Civic engagement. Public input. Resident participation….I could go on. And on… Community engagement means different things to different folks. It can even mean different things to the same person on different days, depending on context. It can be both painfully messy and complicated, while also fun, exciting and invigorating.
Regardless of your lens, it is a critical component to any lasting systemic change. It will vary greatly in each policy and systems change initiative your team engages in. There is no cookie-cutter way to do it. But, fortunately, there is a set of key guiding questions that must be asked and answered before you move forward.
In discussions with a client yesterday, I created this ‘cheat sheet’ of key questions to consider before jumping in. Enjoy!