EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - LSP Evaluation: Community engagement action learning set report

LSP Evaluation: Community engagement action learning set report

Introduction

This report provides briefing materials for LSPs in taking forward community engagement, providing examples of practice as well as a self completion toolkit that LSPs can use in regard to their specific local circumstances.

Description

This paper presents the results from a programme of action research sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Transport, as part of a wider five year evaluation of local strategic partnerships (LSPs).

The overall aims of the action research are to:

facilitate and support the development of LSPs
evaluate implementation processes
inform policy.
.

Background information

The paper reflects the work of an action learning set on community engagement involving representatives from ten LSPs. It has been commissioned by the ODPM and DfT to provide guidance materials -specifically developed from local perspectives - to support other LSPs and local, regional and central partners and policy-makers.

Methodology

Within the broad parameters initially agreed, participants in the action research defined their own programme of work, focusing on the issues that they thought LSPs would most appreciate guidance on. Thus the agenda was set by LSPs themselves, rather than being pre-determined by the research team or sponsors.

Members decided to focus on exploring the effectiveness of community involvement in partnership working, in particular:

changes in partnership processes/changes to
relationships/perceptions
measuring achievements that come about as a result of involvement
tools that could be provided to help LSPs evaluate their performance in community engagement.

Conclusions

As a result of the work, the action research participants recommend that the output should be:

used as the basis for developing local performance management of community engagement in partnership working
widely shared among, and communicated to, LSPs through regional seminars and in paper and web-based formats (including interactively, and/or in a route map/poster format) and tailored further to be appropriate to different audiences
distributed to other interested parties, such as other partnerships

Contact info

Communities and Local Government
Analytical.Services@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Publication date

Project finished

//2004

Researcher

Representatives of 10 LSPs formed the action research group leading to production of the report. The process was facilitated by the Office for Public Management

Links

Visit the Communities and Local Government website

Download the "LSP Evaluation: Community engagement action learning" Report (DOC, Eng,

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Citizens' participation