The latest news, stories, and updates from Communiti Labs.
When launching an engagement project - a new park plan, policy proposal or program redesign - it's tempting to treat community engagement as a check-box exercise. Get input through some meetings and an online survey over 30 days, then move forward. But meaningful engagement is an ongoing process, not a one-off task.
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO
Dan and Steve had the great pleasure of traveling over to Christchurch for the IAP2 Symposium. Check out a couple of our highlights, and some best practice notes too.
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO
We made the trip to Manly NSW to present at the Engagement by the Beach summit put on by Captivate Consulting. Check out our highlights of this fun event!
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO
To effectively engage hard-to-reach demographics such as youth, seniors, minorities, and the disabled in organizational initiatives, a multifaceted digital engagement approach is essential. This includes reaching out to these groups on popular digital platforms and social media, addressing access barriers with multilingual and accessible resources, building trust through collaborations with community organizations, tailoring outreach efforts to meet the specific needs and cultural values of each group, and importantly, closing the loop by demonstrating how their feedback has impacted decisions. These strategies ensure inclusive and effective engagement, making organizations more responsive to a diverse range of voices.
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO
Data analytics transforms community feedback, like social media comments and survey responses, into actionable insights. This process involves coding qualitative data to understand public sentiment and shape policies. Techniques like sentiment analysis, support level measurement, and identifying key concerns are used. Natural Language Processing (NLP) enhances the understanding of nuanced data. The use of analytics helps organizations gauge public opinion efficiently and inclusively, building trust. Advanced AI and machine learning further expand analytics capabilities, ensuring community voices significantly influence decision-making and innovation.
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO
Community engagement is vital for fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment within groups like towns, schools, and workplaces. It involves building participatory relationships between community members and organizations such as governments and nonprofits, focusing on inclusivity, reciprocity, transparency, and accessibility. Effective engagement leads to policies and services that reflect actual community needs, making citizens feel valued and heard. Tactics range from town hall meetings to online surveys, leveraging technology to enhance civic participation. Authentic engagement requires active listening, responsive action, and transparent communication, ensuring diverse voices are included and barriers to participation are overcome. This approach results in resilient communities with a focus on collective well-being.
Steven Germain
Co Founder; CEO