Here are a few more suggestions for creative meetings and events aimed at engaging your partners, stakeholders or the wider community. If you have any other ideas please share them through the Comments column or by email to david@gnp.co.uk
Activity WeekAn activity week is a programme of events, workshops or exhibitions to demonstrate a partnership’s activity. Organisations and individuals connected to the partnership are asked to organise something during the week, and the wider community are invited to sample activities. An activity week is a great way to focus attention on your partnership and to energise your partners, encouraging them to think creatively about their contribution.
Business BreakfastIt is often difficult for partnerships to get the private sector involved because most business people have severe time constraints and are very focused on their business activity. A business breakfast may succeed where other events fail because it fits in with the business lifestyle, does not eat into the normal working day, and subtly massages the egos of executives, who enjoy the suggestion that their time is precious and their importance merits special treatment.
Citizens JuryThis is an interesting technique for examining an issue or topic by use of
inquiry, involving a representative cross-section of the community. A group of 12 or more people are selected to represent the community and to spend some time listening to the details of a topic through presentations and witness examinations. Jurors can cross-examine witnesses. At the end the jury will produce a report or recommendation for the partnership.
Design WorkshopThis event brings together professional designers with non-professionals. The designer’s job is to listen to the ideas of the non-professional and to interpret them in design terms. They can also encourage the non-professional to have a go at sketching their own designs. Some of the most promising designs could be worked up for further development after the workshop.
Drama WorkshopThis workshop uses role play to dramatise people’s own experience, or physical movement to represent attitudes or feelings. The players and the audience later get together to interpret and comment on what they have presented or seen. A drama workshop can be used at all levels of a partnership, but works especially well as a way of involving young people or groups who are not comfortable with conventional meetings and discussions.
FestivalThis is a programme of shows, events and activities for the public, organised over a few days to show off and celebrate the community or the partnership. One advantage of the festival format is that it may attract people who would not come to events or exhibitions which are more obviously ‘informative’. Carefully planned, some appropriate messages about the work of the partnership can be woven into the programme of entertainment
Focus GroupThis is a small-scale session specifically to find out the views and perceptions of an identified target group. A facilitator will ask structured but open-ended questions to draw out the responses from the group without influencing or directing their answers. Focus groups can provide an excellent snapshot of current opinion about a topic or proposal.
Junior JuryA group of a dozen or so young people listen to the details of a partnership topic or proposal which is likely to affect young people. Witnesses are called to give ‘evidence’ and to be cross-examined by the young people. Finally, the Junior Jury are asked to give their ‘verdict’ on the proposal or to make recommendations for improvement.
Listening DayThis is a day specifically set aside for listening to the views, concerns, complaints, problems or ideas from the community. A listening day is not about presentations, plans or offering solutions. This event is devoted entirely to hearing what people have to say. Of course a partnership should always be listening, but the special focus on this day may help to draw out people who may otherwise remain silent.
Mobile UnitA mobile unit contains a display and other facilities which can be moved around an area, usually in a vehicle, for the community to visit. Public car parks near shopping centres are popular locations for a mobile unit. Other possibilities include school yards and the grounds of health centres or leisure centres. Some mobile units contain studios or video boxes to allow people to record their own comments.
Neighbourhood ForumThis is a body usually comprising local volunteers who get together to discuss and sometimes press for improvements in the neighbourhood. The forum can act as a useful conduit for involving the local community. Sometimes this body is structured more formally, with elected representatives. The more formal grouping is alternatively known as a Neighbourhood Council
Open DayThis event allows partners to show what they are doing to a wider public, and to invite their ideas and participation. Choose an accessible venue and open from early morning to evening so people may fit a visit into their normal schedule. Make the event informal and friendly. Use a variety of interactive listening and recording techniques to allow visitors an opportunity to comment and contribute.
PartyAn ideal way to celebrate an achievement or staging post in a project is to host a party for the stakeholders.This need not be a lavish affair, as long as it is fun and engaging. Perhaps some of the partners will volunteer to provide refreshments or put on entertainment in a go-as-you-please style.
Planning for RealPlanning for Real uses large scale maps and simple models as a focus for people to put forward their ideas about how a particular neighbourhood, area, facility or building could be improved. Participants place flags, cards or simple drawings on the map or model to indicate what they would like to improve and where. Photographs and recordings are used so that working groups can take the ideas forward to the next stage.
RoadshowThe essence of a roadshow is a series of events that get as close as possible to the target audience – usually the community impacted by the work of the partnership. Roadshows may include workshops, seminars, exhibitions, interactive displays, or a combination of these. Use engaging techniques that will appeal to the audience and go beyond passing on information to gather ideas and views from every corner of the partnership network.
Role PlayRole play can help people to communicate their feelings about a situation, or to bring an issue to life. Participants adopt character roles which are close to real life as they see it, and act out situations that say something about the theme being explored. Role play is best observed in a ‘fish bowl’ situation, allowing observers to comment afterwards on what they have seen.
ServiceImprovement PanelA service improvement panel includes service users and people from organisations that are involved in or have an impact on the service. The panel is asked to review the service from a customer point of view and suggest improvements. The panel may also come up with a range of key indicators which they use to monitor subsequent performance. A customer panel may also be used to test or comment on new ideas before they are ‘rolled out’ to the public.
Street PartyA street party is a great way to engage the local community of all ages, and to generate enthusiasm and publicity for a community project. Ensure that your catering and entertainment are appropriate for an outdoor event, and be sure to make plans for inclement weather. A fancy dress theme or fun competition is a good way to add colour to the occasion and get people involved
Street StallA street stall gives you the chance to discuss the work of the partnership with people in the community who may not otherwise come across your work. Select a busy public spot and mount an exhibition featuring display panels, literature stand and an interactive element, such as a survey, a poll or a game. Partners should man the stall in enough numbers to engage passers-by in discussion, in the activities you have planned, and in sharing ideas.
Table DisplayA table display is a useful device for setting out plans or proposals in a way that does not require special display equipment and makes it easy for visitors to add comments. Drawings, diagrams, visuals or models of a proposed project are set out on a table-sized card. A series of tables can be used if there is a set of options or several phases of the project to be displayed. Visitors are invited to tour the table displays and add comments or ‘votes’ as appropriate
Topic Group SessionThere may be several topic groups formed around the key topics or themes covered by the partnership. Members are usually selected for their particular experience or expertise in that subject. They will usually meet in a series of sessions before reporting their findings or recommendations to the steering group. Topic groups are a useful way of engaging special interests.
User GroupA user group is made up of representatives from the end users of a partnership initiative or service. A group might be formally or informally based, and may be volunteers or elected members. The purpose of getting the user group together is to ensure that users are kept fully informed and involved as appropriate, and have a chance to air their views.
Video BoxA video box or screened off video area allows members of the community to express their views about something on film.The recording can then be viewed by the key players or made available for public viewing. Users of the video box must be made aware of and agree to the use of their recording. See my posting of
26 July 2005 for a description of a video box used as part of a festival-style young people's event called RESPECT.
WorkshopThere is no better way to get a group of partners fully involved in developing ideas and activities than a highly engaging, lively workshop. Select from the various formats and ideas set out in this blog or in
Partnership Works to suit the purpose of the workshop. These will differ according to whether you are looking mainly for information input, creative ideas, or action plans.
Youth AssemblyThis is a gathering of young people, chosen to represent their age group, who examine developments or proposals from a youth perspective. They may also be able to make their own proposals for exploration by the partnership.The gathering is sometimes known as a Youth Parliament.
