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Thrilled to be part of the Tamarack Learning Centre Rethinking Democracy: Strategies That Put Citizens at the Centre webinar with Sylvia Cheuy. The recording of the session is now available online from their webpage. Or you can see it directly here: . You can also download the presentation slides. Please share these links freely with…
Introducing and interviewing 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…
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.…
As many of you will know I have long been a fan of Fran Peavey; especially her work in developing the concept and practice of strategic questioning. Fran put forward the power of questions that make it impossible for the status quo to remain. Questions that create movement; questions that cannot be answered immediately, without…
I am very excited to be the winner of the recent IAP2 Australasia Wordsmith Competition. The Wordsmith competition asked members to come up with the best definition of an engagement practitioner using everyday language. My winning entry was: “An engagement practitioner helps individuals, groups, organisations and decision makers with different interests to talk, listen, learn,…
Max Hardy discusses Citizens’ Advisory Panels and their usefulness to councils.
Urbanist Anna Kelderman, Director of Shape Urban recently sat down with Community Engagement Specialist Max Hardy of Max Hardy Consulting, to discuss the nexus between community engagement and urban planning. Anna: You have been practicing a pretty intensive type of engagement for a while now across Australia; what one major benefit would you say results…
When it comes to community engagement, influence matters. There must be some evidence that something has changed as a result of the process. There would appear to be no value for money, or effort, if nothing appears to change; if nothing is influenced. I get that; support that; advocate for that. Always. Yet, influencing decisions…
Deliberative engagement is an approach to community engagement that is becoming increasingly popular. For this we can largely thank academics like as well as the positive experiences of participants. Some recent recognition for exemplary projects by the IAP2 might also have something to do with it Having designed and facilitated over 30 deliberative panels (think…
I recently spoke to Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper regarding Community Engagement. You can read more about the details below regarding how to maximise the benefits of community engagement. There are, certainly, challenges for engaging communities effectively. The rewards for getting it right may be more than you imagine. For local government it is much…