The Underbelly of Engagement

The Unspoken Realities of Community Engagement

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Free Downloadable E-Book. 

A wide-ranging interview between subject matter expert Sally Hussey and engagement expert Max Hardy. A must read for all engagement practitioners.  

Community engagement is considered a vital component of democratic governance and public decision-making. It can foster public participation, enhance transparency, and help build trust between communities and their governments. However, the day-to-day reality for engagement professionals can be fraught with challenges that are seldom discussed openly, if at all.

The Underbelly of Engagement: the Unspoken Realities of Community Engagement aims to delve into these realities, offering a candid exploration of the difficulties faced by engagement practitioners and professionals. Unlike the more sensationalised notions that have evolved, ‘underbelly’, as it originates, implies vulnerability and hiddenness. This ebook returns to this original meaning as it evokes the idea of exploring the less visible realities of engagement work—those that are typically obscured by discussions focused on the positive outcomes of project-by-project engagement.

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‘The way we engage people and manage them leaves them feeling unheard, disenfranchised, and disempowered. So, they fight back. And our reaction is, “See, I told you it'd be like this.” The hackles go up, the combativeness goes up, and – surprise, surprise – the people leading the consultation get exactly the experience they thought they’d get...’


- Nick Fleming, Strategic Advisor

‘I've seen many cycles within organisations. If there's been a couple of projects that have turned out really good in terms of reputation, suddenly the board becomes very interested...It gets to a really good point. Then something could happen, other priorities come along, board members change, leadership changes, restructures happen, and you'll see it starts all over again.’

- Michelle Weston, Consultant

'How do we get companies, government at all levels, funding bodies to understand that bringing the community in from the start is not an unnecessary time-sink but essential to a stronger return on investment?'


- Eleanor Loudon, Impact Consultant

Who we are

Max Hardy

Max is one of Australia’s most experienced, sought-after facilitators, trainers and engagement practitioners. He regularly facilitates workshops and masterclasses on deliberative engagement and has delivered one of the most watched TEDx Talks on community engagement. Renowned internationally for his skilful design and facilitation of engagement processes, Max has developed innovative models for collaboration and engagement, winning numerous national and international awards. Co-founder of Authentic Co-Design, Max is a Fellow of IAP2 Australasia and a collaborator with the Tamarack Institute, Canada.

Sally Hussey

Sally Hussey is a thought leader and subject matter expert with decades of expertise across research and policy. She has collaborated with world-leading experts to examine fundamental challenges facing communities and her authored work has been cited in numerous publications and policymaking contexts in Australia and internationally. Sally inaugurated IAP2 Australasia’s thought leadership series and her recent report was launched at Australian Federal Parliament. Author and regular contributor to policy publications, Sally is recognised by the Who’s Who of Australian Women.

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Our clients and partners include local councils, government departments and agencies, health authorities and private companies.

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