Why is Community Engagement important?
Is Community Engagement a top priority for you, when creating placemaking and development strategies? Or is it just another box to tick?
Perhaps you are unsure about the benefits of meaningful community engagement and whether it is worth investing the time and energy to create strong connections with the local community. If you want to learn more about the value of community engagement, read on.
This summer, we had the opportunity to collaborate with the LDN Collective on the launch of their new Engagement, Co-Design, and Social Value Service. In case you missed the launch event, you can catch up on the key takeaways here. The event made it clear that community engagement is not just important - it is a vital part of sustainable placemaking.
At the event, we had the pleasure of interviewing Built Environment experts on their views of the importance of community engagement:
Lowri Nicholson and Hannah Smart from edge Urban Design
Oliver Deed and Ashni Jain from E.C.F
Tim Ashwin from Tim Ashwin Consulting
Charlotte Bowen from Commonplace
Charlotte Glazier from UK Pocket Parks
Natascha McIntyre-Hall from Gleeds
Jay Allen from London Communication Agency
Rumi Bose from Future of London and Rumi Bose Ltd
In this blog, we will share a summary of their responses through three short videos. A huge thanks to all of you for your participation!
Source: Unsplash
What is community engagement?
How can we involve people in the process to ensure the buildings and spaces we create truly meet the needs of the community?
As we discussed in our previous blog, community engagement is a crucial first step in the development process. It is where you conduct surveys, host workshops, and organise activities to connect with the community. But just how important is this step, and why should it be a priority for everyone involved in creating new places? This is what we asked our 10 industry experts.
We asked them three key questions:
Why is community engagement important?
“… in my opinion, if you haven’t gone out and spoken to the right community, if you haven’t got a wide breadth of feedback into your project, and you haven’t got community engagement, you cannot call your project a good project.”
From the responses we collected, it is clear that community engagement is vital. While there often is a focus on the end result, the journey of getting there is equally important.
It is important to be creative and innovative at every stage of development, from the initial concept and planning to construction and delivery. Listening to people’s ideas, obtaining their feedback, and understanding community perspectives are fundamental, as the people in the local community will ultimately live in and use the spaces and make them their own. Incorporating their input ensures the final design meets their needs and benefits the project as a whole.
2. What is the difference between good and bad engagement?
“Bad engagement is very tick box. It’s the here’s a piece of paper and it’s gonna be a yes or no. And it provides no wiggle room for either the people that you’re engaging with or the people whose responsibility it is to deliver.”
Everyone seems to agree that good community engagement requires a clear, concise message and a well-organised series of events, both online and offline. An inclusive strategy is crucial, detailing the process and ensuring broad participation. The best outcomes come from being authentic, and processing data effectively.
Poor engagement occurs when diverse voices are overlooked and only a narrow group is involved. It happens when community engagement becomes a mere box-ticking exercise, lacking the time and effort needed to be truly effective. Going into a community engagement activity already knowing what the answer should be and not listening to what the community has to say, will result in bad engagement and a loss of trust from the community.
3. Why does good community engagement matter?
“Places are about people - not planning.”
In this video, we learn that if we want to meet the future housing and infrastructure needs of this country, we need to involve the community. It is the communities that will drive progress - and that is why community engagement matters.
Building trust within the community especially in long term development projects is essential for creating successful places.
Source: Pexels.com
Building for the people
Still unsure whether investing time and effort in meaningful community engagement is worthwhile? According to our 10 experts, there is no downside to working closely with the community.
As custodians of the built environment, we are not just constructing buildings; we are creating places where people live, work, and thrive. Without genuine community input, even the most innovative designs can fail to resonate with those they are meant to serve. Engaging with the community ensures that developments are aligned with the needs, values, and aspirations of the people who will use them.
This process involves collaboration not only among diverse groups within local communities but also between various professionals in the built environment. Collaboration as a theme was also a central theme at the launch event and is thoroughly explored in ECF's report on LDN Collective's new Engagement, Co-design, and Social Value service. The report delves into the key findings from the launch and the two workshop sessions that focused on urban regeneration and public realm projects.
The launch emphasised the critical role of collaboration between developers, local government, and communities. Another event is planned for later in 2024, offering further opportunities to explore these themes and their practical applications. Make sure to keep an eye out for more insights and developments in this ongoing conversation.
Looking to implement community engagement in your placemaking strategy?
Finding new and creative ways to engage with current and new audiences through your digital channels is a key part of our work at Concept Culture. We stay ahead of digital trends and continuously explore the best strategies for effective and meaningful engagement.
If you are looking for new ways to connect with your community through engaging storytelling and marketing campaigns, we are here to help.
Book a consultation with us today, and let us explore how we can effectively engage with your audience.
