What does community engagement cover?
It is about the way in which the council and its partners engage with local people and their communities and focuses on the needs of its citizens. It requires good awareness of the range of different communities within an area. Targets and practices are in place to monitor and ensure a full understanding of the different needs and aspirations of these communities. This is reflected in policy and service delivery. Genuine community engagement ensures that everyone in the local area is given an opportunity to participate and be involved in setting local priorities and shaping the delivery of local services. It helps to:
- challenge the types of services and the way they are provided
- identify root causes of any community tensions and contribute to better community cohesion
- improve local knowledge; and develop local capacity, confidence and ownership
- it helps to build communities that are strong and empowered
It includes a wide range of methods for engaging local people and ensures there is regular dialogue with local communities.