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Improvement Strategy initiatives

The Community Engagement Improvement Strategy includes a range of initiatives to improve community engagement across the public sector. These initiatives are:

Community engagement guide and resource package | Coordinated training and development | Community engagement capability and performance management | Engaging with Indigenous communities | Coordinated and integrated community engagement | Information management and knowledge sharing project | Community engagement leadership project | Online engagement | Showcasing and demonstration events

Community engagement guide and resource package

A general community engagement guide for the Queensland Public Sector will be the first product flowing out of the Community Engagement Improvement Strategy. The guide will be the initial component of a comprehensive community engagement resource package to be produced in stages during 2003-2004.

The package will include a range of tools to improve connections between government and the community, and to involve those who are traditionally hardest to reach. The package will incorporate resources with themes such as:

• engagement methods and techniques, including costs and benefits;
• developing and implementing more inclusive engagement practices;
• assisting members of government boards and committees to understand their roles and the role of government;
• assisting senior managers to contribute to the government's community engagement priority;
• evaluating community engagement programs and activities;
• engaging with Indigenous communities; and
• managing challenges associated with community engagement activities.

Coordinated training and development

This initiative will develop a range of community engagement competencies, raise awareness of the importance of training in community engagement across the Queensland Public Sector and provide the basis for improved coordination of training activities.

There are four major components to this initiative:

• an audit of current training across the public sector in the area of community engagement to inform the development of competency standards;
• a joint venture with Public Sector Development Queensland Inc. to develop community engagement competency standards that reflect work performance requirements;
• the production of an annual calendar featuring the range of community engagement training and development activities across the public sector and beyond; and
• agency reviews of community engagement training needs.

Currently there is an ad hoc approach to training in community engagement. While some agencies offer staff training in community consultation, others offer only communication training. In addition, many agencies offer training in aspects of community engagement that are not recognised as engagement related, such as stakeholder analysis and risk management.

Community engagement capability and performance management

Many public sector roles require community engagement skills and capabilities, ranging from frontline service delivery to program management and policy development. This initiative will build community engagement skills and capabilities into performance management systems across all levels.

To be led in 2003 by the Office of Public Service Merit and Equity in partnership with the Community Engagement & Development Policy Unit, this initiative will promote the inclusion of community engagement responsibilities, skills and capabilities in appropriate Queensland Public Service position descriptions, selection tools and accountability statements. It will also improve the capacity of the public sector to recruit staff with experience in community engagement when necessary.

Engaging with Indigenous communities

Queensland Government agencies are currently engaging with Indigenous communities around a range of policies, programs and services.

This initiative is designed to develop and trial more powerful methods of engagement which are relevant, culturally appropriate and likely to have positive results.

A scan of relevant materials and expertise in the community and industry sectors across the State and nationally will be undertaken. This will inform the development of good practice models for engaging with Indigenous communities.

Coordinated and integrated community engagement

Research indicates that more relevant policies, programs and services eventuate through collaboration at local, regional and State levels. Greater opportunities for local decision-making may emerge and government interventions can have more powerful impacts.

While integrated community engagement is only a part of the overall process of cross-government collaboration, it is central to activities such as integrated strategy development, planning and systems, information management and service delivery.

This initiative will examine the roles of the Regional Managers Forums, broader use of negotiation tables, linkages with local government and more effective engagement with Queensland s regional communities.

The Community Engagement & Development Policy Unit will investigate opportunities to further develop new approaches to community engagement, in partnership with other Queensland Government agencies and with community and industry organisations.

Information management and knowledge sharing project

The Community Engagement & Development Policy Unit will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information and promote dialogue about community engagement.

This project will include an online knowledge bank, showcasing events, a practitioners network and an e-bulletin of current activities and research. It will be closely linked to the community engagement website (www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au) developed through the online engagement initiatives.

It will provide knowledge support for public sector officers and citizens involved in community engagement programs and activities at local, regional and State levels.

Community engagement leadership project

This project recognises that leadership skills provide a strong foundation for the development of community engagement capability. It will examine and assess current leadership programs across Queensland s government and non-government sectors to identify opportunities for leadership development activities around improved community engagement.

Online engagement

A range of online engagement initiatives are being implemented by the Queensland Government to extend community access to the government and its decision-making processes.

A community engagement website (www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au) will provide agencies and the community with a central access point to the government's online engagement activities.

A 12-month Online Community Consultation trial includes the development and implementation of interactive online consultation mechanisms to enable citizens to raise issues with government and provide opinions on policy issues via the community engagement website.

The online engagement initiatives also incorporate the broadcasting of Parliamentary proceedings on the Internet, an online petitioning system and the Smart State: Smart Stories project through which the Community Engagement & Development Policy Unit is seeking and promoting stories of innovation from citizens across the State.

Strategies will also be developed to address the future of online engagement in Queensland.

Showcasing and demonstration events

The Community Engagement & Development Policy Unit will host a series of small, targeted showcasing and demonstration events throughout 2003 and 2004. The events will draw on the lessons of past and current community engagement activities and demonstrate good practice engagement.

The showcasing and demonstration events will connect with existing government, community and industry networks to improve knowledge and capability through a process of critical reflection and dialogue.

The focus of the events will be information dissemination, shared learning and the identification and development of opportunities for future partnerships and innovation. The events will tap into and document expertise, experience and ideas from across government, community and industry, and collect views, information and ideas contributing to the process of improving community engagement practice.

The initial showcasing events will be themed around:

• innovations in community engagement practice; and
• more inclusive and enabling engagement practices.