EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Appreciative enquiry: asking the right questions

Appreciative enquiry: asking the right questions

Introduction

This learning point produced by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration aims to share lessons that to regenerate communities we need to focus on what work’s instead of what’s wrong.

Problem

Groups involved in community regeneration across Scotland wanted to learn more about useful techniques such as appreciative enquiry.

Description

Appreciative inquiry highlights the most positive aspects of a community or organisation. It encourages people to imagine the best that their community or organisation can be and then translate those possibilities into action.

Approach

A masterclass on appreciative enquiry and the ‘Imagine’ process was held in Paisley. The ‘imagine’ process is related to appreciative enquiry and is a way of picturing what’s best for a community, what it would look like and how to achieve it.

Participants examined issues such as:

trust,
engagement,
partnerships,
sustainability,
funding
and focussing on community rather than bureaucracy.

Participants also looked at how to communicate in a positive way through:

positive outlook,
inspiring questions,
active listening.

Results

The groups identified the following principles:

involving citizens,
partnerships,
being honest,
inclusiveness,
generating change,
seeing results,
positive attitude,
sustaining energy,
sustaining change
and risk-taking as useful for regeneration activities.

Participants affirmed the value of asking a community to share its insights and creativity as part of its path to regeneration.

Learning points:

use constructive questions;
focus on what works rather than what doesn’t;
positive stories shape positive communities;
every voice is important;
positive conversations lead to positive action.

Beneficiaries

Practitioners and the community

Resources used

A masterclass conference was set up where participants were divided into discussion groups.

Contact info

Scottish Centre for Regeneration
scr@communitiesscotland.gsi.gov.uk

Project start date

//2005

Links

Visit the Scottish Centre for Regeneration website

Download the 'Appreciative enquiry: asking the right questions' Report (PDF, Eng, 680 KB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Capacity building