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Community engagement – definitions applicable to systems change

21/10/2019 By Max Hardy 1 Comment

I’ve been pondering how we understand this term ‘community engagement’ and realising how important it is that we develop an agreed understanding of it before designing a community engagement process. There is no single universally applied understanding of the terms, community engagement, public participation, or citizen involvement. The terms are used interchangeably. Perhaps, the most widely used definition comes from The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) definition is widely used.

“Engagement, or public participation, is a process for making better decisions that incorporates the interests and concerns of all affected stakeholders and meet the needs of the decision-making body.”

The IAP2 Spectrum describes five different levels of engagement, Involve, Consult, Involve, Collaborate and Empower. Each of these levels refers to the extent to which participation influences decision-making. Even the term ‘empower’ in the IAP2 context, is about delegated decision making; it does not align with the community development concept of empowerment.

Although a useful framework for decision-making, the IAP2 definition and the Spectrum, do not relate well to systems change. It is more than just influencing a decision; and one that is set largely by a single sponsoring organisation.

Here are some other definitions:

‘Simply put, community engagement seeks to engage the community to achieve sustainable outcomes, equitable decision-making processes, and deepen relationships and trust between government organisations and communities.’ Crispin Butteriss, Bang the Table (who also writes about this in his article ‘What is community engagement, exactly?’.

‘Community engagement seeks to better engage the community to achieve long-term and sustainable outcomes, processes, relationships, discourse, decision-making, or implementation.’

Center for Economic and Community Development

And how about this definition for employee engagement.

‘Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. This emotional commitment means engaged employees actually care about their work and their company.’ Kevin Kruse, Forbes

We know that community engagement is not only about decision making. Capire developed the engagement triangle to show that engagement can also be about capacity building, and strengthening relationships. This is helpful, and yet when working on a suicide prevention strategy it was apparent to me that we did not only want to engage the community to merely inform decisions, build skills or strengthen relationships. The engagement itself was the solution. We were seeking to help communities to discuss the taboo subject of suicide; and thereby enable everyone to get the help they need, or offer the support required, in a new way. It was about changing a system, and engaging people in conversations about this topic was the vehicle. So, we reframed ‘Engaging the community to help prevent suicide’ to ‘a Citizen-led strategy for suicide prevention’. The engagement was the means and the end. Engaging communities to transform how we talk about, think about, and behave regarding suicide ideation, means something quite different to engaging a community, for instance, about a new parking policy. The kind of engage is different. Engaging that primarily informs a decision or policy may not require ongoing engagement. Once the decision is made and is implemented we just get on with our lives. For systems change the engagement is ongoing; it is iterative, and it informs behaviours, attitudes, builds social capital, and become synonymous with the solution itself.

The Tamarack Institute definition of community engagement is one that sits better for this kind of engagement:

… people working collaboratively, through inspired action and learning, to create and realise bold visions for their common future. (Tamarack, 2003)

This definition works better for ‘systems change’, and for ‘movement building’. There is an opportunity to flesh out this nuance; so that it is clear when we refer to engagement or participation it is this kind of meaning and aspiration.

What is important is that we don’t say one definition is superior to any other. It is simply getting agreement about what it means for a particular situation. No definition works for every kind of engagement. Perhaps the big lesson here is that we don’t just assume we share the same meaning or intent when we talk about engagement. One way to help do that is to ask the question, what might be the most positive legacy this process would leave us with? For the engagement that informs a decision it might be, ‘participants know their input has been valued, understood, and have clarity as to how their input has contributed to decisions made’. For a suicide prevention strategy, the legacy might be ‘a community is more capable and confident in talking about suicide; and that people are better connected, less isolated, and better able to support each other and ask for help’.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever found yourself talking at cross purposes with other people when discussing community engagement?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Community Engagement, community engagement process, IAP2 Spectrum, public participation

Citizens at the Centre: A Journey with my Tamarack Institute Colleagues

12/06/2019 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

It was hectic. Five workshops, in five cities, over eight days – Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. A weekend glamping in the Rockies in between, followed by two nights at Tofino before returning to Melbourne Australia.

Find out what it was all about!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Bringing art into engagement

17/01/2019 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

Introducing and interviewing Jade Herriman

Jade Herriman

I have known Jade for over 10 years. She’s smart, creative and soulful. Her journey has been fascinating, and if you are keen to discover how art and democracy go together then read on.

Max:
We co-wrote a paper together with some Canadian academics/colleagues a few years ago (You can download here). What do you think was useful or significant about that research?

Jade:
That research looked at the way that public participation processes involve individuals to participate as citizens, compared with inviting people to participate as representatives of stakeholder groups. I think the research was useful in highlighting quite carefully and in some detail, the different design choices open to public participation professionals in relation to who is at the decision-making table, and in what capacity.

Max:
In more recent years you have been exploring the world of art and providing art therapy services. What have learned about yourself from your adventure in art therapy?

Jade:
I have realised that I love working with groups, way more than working one on one with individual clients. I enjoy the diversity of outlooks and feel so moved when I see the flow of insights, kindness and connections between participants.

I have learnt that listening with an open heart and mind is extremely valuable and a lot harder to offer than it sounds. I have learnt at a deeper level that there is so much of the human experience that is shared: no matter our situation, status, financial situation, or physical or mental health challenges we all long to connect, to be understood, to be treated respectfully, to experience humour and compassion.

I have also learnt that my own experiences with anxiety can actually be an asset in certain work – for example I love creating safe and welcoming spaces and experiences that people can relax into, and I probably pay a lot more attention to the details of making a space comfortable and a process clear for that reason.

Max:
So now you are looking to integrate your love of art, and art therapy, with your long-held interest in renewing democratic processes. How do you think they might work together?

Jade:
I am quite excited by the not-knowing of how exactly that might unfold! In the past I’ve used creative methods in community engagement processes to help people input to strategic planning, place making and local environmental projects. So, this future work might build on that. I think that art therapy tools are useful for so much more than what we might think of as ‘therapy’ – they can be tools for wellbeing, for personal reflection and insight, they can be tools for relaxation, for team building and for developing leadership skills.

In the context of public participation in decision making I think that creative methods are a great way to get beyond our day to day scripts and dip into the deeper and more complex set of views that we each hold. They are also great tools for inviting in the personal and emotional dimensions to a dialogue, and for helping us spark new ideas and innovation.

Max:
What kind of opportunities are you now looking for?

Jade:
I would like to continue to bring creative methods not just to the process of healing and personal growth, but also to leadership and complex decision making. Any work where I get to help people have honest conversations and make it safe to bring all of who they are to the table make me happy. I also love projects where there is an opportunity to give people first-hand experience of making things with their hands and the way that creative expression can ground us, challenge us, comfort us, and provide another way to know ourselves.

Max:
Thanks Jade. I’m looking forward to exploring some opportunities with you, and I look forward to you throwing me some questions for Part 2 of this blog.

You can contact Jade Herriman through https://jadeherriman.com/ and see her in action in this video.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Are you stuck trying to address ‘wicked problems’ with your community?

09/01/2019 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

A Social Scientist, Design Thinker and Science Impact Practitioner walked into a bar. The Social Scientist asks “how can we work together to solve the most complex problems with communities?”

Two hours later and here are their 5 top killer tips for inter-disciplinary approaches to solving wicked problems with communities.

@Robyn Mansfield@Anthony Boxshall@Max Hardy

1. Embrace complexity – break up the complexity of the issue and use common language to drive a “level” playing field among participants. Welcome complexity as “wicked opportunities”. #wickedopportunities #complexity #scienceimpact #reframe

2. Inter-disciplinary collaboration leads to solutions that are bigger than the sum of the parts. Welcome in all disciplines and be curious about what might be co-created.  Queen used opera to redefine rock. What is possible in your situation? #bohemianrhapsody #becurious #gocrazy

3. Look past disciplines and utilise skills – your participants are more than just their discipline or sector. When you invite people to bring all their skills, you get a richer conversation, an owned solution and potentially a transformative experience for all participants. #interdisciplinary

4. Generate a worthy question – devote time to consider the best question to collectively answer. Use participants to frame a question so that everyone can bring their expertise to co-designing the solution. It can take a while to generate a great question that will inspire the active participation of a diverse community. #codesign #problemsolving #whatisreallygoingonhere #strategicquestioning #communityengagement

5. People will rise to the occasion – community is not a problem to solve, rather they are an asset to draw upon for finding solutions. The community is part of your interdisciplinary team. They have their own expertise to bring. Set up the environment for people to bring their creativity to break through sticking points. An empowered community empowers decision-makers. #decisionmaking #empowerment #getunstuck #codesign

What’s worked for you?

Co-authored by Anthony Boxshall, Robyn Mansfield and Max Hardy

Filed Under: Uncategorized

EPA Co-design Project

30/10/2017 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

EPA_Co-design.mp4

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Recent Posts

  • Community engagement – definitions applicable to systems change 21/10/2019
  • Citizens at the Centre: A Journey with my Tamarack Institute Colleagues 12/06/2019
  • Rethinking Democracy: Strategies That Put Citizens at the Centre 25/02/2019
  • Bringing art into engagement 17/01/2019
  • Are you stuck trying to address ‘wicked problems’ with your community? 09/01/2019
  • Channelling Fran Peavey – generating strategic questions for those who sponsor community engagement and collaboration 04/10/2018
  • The potential for Digital Deliberation 30/08/2018

Contact Details

Max Hardy Consulting
Email: max@maxhardy.com.au
Phone: 0418 217 261
Twitter: @maxchardy
Skype: maxhardy
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/max-hardy/11/339/a4b

Testimonials

Crispin Butteriss, Bang the Table

'Max is a long time colleague, mentor and friend. He has a deft touch as a facilitator and collaboration strategist due his deeply developed empathetic listening skills, along with the experience and wisdom of many years of working on thorny problems with people from all walks of life'. Crispin Butteriss, PhD Co-founder and Chief Practice

Courtney Brown, Director, BDR Projects

'I have known and worked with Max for about two years, however I have been very aware of his career and engagement experience applied to major projects across industry sectors for a much longer period. Max has been at the forefront of pioneering new mechanisms and methodologies for genuine engagement and this resonates for his

Jessie Keating

Working with Max is a delight. Max’s facilitation, collaboration and problem solving style is respectful and calm, along with being both accessible and professional. The most significant project we have worked on with Max was the planning and undertaking of a community symposium, focused on the drafting of our city’s 20 year strategy, MV2040. We

Liz Mackevicius

'Max worked with us to design and execute a series of workshops based on the citizen jury principles, to enable a conversation between community members about the growth and change expected to occur in a challenging inner city municipality. Max understood the key issues at hand, gave expert advice and worked with us to tailor

Amy Hubbard, Capire

“Max is a trusted and respected colleague and friend of Capire. He is always able to provide us with a sound, strategic and independent perspective – even on the toughest projects in very complex communities” Amy Hubbard CEO, Capire.

Craig Wallace

I have worked with Max Hardy on two complex projects which took deliberative democracy and applied it to new problems. In 2007 at a ceremony in Arizona, USA Max along with the ACT Disability Advisory Council was awarded the IAP2 (International) Award for "Project of the Year" for our Citizens Jury project which provided scorecard

Lisa Rae

I first encountered Max in Auckland when he delivered IAP2 training I was attending. Many years later, I’ve had the opportunity to work with him on two significant local government projects in Melbourne using co-design and deliberative engagement approaches. Max’s great strength was helping council decision makers understand their role in the engagement process and

Ian Dixon, Dixon Partnering Solutions

'I have worked with Max on many occasions and have great respect for his skills and knowledge around community engagement and collaboration. He is an expert trainer and a strong advocate for Appreciative Inquiry approaches.' Ian Dixon, Principal, Dixon Partnering Solutions

Carol M Anderson

'If one were to ask me who was the best facilitator and facilitation trainer in the world, I would unequivocally answer “Max Hardy.” As the public involvement manager at one of the largest U.S.-based environmental engineering firms, I often took along my notes from Max’s facilitation class to meet with clients and, on their behalf, with the public.

Anna Kelderman

'Max's extensive experience with deliberative engagement, as well as his uniquely calming facilitation style, has helped bring about a step-change in the type of public engagement expected in Western Australia. It has been an absolute pleasure to partner with and learn from the best in the business, and I continue to look for opportunities to

Beatrice Briggs

'Max Hardy brings to his work a delightful combination of common sense, integrity, experience, laced with a sly sense of humour.'   Beatrice Briggs Director International Institute for Facilitation and Change (IIFAC) Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico

Lindy Fentiman

'I have had the pleasure of working with Max when he ventures up to sunny Queensland!  He is a generous, insightful and highly skilled professional who absolutely practices what he believes in.  Nobody understands the importance of collaboration, engagement and the challenges this brings for organisations better than Max!  He is an excellent coach, facilitator

Kellie King

'I have had the pleasure of both being a participant in a fantastic training session run by Max, and also as a client. Max was of tremendous assistance navigating through a challenging engagement process with great support, advice and good humour. Thank you Max.' Kellie King General Manager – Community & Corporate Services, Wannon Water

The Honourable Andrew Powell MP

'I have always been impressed with Max’s ability to navigate and resolve the thorny issues through collaboration.  He involves all participants right from the beginning: asking “what’s the question that needs answering here”? His efforts alongside John Dengate in the journey that was The Queensland Plan were stellar and he was a significant contributor to

Amanda Newbery, Articulous

'Max Hardy has a unique ability to build the confidence and capacity of teams working in engagement. He brings a wealth of experience and insight. We have worked together on a number of deliberative projects and he is a delight to work with!' Amanda Newbery Articulous

Barbara Dart

Max recently facilitated a two day course for us at Council about tackling the internal and external challenges of community engagement. Max is an exceptional facilitator and his ability to draw on experiences across such a broad and diverse background in CE is invaluable to those before him. I would highly recommend Max to anyone

Amber James

'I have known Max for more than ten years. I was a student of his doing the IAP2 Certificate, engaged him as a consultant for in-house work in local government, and then worked alongside him on a consumer engagement capacity building project at the Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital. He is great to be around and

Lara Damiani

'I had the wonderful opportunity to watch Max in action facilitating the Citizen's Jury for People With Disability Australia in Sydney last month which I was filming. Max's tagline "results through collaboration" is spot on. It was pure magic watching Max create collaboration and results from a randomly selected jury - 12 very unique personalities

Becky Hirst

'Max is one of the leading superstars of community engagement and collaborative governance in Australia. Since I first met him as my trainer in Adelaide back in 2007, I've admired his approach. He's passionate, dedicated, admired in the field and I look forward to seeing the next steps of his career unfold. Watch out world!'

Vivien Twyford

'I worked with Max for 17 years and appreciate his honesty, integrity and ability to connect with people at all levels. I learned much from him, particularly around Appreciative Inquiry, the appreciative approach and the value of deliberation. While I miss him, I have confidence that he will continue to be a wise advisor and

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