to obtain qualitative information. This can be useful in clarifying the respondent's answers to a previous closed-ended question (for example, asking why they have ranked service priorities in a particular way) or to obtain ideas and suggestions that council may not have considered.
• It may be appropriate to include a 'Don't Know' option for some closed-ended questions. 
• Where providing a list of options to choose from, consider including an 'Other' category and asking respondents to 'Please specify' in a comments box.
• Some general questions about gender, age, ethnicity, employment status and residential location in the shire should be included. This enables the council to determine how representative the sample is (by comparing the information with census data) and to analyse the data across demographic groups, e.g. gender and age.
• Financial information should generally not be sought and, where it is necessary, ranges rather than exact values are preferable.
• Respondents should be given the choice of remaining anonymous or providing their contact details for future information provided by the council.
• It is very important to test the survey tool with some other council staff or community members before finalising it to identify any ambiguous questions or problems such as the logical flow of questions. Residents are unlikely to have the same level of background or understanding of the issues as the person writing the questions, so it is best to assume little prior knowledge of the issues or the terminology.

Distribution

There are several methods of distributing a survey:

• Mail out hard copies with self-addressed return envelope
• Telephone
• Online
• Face to face (in the street, shopping mall, park etc.)
• Hand out (e.g. at a workshop or at the council office).
   

A combination of methods is likely to maximise the response rate and obtain a better coverage of people in the community. Not everyone has computer access or feels comfortable using computers and there may be cross-cultural and literacy and language barriers to consider. The significant advantage of an online survey tool is that the results are automatically collated by the software and can be printed out in standard report formats, which saves the substantial time and cost involved in collating results and can be done by the council in-house as it does not require specific expertise. This approach is recommended in the following section.

Where the council is seeking a representative sample of the population, the objective will be to achieve:

• a sample size that is a big enough proportion of the population to give the council confidence that the feedback is reflective of the overall population; and
• a sample composition that is close to the composition of the overall population (for example, about 50% female respondents and about 5% Indigenous respondents where Indigenous people comprise 5% of the shire's population).
   

As far as sample size is concerned, the appropriate size will depend on what level of confidence council is seeking in the results. For example, for a shire population of 500 a sample of 80 will give a margin for error of ±10%, while a sample of 220 will reduce this margin to ±5%, and a sample of 345 will reduce it to ±3%. Ideally councils should aim for a margin of error of ±5% or better. The SurveyMonkey website summarises this in the following table:

Respondents Needed at Margin of Error of ±3%, ±5%, ±10%

Source: 'How many respondents do I need?', SurveyMonkey

As a rule of thumb, therefore, a small rural-remote or Indigenous council should be aiming for a sample of about 200 to 300 responses to achieve a reliable survey result (plus or minus 5% margin of error), but even a sample of more than 80 responses will provide useful data about community views.

Online survey tools

Online survey tools have made the job of administering, collating and reporting survey data considerably easier. This brings survey methods within the reach of rural, remote and Indigenous councils without the high costs and drain on staff time that was previously the case. The case study of Walgett Shire Council's recent community engagement process illustrates the benefits of using online surveys, supplemented by a strong awareness campaign.

For rural, remote and Indigenous councils, the best approach to administering a survey is likely to be:

1. develop the survey using an online tool 
2. solicit as many online responses as possible (noting that many residents will not have internet access)
3. print out hard copies for distribution through various agencies to those without internet access
4. collect the hard copies so that staff can manually enter the responses into the online survey tool 
5. use the online survey tool to automatically collate and analyse all the survey responses (the ones filled out via internet plus the hard copy responses entered by staff)
6. print off the standard reports produced by the online survey tool.

This approach will be within the capacity of most small councils and should not require the use of consultants.

The steps that will take the most staff time will be steps 4 and 5. However, there are ways to make the survey response process even more efficient and at the same time maximise the number of responses received. In rural and remote areas the main constraint on obtaining an adequate number of online survey responses is likely to be the residents' lack of internet access to fill out the survey online. To obtain an adequate number of responses, councils should consider sending council staff out to community events or to intercept people in the street or public places to solicit on-the-spot responses from citizens. These could be hard copy responses, but to avoid the extra effort of later entering them into the online survey tool, council should consider equipping staff with laptop computers or tablets (e.g. iPads) to assist residents to complete the online survey on-the-spot. This may require the council staff member to be online using a portable internet modem, which is becoming more feasible with the broadening coverage of wireless broadband in rural areas. Alternatively, some online survey tools (e.g. SurveyGizmo, FluidSurveys and Polldaddy) enable the survey to be downloaded to a laptop or tablet to be completed offline, with the responses being uploaded to the online survey tool the next time the laptop or tablet is online (e.g. when the council staff member returns to the office). There are also survey tools that take the form of apps for iPads or Android tablets (e.g. QuickTapSurvey or iSurvey), which enable the responses to be collected on the tablet offline. See the table below for more information.

Therefore, the most efficient approach for administering a survey will be the following:

1. develop the survey using an online tool 
2. solicit as many online responses as possible (noting that many residents will not have internet access)
3. council staff go out into the community and solicit responses from residents to be directly inputted into a laptop or tablet computer (using either a laptop/tablet with wireless broadband connection or a survey tool downloaded to the laptop/tablet)
4. use the online survey tool to automatically collate and analyse all the survey responses
5. print off the standard reports produced by the online survey tool.

The table below provides some summary information about the various online survey tools.

Presenting the survey results

As with any form of community engagement, the results need to be reported back to both the elected council (to take into account in their decision-making) and the community (and especially those who took part in the survey). 

A report on the survey results will normally include the following information:

• Purpose of the survey
   
• Survey methodology, including:
• timeframe for the survey
• how it was distributed (online, email, mail out etc.)
• how it was promoted (media, incentives etc.)
   
• Response rate, including:
• number of responses 
• demographic profile of respondents (age, gender, ethnicity, location etc.) compared to census profile of the overall population
• limitations or caveats (e.g. small sample size, possible bias etc.)
   
• Summary of survey findings, including:
• graphs, charts, tables etc.
• commentary to interpret and explain the quantitative findings
• attachments, including a copy of the survey, promotional leaflets, and, if appropriate, more detailed survey data (in aggregated form that does not identify individual responses).
   

Examples of reports on survey findings can be found at the following links:

• Byron Shire Council: Community survey consultation results and feedback
• Great Lakes Council: Results from the Community Survey 2008: Community Expectations of Council
• Town of Port Hedland: Community Survey 2012
• Shire of Ashburton: Community Survey Results 2012. 
   

The Maribyrnong City Council 2012 Annual Community Survey report contains a cover report to council with officers' recommendations followed by the full report on the community survey results.

The council could also consider a media release to communicate the outcomes of the survey to residents. For example, see the Town of Port Hedland's media release.

6.5 Social Media

Overview

There are growing expectations on councils to engage more thoroughly, to move quickly to address issues, to work openly and be more accountable. Although there is ongoing debate about its value and the associated risks, a growing number of Australian local governments are using social media in their community engagement strategies to assist in meeting these expectations. Even smaller councils in rural and remote areas are following this trend, using Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their constituents. 

The broad range of social media tools available to councils covers the spectrum of community engagement, from 'Information-sharing' to 'Consultation' to 'Active Participation' by community members in the decision-making process:

What is social media?

The term 'social media' refers to the broad range of online communication tools that enable people and organisations to create and share content in the form of words, pictures, audio and video in real time, almost anywhere. Social media is usually quite open, allowing a wide variety of people to see, comment on, or collaborate on materials. The tools are often free or low-cost and are relatively easy-to-use. Social media is also designed to be shareable, so people can readily forward, link to, or even re-publish content. This makes it a very accessible medium that can reach a very wide audience, making it a useful community engagement tool for local governments.

The table below identifies some of the key social media formats that are commonly used by local governments for different communication and community engagement activities:

Source: Adapted from Howard, A. 2012, Connecting with Communities: How Local Government Is Using Social Media to Engage with Citizens, Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government, University of Technology, Sydney, pp. 24-5.

Before establishing a social media presence, councils need to consider a range of matters, including:

• the rationale and objectives for using social media in their community engagement activities
• the utility of these media for their particular community (including whether residents have access to the internet or smartphones)
• how it will be integrated with council's existing communication tools
• who within the organisation will be using social media or be responsible for its use
• how social media will be monitored and managed
• the resource implications for council
• the need to develop guidelines for councillors and staff
• the need to develop a social media policy.
   

The following checklist will help councils to further consider these issues in the development of their social media strategies:

Adapted from Hansen-Flaschen, L. & Parker, K.P. 2012, The Rise of social Government: An Advanced Guide and Review of Social Media's Role in Local Government Operations, Fels Institute of Government, Pennsylvania, pp. 24-6.

Developing a social media policy

Councils will need to develop a social media policy to establish clear guidelines for councillors and council staff in the appropriate use of social media. Having a clear social media policy will ensure councils avoid the common pitfalls for organisations using social media, which can include the posting of inappropriate content, redundant or inaccurate information, staff mixing personal social media use with professional social media use, and handling public comments in an unprofessional manner.

A basic social media policy should include the following elements as a minimum:

• Outline the purpose and scope of the policy
• Define the policy statement, including council's goals for social media and the social media platforms that the council approves for use
• List any state and federal laws that apply
• Outline the account management procedures, including: responsibilities of elected members and council staff in using social media; the delegated officers, their roles, responsibilities and level of access for social media activities
• Provide guidelines on acceptable use of social media, including: an explanation of personal vs. professional use, explicit ramifications if unacceptable activity occurs, and guidelines and examples of the type of content to be posted and its tone
• Address any concerns over security, including password protection, virus scans, and protection against hackers
• State how social media is to be used during emergencies and by whom.
   

Source: Hansen-Flaschen, L. & Parker, K.P. 2012, The Rise of social Government: An Advanced Guide and Review of Social Media's Role in Local Government Operations, Fels Institute of Government, Pennsylvania, p. 62.

Connecting with young people in Indigenous communities

In recent years, it has been reported that young people in Indigenous communities have strongly embraced social media apps using mobile phones, particularly Facebook and chat room apps such as Divas Chat. Young Indigenous people are a very difficult audience for local governments to engage with due to their high levels of mobility and often limited engagement in community organisations. Social media may therefore be a potentially useful avenue for council to engage with young Indigenous people.

For information about the way young Indigenous people in the Northern Territory are embracing social media, click here.

Facebook

Facebook is the most commonly used social media tool for rural-remote and Indigenous councils. A brief scan of council Facebook pages reveals that some of the main purposes that rural-remote and Indigenous councils use Facebook include:

• advising residents about issues affecting services (e.g. waste collection, Christmas office closure etc.)
• seeking comment on plans and other issues
• community news
• real-time updates during emergencies
• public awareness campaigns.
   

Twitter

There has also been significant growth in government use of Twitter as a tool for providing information updates to interested constituents. The graph below illustrates the growth in Twitter accounts by governments at all levels in Australia to the end of 2012.

Source: eGov AU, Australian government Twitter accounts.

Resource: Examples of local government social media profiles

The following social media profiles illustrate the way that local governments are using Facebook and Twitter to inform their communities. The Facebook profiles listed all belong to RRI councils.

MODULE 7: Analysing and using community input

7.1 Overview

Engaging with the community has important benefits in making people feel valued, but it is not an end in itself. Ultimately, the reason for engaging with the community is to obtain information that can be used by council to make better decisions. A common pitfall for councils is that after all the effort of getting the community involved in a decision making process, there is insufficient effort around how to use the information that is obtained.

The purpose of this module is to:

• discuss ways to analyse and summarise the information about community views that is obtained from community engagement processes
• consider how to use this community input effectively to improve councils’ decision-making.
   

7.2 How community input helps decision-making

The diagram below illustrates that engaging the community to obtain their input is part of the process of making good decisions about important issues.

When designing community engagement, it is important to always focus on the issue that the council is seeking to address and how the information and input from the community will help the council to address this issue. As described in Module 5, a crucial early step in running a community engagement process is to define the objectives and scope of the engagement (Step 2) – essentially, what is the issue and why does the council want to engage the community? Deciding who will be engaged (Step 3) and how they will be engaged (Step 4) will flow directly from the scoping work in Step 2. As discussed in Step 2, it is worth setting out some focus questions about the issues at hand that the council is hoping the engagement will answer, for example:

• What are the community’s preferred locations and types of works for the council’s landscaping and beautification program?
• What are options for flood mitigation measures that the council could consider?
• What are the community’s priorities for council service improvements?
   

These focus questions make it clear what information and input the council is seeking from the community. As illustrated in the diagram above, the focus questions will dictate the engagement methods used by the council. If the questions were framed properly and the right engagement methods were used, the findings will comprise information that has direct implications and relevance for the issue the council is seeking to address.

7.3 Collating and analysing the findings from a community engagement process

There are two steps in determining the findings from a community engagement process:

1. Collating the information

This involves gathering, typing up (if necessary) and logically organising all the information collected so that it can be analysed. It is essential that the council ensure that there are measures in place to capture feedback in all community engagement processes, for example:

• Council staff taking notes at community meetings, workshops and other interactions with residents
• Post-it notes on tables at community meetings
• General comment forms
• Butcher’s paper/flipcharts at workshops
• Encouraging people to make written submissions (e.g. by email, letter or suggestion box)
• Workshop evaluation forms.
   

What is involved here depends on the methods used in the community engagement process. For example, it might involve things like:

2. Analysing the information

This involves carefully and methodically considering all the information to determine its meaning and relevance to the issue. A community engagement process may yield a very large and bewildering array of information. To make sense of it all, the council needs to refer back to the core issue that it is seeking to address and the focal questions that it was seeking to answer at the outset of the engagement process. Much of the information that is collected during community engagement will be irrelevant to the issue and the focal questions. This information may have other uses and may therefore be worth documenting, but it should not distract from analysing the information about the core issue. Therefore, the analysis task involves putting the ‘raw’ collated information through a filter (i.e. the focus questions) to capture the information relevant to the issue at hand.

There are many ways of analysing community engagement data. For example, if the community engagement involved community consultations about the new community hall, a simple method would be:

• create a table or spreadsheet with each focus question as a separate column heading
• using ‘cut and paste’, take the relevant portions from the raw consultation data (e.g. community submissions, meeting minutes etc.) and place them under the relevant focus question heading
• with all the community comments organised under each heading, it should be possible to see the themes and patterns in the responses and write a summary of what people said in relation to each focus question.
   

Example: Analysing consultation data about the community hall

For more complex community engagement processes, or where there is a very large amount of community engagement information for each focus question, it might be necessary to do deeper analysis to try to identify the common themes in the information. For example, a council has conducted community engagement involving workshops and an online discussion forum about community satisfaction with the council’s performance. The focus questions were about governance practices, customer service, programs and services, and community infrastructure. Under the focus question about ‘council governance’, the feedback includes a very wide range of comments, expressed in a variety of ways. To make sense of this feedback, the comments need to be analysed to identify the common themes. For example, it might become obvious that the following themes recur throughout the feedback: ‘listening to the community, ‘role of interest groups’, ‘transparency of decisions’, ‘leadership’, ‘behaviour at meetings’. Allocating a different highlighter colour to each of these themes, it is possible to read through the feedback and highlight various comments in the relevant colour. As a next step, all the comments highlighted the same colour (e.g. the ‘listening to the community’ theme) can be extracted and collated together. It will then be possible to identify the overall tone of the feedback about that theme. For example, the finding might be expressed as: 'The majority of people thought that council was not listening enough to the community. Comments ranged from criticism that councillors were focused too much on their own interests, perceptions that some councillors were aloof or even arrogant, and concerns at the lack of consultation about key decisions.'

Collating the number of community members who mentioned a particular theme in their feedback makes it possible to quantify issues raised in qualitative feedback. For example, using the approach described above, it would be possible to count the number of passages highlighted a particular colour within the consultation data to gauge how often the issue was raised.

Example: Using analysis of themes to quantify qualitative consultation feedback

The extract below from a Maroondah City Council consultation report for a Community Wellbeing Plan illustrates how community feedback can be grouped into 13 common themes for statistical purposes. These themes were further grouped into five broader themes for the writing of the report.

Source: Maroondah City Council, Community consultation report Maroondah Community Wellbeing Plan 2013-17, p. 10.

Where a survey has been used, the analysis will involve producing graphs and tables of statistics to display feedback. These can be generated automatically if online software such as SurveyMonkey have been used. However, if the survey included open-ended questions, it might be necessary to analyse the themes in the feedback using the process of analysis described above.

Useful tool: Word clouds

One way of illustrating the issues that came up most often in community consultations is to generate a ‘word cloud’. This is a graphic that contains all the words that occurred most frequently in a body of text, with more frequency used words corresponding with larger font sizes. There are various software programs that can generate a word cloud. A free online tool can be found at www.wordle.net. Simply cut and paste a passage of text into the program and it will automatically generate a word cloud. For example, from a few paragraphs of this toolkit, the following graphic was generated:

7.4 Reporting the findings

There are two audiences for reporting the findings of the community engagement process:

1. The council – As discussed in Section 5.8 of this toolkit, a report to the council is important to enable the findings to be taken into account and influence the decision or direction taken by council
2. The community – As discussed in Section 5.9, to ‘close the loop’ in a community engagement process it is crucial to report the findings back to the community and identify how they have been taken into account.
    

The reporting of the findings could be in separate reports or in the same report. Section 5.8 sets out some tips to consider in reporting back to council on an engagement activity. There is also a link to a template report to council.

Where the community engagement process was solely through a survey, the advice in Section 6.4 under the heading ‘Presenting the survey results’ may assist in preparing a report. There are also links to local government reports of survey results.

Key questions to keep in mind when reporting findings of community engagement processes include:

• What is the most important information to answer the focus questions and assist council to make a decision?
• What is the clearest way to present the information?
• How reliable are the findings, given the sample size and methods used?
• How do the findings compare to other available evidence and the results of other consultation processes?
• How much agreement and consensus is there amongst participants in the engagement process?
   

Examples of reports on the findings of community engagement processes can be viewed at the links below:

• Mitchell Shire Council, Neighbourhood Safer Places – Community Consultation Report
• Shire of Jerramungup, Community Strategic Plan Community Consultation Report
• Bega Valley Shire Council, Community Engagement Report
• Coonamble Shire Council, Community Engagement Report
• City of Tea Tree Gully, Wye Reserve Community Engagement Outcomes Report
• Scenic Rim Regional Council, Draft Community Consultation Report (Summary) for Draft Bromelton Structure Plan
• Darwin City Council, Community Consultation Report – Malak Oval Training Lights.

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7.5 Using the findings to make better decisions

If the information from the community engagement has been properly collated and analysed with reference to the focus questions identified at the outset of the process, then the council will have a body of relevant information to help it make the decision that it engaged the community about. Although a community engagement report may have been produced to capture all of the findings, it will usually be the role of council staff to prepare a council meeting agenda paper to further summarise the findings, draw conclusions about the policy implications, and make recommendations to the council about the appropriate way forward.

Tips: Issues to consider in reporting back to council on an engagement activity

• How many people participated in the community engagement process?
• What was the relative level of participation across stakeholder groups?
• specific interest groups vs general community members
• sectors (government, private sector, non-government)
• different industry sectors
• geographic areas
• What were the differences in views between stakeholder groups?
• What was the level of consensus or disagreement/tension about the issue being considered?
• Based on the engagement outcomes, what are recommendations of council staff about how council should proceed in relation to the issue the community was engaged about?
• What did council do well in the engagement process and what can be done better in the future? (Self-evaluation)
• How will the outcomes of the community engagement be reported back to the community in order to ‘close the loop’?
   

MODULE 8: Encouraging community involvement

8.1 Overview

The purpose of this module is to:

• examine the reasons why people don't get involved in council affairs, which makes good community engagement difficult
• suggest what councils can do to ensure school students are better educated about the role of local government
• consider practical strategies for councils to use their existing interactions with the community to make local government more relevant and build residents' knowledge and capacity to engage in local government business.

8.2 Why aren't more people involved in council affairs?

More involvement of the community in council business has benefits for both the council and the community (see Section 2.3), yet a common complaint by councils is that residents do not seem interested in council affairs and are very hard to engage. For example, many councils complain that when they hold community meetings, no-one shows up. 

It would be easy for councils to conclude that residents are simply not interested in involving themselves in council affairs in significant numbers. However, there are many examples from around the country of successful engagement by local governments. In light of the potential benefits, the challenge is not to give up on community engagement, but to look for the reasons why people don't get involved and to come up with innovative solutions.

Why won't residents engage with us? Common reasons given...

When searching for reasons, consider possible factors both internal and external to council.

Factors internal to council

A key issue might be the previously poor communication or public relations practices of the council. It may be necessary to revitalise approaches, for example by:

• holding brainstorming sessions within council and/or with more active community groups
• spending more time analysing past failures and researching alternatives
• seeking mentoring or professional help from outside
• allocating more resources.
   

Factors external to council

Factors external to council could include the capacity of residents to engage, or other factors in the environment. Residents' capacity to participate in local government engagement activities might be hampered by their lack of time, resources, motivation or 'know-how'. 

There is often not a strong culture of political participation at play in Australia beyond compulsory voting. Councils are competing for the attention of residents in a world where there is rapid change in the way people live their lives, limitless opportunities to access information, and a myriad ways to connect to others. On the other hand, this environment presents opportunities for councils as residents become better educated, more affluent and more connected to information sources through technology. 

Strategies for getting more people involved

By understanding the reasons why people are often reluctant to engage in local government business, councils can develop strategies to increase community involvement. These could be either:

• short-term strategies to get people involved in specific community engagement exercises; or
• long-term strategies to build a culture of citizen engagement.

8.3 Short-term strategies: Getting people involved in specific engagement activities

In the design of any engagement exercise, for example holding a consultation workshop, it is important to consider the barriers to residents' involvement and to think about strategies through which these can be overcome. The following diagram includes some tips for engagement:

Source: Voluntary Action Westminster, Involving people: a practical guide, p. 59.

8.4 Longer-term strategies: Building a culture of citizen engagement in council affairs

In the longer term, to overcome the apathy or disinterest in the community toward local government the overriding challenge for councils is to ensure that local government is relevant to the community. To succeed in community engagement, it may not be enough to simply capture people's interest for the purpose of specific engagement activities or to develop strategies to target certain groups such as Indigenous residents. Sustaining ongoing involvement of residents in council business may require councils to invest effort in developing specific strategies for building a culture of citizen engagement in council affairs into the future. The key building block for such a strategy is increasing the knowledge and understanding of the everyday relevance of local government to people's lives. 

Increasing understanding of local government

Australian school children today receive basic education about the roles and responsibilities of the three tiers of government as well as the principles underlying our liberal democracy and the associated civic duties. However, that information is not well developed into a practical understanding of how to participate, nor is it consolidated as they move into adult life. There is also less focus on local government in school education than on the sovereign levels of government where parliamentary processes are the focus. School children may have an excursion to Parliament House, but how often is there an excursion to the council chambers? Furthermore, many older generations will never have received citizenship education at all.

It is in the interests of local governments to help fill this gap. There have been some useful recent exercises in building public knowledge of the role of local government and how it operates – for example, through the mock council meetings held during Local Government Week in New South Wales. 

Councils should talk to local schools to explore opportunities for outreach. Obviously, the time of councillors and staff is at a premium, but it is worth having a conversation with local schools about ways to spark interest in council affairs. This could start small – for example, with an annual visit by the mayor or another councillor to selected schools, perhaps on a rotational basis.

Visits would ideally be coordinated with the curriculum but need not be restricted to lessons about government, or be limited to elected officials. There could be many topics in which specialist and professional council staff could engage with students, such as environmental sustainability (water and waste management and recycling), or matters of engineering and construction. 

Visits to the council chambers, with or without a mock council meeting, or to other council facilities could make the business of local government more tangible to students. 

Even without personal interactions, materials about the council could be provided to aid teachers in bringing in a local or applied dimension to their teaching. Where teachers are interested, there may be scope to base school projects around any number of council responsibilities or activities. There is no reason such collaboration could not extend to TAFEs and universities too.

Strategies for reaching teenagers outside of school would obviously include the use of social media and distributing information of specific interest to them at gathering places such as skate parks, sporting facilities and shops. The importance of encouraging youth engagement should not be overlooked as they are the future leaders of the community, and involvement with council activities could provide a positive outlet for expression in rural and remote areas where opportunities may be limited.

Reaching out to the community

Councils can be creative in finding other ways to reach out to the community to educate people about what local government does and how they can contribute. For example, council could:

• Contribute regular information or opinion pieces in local newspapers or on popular local blogs
   
• Include information bulletins with rates or other notices to residents
   
• Create issue-based email or SMS groups to routinely keep residents with an expressed interest or involvement informed of relevant developments, independent of any formal engagement process
   
• Offer Council Open Days with guided visits (perhaps by volunteers) to council chambers or facilities with staff on-hand to provide information or to answer questions in an informal setting
   
• Send council and community information packs to new electors, incorporating suggestions on how to get involved in community activities and – perhaps every 6 months – hold welcome morning teas or barbeques where they can meet an elected official, and each other
   
• Offer residents the opportunity to nominate any particular areas of interest they may have in council business. Consider developing Resident Interest forms for that purpose and distribute them with reply paid envelopes or have collection boxes at supermarkets, petrol stations, schools etc.
   
• Collaborate with state and federal MPs in overlapping or neighbouring electorates in reaching out to their constituents – e.g. perhaps hold joint welcomes for new electors or invite them to participate in open days and other events
   
• Incorporate education about local government into community development exercises as appropriate.

8.5 Capacity building is a continual process

Beyond specific efforts to inform and educate the public, councils can make better use of everyday opportunities to demonstrate the relevance of local government. For example:

• Letters from residents. When responding to correspondence (letters or electronic), provide a little more context and content to aid understanding and also to inform the correspondent of any upcoming events or consultation processes. It may be appropriate to provide contact details for other governments or organisations that could be of assistance. Doing thorough and relevant responses to correspondence is a way of making positive connections with residents.
   
• Existing forums. Any forums in which residents interact with councils – for example, workshops on environmental sustainability or grant application preparation – also represent opportunities to inform residents about a broader range of issues, to build trust in council, and to instil people with the capacity and confidence to get more engaged in community activities.
   
• Consultation processes. When seeking resident participation in a consultation exercise, provide good background information about the issue and clearly explain the role residents can play (making no assumptions about the existing understanding or capacity of the general public). This will help with the general education process, whether or not they choose to become involved in the specific activity.
   
• Reporting back. One of the most common pitfalls in council engagement practices is failing to report back to the community about the outcomes of the engagement and how they were used by council. Yet this is a critical opportunity for community learning about local government. Post-engagement reporting back on progress and outcomes should explain the purpose and nature of the activity, what was learned, and how it influenced council practices or decisions.
   

Given the difficulty of catching people's attention and holding it long enough for them to learn something about local government, councils need to be opportunistic in leveraging existing instances of engagement. As with all learning, hands-on involvement is usually the most effective. People need to put their 'toes in the water' on community engagement. If it feels good, they will return. Ensure there are frequent and meaningful opportunities for them to do so. While engagement activities take time and resources, they produce better government and more satisfied residents; a very sound community investment.

MODULE 9: List of practical tools and templates

9.1 Toolkit Resource List

• Section 3.4: Presentation for staff to introduce to councillors the concept of community engagement - Download
• Section 4.3: Sample text for use in community engagement policies - View
• Section 4.3: Links to community engagement policies for rural-remote and Indigenous councils - View
• Section 5.2: Template Community Engagement Plan for a project - Download
• Section 5.3: Deciding whether engagement is necessary (checklist) - View
• Section 5.4: Matrix for deciding the required level of engagement - View
• Section 5.8: Template for report to council on community engagement - Download
• Section 6.3: Checklist for holding a public meeting - Download.

8.2 Other resources

• Local government department websites have a range of materials explaining the functions and accountabilities of local governments.
   
• Commonwealth civic and citizenship education sites have broader information about government: australia.gov.au; Civics and Citizenship Education
   
• The ABC's Discovering Democracy site also contains civic education resources for teachers and curriculum links. Read more »
   
• The Queensland Parliament website has a fact sheet explaining the three levels of government. Read more »