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Community and stakeholder engagement, extension and education

The success of rehabilitation activities frequently relies on effective engagement with relevant stakeholders and the broader community and in many cases, this can be the greatest outcome of the project. The investment of time, method selected and costs associated with community and stakeholder consultation/engagement will be dependent on multiple factors including project budgets and stakeholder/community interest and capacity. Community and stakeholder consultation and engagement can promote acceptance and ownership of rehabilitation works. Particular effort should be made to effectively engage with the Traditional Owners and First Nations people using appropriate culturally appropriate methods.

Often, rehabilitation projects benefit through the development of a community/stakeholder engagement plan prior to the commencement of an individual project. The engagement plan will guide the consultation process throughout the life of a project. Engagement with stakeholders may expand funding opportunities, as well as broaden the range of rehabilitation methods, maintenance and monitoring options considered.

Collaborators in riparian restoration project Photo by Burnett Mary Regional Group

Potential benefits from this intervention:

  • Establishing a clear understanding of the stakeholder/community expectations, level of interest, goals and capacity for a project and for the stakeholder/community to develop a clear understanding of the project expectations and goals for the project.
  • Seeking better informed and supportive stakeholders through shared transfer of knowledge.
  • Developing more effective and efficient communication processes through better targeting and greater collaboration with stakeholders.

Intervention considerations:

  • The needs and interests of the stakeholders/community to be engaged
  • The appropriate level of engagement using the International Association for Public Participation Public Consultation Spectrum[1]
  • The capacity of the organisation’s ability to effectively undertake the selected engagement method[1]
  • The context or background in which the project is taking place, such as historical relationships with the stakeholders/community or the level of controversy related to the project[2]
  • The purpose and the intended outcome of the engagement, such as sharing information with the stakeholders/community, building community capacity, or building relationships with stakeholders[1]
  • The scale required for appropriately engaging stakeholders[1]
  • The appropriate First Nations people to contact and the culturally appropriate way to engage them
  • The effectiveness of the method selected for engaging with stakeholders to achieve the desired outcome[1]
  • The likelihood that the selected engagement method will build the required relationships and give stakeholders the level of engagement they desire[1].

Additional information

Links:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f The Policy Project (2020), Selecting Methods for Community Engagement: Resources for choosing the right engagement methods to support good community engagement planning at each level of the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation. [online], p. 22, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Wellington, New Zealand. Available at: https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/selecting-methods-community-engagement.
  2. ^ The Policy Project (2021), Community Engagement Design Tool. [online], p. 25, The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Wellington, New Zealand. Available at: https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/community-engagement-design-tool.

Last updated: 3 June 2022

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2022) Community and stakeholder engagement, extension and education, WetlandInfo website, accessed 30 August 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/management/rehabilitation/rehab-process/step-4/intervention-options/community-stakeholder-consult-engagement-mod.html

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of Environment, Science and Innovation