Help me design a Community Engagement Plan

June 11, 2009 9:57 AM

I need to come up with a community engagement plan for a community based event, and I need to do it by Monday. My problem? I have never designed a community engagement plan before, and I don't even know how to begin designing one. I'm really quite desperate for help here so could you please help me?

My boss, who is a semi-high profile public figure (hence the anonymity), has charged me with designing a community engagement plan for a high profile community based event that's coming up soon. My problem is I've never designed a community engagement plan before and I don't even have the foggiest idea about how to make an effective one.

Naturally one of the first things I did was to Google 'Community Engagement Plan'. That turned up some useful results and I created a model that used some advertising to engage with the public.

Then I found out my budget is basically nil. So advertising is completely out of the question.

On the flip side, this community engagement plan would be centered around the aforementioned high profile community based event, so I could ride its coat tails to some extent.

My brief, then, is to create a plan which will allow my boss to engage with her stakeholders (community based groups and individuals close to Government) and let them know that they have a role to play in Government. But as I said, I can't really advertise to let them know that this is an opportunity open to them. In fact, I envisage that it would be a case of my boss going to them (we have a car, at least!) and engaging them. But how, I have no idea. And what she would do when she meets them, I have no idea either.

My boss wants me to present my ideas to her on Monday and I've come up with nothing so I'm really desperate for any ideas The Hive Mind might come up with.

All ideas considered, so come one, come all, and tell me how to engage with the public without a real budget!

posted by anonymous to grab bag (4 comments total)

Some clarification needed: by "Community Based Event" do you mean a one time event (like a festival or groundbreaking) or an ongoing "event"?

n fact, I envisage that it would be a case of my boss going to them (we have a car, at least!) and engaging them. But how, I have no idea. And what she would do when she meets them, I have no idea either.

Yes, this. This is what my nonprofit does all the time. Frankly, advertising doesn't work for these sorts of things. You need to get individual commitments from your stakeholders.

Without knowing what the event is, its hard for me to answer this in detail, but I basically do this for a living and would be happy to help you out some. My email is in my profile.

In general, you'll need to identify who the community leaders are that you want to engage, set up meetings with them, educate them about whatever your event is, then ask them to commit to a specific deliverable, and make them a partner in your project. Once you have the leaders on board, they'll bring their constituencies with them. Planning public events (typically listening sessions, but the type of event will vary depending on what you're trying to do) where the general public can give you feedback on your ideas are also useful for by-in.

Email me or mefi mail me with some info about the nature of the event, and I'll be happy to help further.
posted by anastasiav at 10:09 AM on June 11 [1 favorite]

I plan events like this, and I want to second everything anastasiav said. Just one additional thing - when you do make contact with these leaders, make sure you ask if there's anyone else you should meet with. It's really easy to overlook important leaders and this can cause unnecessary headaches.

Feel free to memail me with any questions. Doing these sorts of events can be really fun but they take careful planning.
posted by lunasol at 10:56 AM on June 11

This is a nice (and kinda long) pdf of how to plan for community involvement.
posted by stormygrey at 11:12 AM on June 11

I really, really hope you're not in Australia and working on the NT intervention. I wouldn't be surprised, but I can hope.

Do a stakeholder analysis. Names, positions, likely wants based on prior demands, capacity to bring your initiative down, buy-off price. Network it if you can - you can 'engage' a bunch of people through one person that way. Establish a timetable of meetings with key persons - don't meet their communities first. Follow with a timetable of meetings at their communities where you can both speak. Have the key person sell your concept for you as much as possible to portray "grass roots" support. Follow up with another meeting with the key persons. Establish communication channels to follow-up progress. Report on the process, giving copies to key persons and some sort of summary for communities.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:54 PM on June 13