FAQ

The purpose of this project is to find out:

• What you love about your neighbourhood?
• What your vision is for your neighbourhood?
• How the Town and community can work together to make this happen?

Feedback received through the engagement will help to inform the Community Principles document, as well as the Town’s Public Participation Policy.  It will provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and when and how these roles can be interchanged depending upon ownership; outputs and capacity,

Community led

• Requires a high level of involvement from the community
• Requires a commitment from community to relationship building and collaboration
• Decision-making is often more time consuming
• Those that speak loudest often get heard over others
• Different definitions of success – making positive changes or building relationships
• Groups thinking altruistically about projects (greater good and individual good)
• Community role needs to be defined e.g. delivering or facilitating

Traditional

• Focus of development is on ‘issues’ and not strengths of the community
• Community interests and skills are not leveraged in design of programs
• Trust by community in Local Government and their ability to deliver on expectations
• Decisions made by Local Government are not representative of the broader community

Community led

• Initiatives take into account the interests and skills of the local community
• New ways of thinking and ideas are considered
• Builds better relationships between Town and groups (open environment and learn from one another)
• Capacity building of groups involved
• More sustainable approach to
• Decision making is more transparent and accountable
• Less red tape – faster way of working
• The community has ownership over initiatives
• Financial benefits – efficient use of rate payer funds in terms of service provision, staff – use of collaborative resources

Traditional

• Resources are funnelled directly into areas of need
• Delivery of programs and services is facilitated by professionals
• Community feel time poor so there are resources dedicated to delivering for them

There are two main types of community development:

Community led

• In community led development approaches Local Government ‘steps back’ and the community takes the lead in developing initiatives which meet their interests and aspirations
• Local government role: facilitates, connects, provides advice, partners where prompted by the community
• Community role: leads identification, design and delivery of initiatives, in own capacity or in partnership with local government

Traditional

• Traditional community development approaches focus on what isn’t working or needs help, whereby Local Government provides the community programs or services to address these needs.
• Local government role: designs and provides professional services based on community needs
• Community role: service user

Community Principles will be a guiding document that will provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and when and how these roles can be interchanged depending upon project ownership; outputs and capacity.

Community engagement is planned, two-way information sharing with the purpose of working with the community and stakeholders to make decisions. The Town's community enagagment approach is aligned with the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) best practice principles.

Everyone – if you live, work or reside in the Town we want to hear what you think

The feedback given will inform a set of ‘principles’ which will guide how the community want the Town to work with them in terms of community development and community engagement. The document aims to support a better working relationship between the Town and community.