Community Engagement Support for Unit 2

The delicate role of managing various stakeholder’s expectations and requirements during a community engagement project, both during the pre and post-engagement is vital if the project is to be successful while not disrupting both beneficiaries, stakeholders or students.

Having been involved in several community engagement studios,(Slovo Park 2010-2014, Informal Studio – Marlboro South, Studio AT Denver amongst others) and community development projects through various roles (student, teacher and practitioner) I have seen the important of not only developing such a plan early, but in maintaining the engagement holistically while being mutually supportive of all involved.

The broad strategy for such a project should be seen in three phases:

Pre-engagement:-

  • Meeting with stakeholders and community
  • Discussing and developing broad inputs, outcomes and expectations mutually
  • Securing funding/support for designbuild or tangible outcomes

Engagement:

  • Implementing the process rigorously and openly
  • Mitigating unforeseen occurrences in both the community and the students
  • Maintaining the core of the engagement
  • Deciding on the form of outcomes mutually

Post-Engagement:

  • Ensuring the delivery of promised outcomes
  • Documenting the process
  • Critically reflecting on such processes
  • Closing the project out

Through my team’s experience and we have many tools, methodologies and a core approach that we are offering to share, facilitate and co-develop through this project.