Governments work with their communities to learn about their experiences, needs, and priorities, among other things.
FREMONT, CA: One of the most common research activities in government is community engagement. Community engagement can be in-person meetings or workshops to digital open doors that are always open. Community engagement assists governments in developing community-centric programs, plans, and policies – sometimes in collaboration with community members!
However, as with everything else in this post-pandemic world, the way governments engage communities is evolving. So what steps are government leaders taking to rethink community engagement in their organizations? It all begins with a conversation!
Outreach
Governments are increasingly using data to direct their community outreach efforts. Collecting proactive and passive data, such as where people get information, what language or device they prefer, what messages resonate the most, and from whom, allows governments to tailor their communication efforts to each community group.
Work Together
When governments begin to include communities in the project process, they open the door to a whole new world of community-centered government. Collaborative community engagement entails actively collaborating with local communities throughout a project or decision.
Seek Advice
When governments engage in consultative community engagement, they typically solicit feedback from community members on a specific decision, analysis, or set of alternatives. The feedback is then considered by agencies when making final decisions or implementing programs.
Participate
As we progress along the spectrum, we begin to see governments engage in community engagement, which involves the public throughout the decision-making process. For example, governments could engage communities before project scoping, during planning, and at key decision points, rather than focusing public comment on a single project milestone.
Encourage
When governments empower citizens, they rewrite the rules of traditional community engagement. Instead of deciding on closed doors, governments present it to the public and say, "We will implement what you decide."
Leaders can present decision-making processes digitally, using modern engagement tools rather than in-person deliberation. In addition, leaders can expand their community engagement efforts and reach more people by using multiple engagement channels, such as mobile, phone, in-person, online, and so on.
