Community Engagement the challenges & rewards Angela Fletcher. Head of Libraries and Heritage London Borough of Sutton  

London Borough of Sutton outer London authority generally affluent, pockets of deprivation 4 star authority, improving well (CPA assessment) cultural services – 3 star population 182,700 11% BME population no strongly or clearly defined group

outer London authority

generally affluent, pockets of deprivation

4 star authority, improving well (CPA assessment)

cultural services – 3 star

population 182,700

11% BME population

no strongly or clearly defined group

Sutton libraries part of Cultural Services flagship service reputation for innovation & excellence best value review – 3 stars 9 libraries including the Central Library and the Phoenix Centre

part of Cultural Services

flagship service

reputation for innovation & excellence

best value review – 3 stars

9 libraries including the Central Library and the Phoenix Centre

The Phoenix Centre award winning multi use centre defined geographical area leisure, library, youth, community services open plan self service unstaffed / single staffed community contacts

award winning multi use centre

defined geographical area

leisure, library, youth, community services

open plan

self service

unstaffed / single staffed

community contacts

The Phoenix Centre

Heritage Service 3 historic houses Whitehall – Honeywood – Little Holland House museum service archives (part of library service) traditional service

3 historic houses

Whitehall – Honeywood – Little Holland House

museum service

archives (part of library service)

traditional service

Whitehall & Honeywood

What is community engagement? “ The process whereby public bodies reach out to the community to create empowerment opportunities.” (Action plan for Community Engagement Building on Success DCLG and LGA, 2007)

“ The process whereby public bodies reach out to the community to create empowerment opportunities.”

(Action plan for Community Engagement Building on Success DCLG and LGA, 2007)

Challenges most people don’t engage with strategies or policies.. perceptions history of dealing with the service or council jargon and technical language formal meetings and documentation

most people don’t engage with strategies or policies..

perceptions

history of dealing with the service or council

jargon and technical language

formal meetings and documentation

Challenges we need to: recognise this effect work around it using different ways train & encourage staff listen / encourage avoid jargon use social occasions

we need to:

recognise this effect

work around it using different ways

train & encourage staff

listen / encourage

avoid jargon

use social occasions

Community engagement has a cost staff time, both initially and in follow-up work budget, there is no point in raising expectations without following through

staff time, both initially and in follow-up work

budget, there is no point in raising expectations without following through

Challenges we need to: give weight & conviction to community engagement work at all levels – political, senior / middle management and on the shop floor prioritise those who control budgets or staffing allow staff time to work with the community, to build trust and links celebrate good practice and give recognition build into business plans and LAAs

we need to:

give weight & conviction to community engagement work at all levels – political, senior / middle management and on the shop floor

prioritise those who control budgets or staffing

allow staff time to work with the community, to build trust and links

celebrate good practice and give recognition

build into business plans and LAAs

Challenges staff don’t have the skills or confidence to do community engagement work. massive challenge part of the culture can be at every level shape our workforce in different ways give opportunities & support to those who ‘can do’ value people / social skills include in recruitment, appraisals etc training & opportunities to take risks

staff don’t have the skills or confidence to do community engagement work.

massive challenge

part of the culture

can be at every level

shape our workforce in different ways

give opportunities & support to those who ‘can do’

value people / social skills

include in recruitment, appraisals etc

training & opportunities to take risks

Challenges the community has unrealistic views or a range of opposing views… history of mistrust apathy / lack of interest groups with unrepresentative or vested interest views its not possible to please one group without upsetting another

the community has unrealistic views or a range of opposing views…

history of mistrust

apathy / lack of interest

groups with unrepresentative or vested interest views

its not possible to please one group without upsetting another

Challenges we need to: be honest – don’t mislead seek wider views look for compromise build trust and deliver our promises if not – be honest about why

we need to:

be honest – don’t mislead

seek wider views

look for compromise

build trust and deliver our promises

if not – be honest about why

Community engagement in Sutton Local committees: Partners – SCOLA, The Centre for Voluntary Services Safer neighbourhood committees Specific to libraries & Heritage: Friends’ groups Phoenix consultative group Middleton Circle steering group Examples: Neighbourhood history project, Middleton Circle Lottery project Local Access Points

Local committees:

Partners – SCOLA,

The Centre for Voluntary Services

Safer neighbourhood committees

Specific to libraries & Heritage:

Friends’ groups

Phoenix consultative group

Middleton Circle steering group

Examples:

Neighbourhood history project,

Middleton Circle Lottery project

Local Access Points

Rewards making a difference – both to individuals and the community steering the service – real improvement political involvement and support funding bids protecting the service new ideas / inspiration

making a difference – both to individuals and the community

steering the service – real improvement

political involvement and support

funding bids

protecting the service

new ideas / inspiration

Conclusion there isn’t a right way… the only way to learn how, is to go ahead and do it… we’re not all good at it – those of us who aren’t should do everything we can to support those who are…