The document discusses various strategies and models from multiple cities to enhance community engagement and management of public parks, emphasizing collaboration with young people and underrepresented communities. It highlights the importance of innovative governance structures, digital platforms, and community-led initiatives aimed at improving social outcomes and public benefit. Overall, the focus is on fostering grassroots participation to unlock community potential and improve the use of public spaces.

1. The Citizen Shift

2. You said….
Birmingham – “Strengthen relationship with..
esp young people & deprived communities… for
park management & decision making”
“a digital platform for future engagement,
learning & community exchange”
Bournemouth – “a new organisational
structure, parks forum, social enterprise,
volunteering & engagement programmes”
“New ways of working through research &
pilots”
Bristol – “a collaborative new model for the city
through the prospectus model, an approach
some cities would shy away from”
“Local people to play a part in their long term
management”
Cambridgeshire – “a step change in the way
stakeholders engage with parks particularly new
housing development”
“Set up an umbrella structure of governance
and partnerships”

3. You said….
Camden & Islington – “develop strategies &
toolkits to maximise parks’ contribution to
health & wellbeing”
“Build new partnerships with community
groups & deliver a workforce transformation”
Edinburgh – “engage the citizens of 2050
including hard to reach groups. Test new
technologies”
“Explore new governance models including
participatory budgeting & research the
Common Good with volunteers”
Nottingham – “Place citizens at the heart of the
service, engaging them meaningfully for the
first time”
“Build social capital with a step change in
stakeholder engagement in the city. Develop
new governance arrangements”
Plymouth – “move from a traditional
landowner to a ‘supportive curator’.
Communities to develop from passive users to
proactive supporters”
“Develop community leaders & build capacity.
Stakeholder engagement embedded from the
outset”

4. New social
contracts
between
citizen &
state?

6. A new relationship with your public
 Questions of accountability
 Transparency?
 Radically Open?
 Trust?
How does everyone get
more of what they want..?

7. Self assessment tracker score yourself from 1-5
“How welcoming are you to all people of all ages, backgrounds and
abilities?” (average = 5)
“Our participants represent our community?” (average = 2)

8. Public benefit KPIs..?
Community outcomes
1. Increase in enterprise and start-up mentality
2. Increase digital engagement of public assets
3. Test new ‘community organising’ consultation
methods
4. Test how social action platforms engage with
public areas – make things happen, get things
done
5. Focus on momentum in making it easier to
get things done – starting small and scaling
quickly
6. Lasting and sustainable change - Grassroots
community activity is on the rise – solving
problems, improving lives and giving voice to
people’s concerns
Individual outcomes
1. Skill development
2. Health and wellbeing
3. Volunteering time
4. Increased pride in the local area
5. Individuals feel they can make things happen
& remaining in the driving seat
6. Social outcomes: Better relationships
between individuals

9. Community Partners
Ambition of the community pathway:
• Unlocking the latent capacity and capability that exists within the
community to use of and make the most of parks.
• Unlocking benefits, especially by those community organisations
which are important convenors of activities, services and programmes
within parks.
Core components :
• Capacity and networking building of people
• Community strategy for parks
• Money for activation programmes and activities
Thoughts on structure:
• Utilising a three stage design process
• Frame the relationship roles & responsibilities
Health, Mental
Health And
Wellbeing
Sport, Leisure
& Physical
Activity
Learning And
Skills
Cohesion
Social
Enterprise
Incubation
Older People
And Loneliness
Children And
Young People

10. Models for Scale
Five options for long term change (Thinking/testing/doing)
1. Open Source – parkrun, alcoholics anonymous
2. Replication – franchising and support, social enterprise
3. Government adoption – picked up elsewhere
4. Mission achieved – job done!
5. Sustained service via income generation - in-house