Client:
Camden Council
Project Overview:
Camden Council in South-West Sydney initiated a project to update its Community Engagement Framework in response to rapid urban development and population growth. The primary goal was to enhance communication and engagement with the community. We were enlisted as specialists to facilitate this process.
Objective:
The project’s main objective was to gather community feedback and develop an effective framework for community engagement. This objective aimed to address the challenges posed by the changing landscape of Camden and surrounds, along with the growing diverse communities to ensure Council’s communication strategies are responsive to evolving needs.
Our Role:
Captivate Consulting was tasked with:
Survey: Conducting a comprehensive survey to gauge community preferences and priorities and analysing the survey results and feedback gathered through various channels.
Pop-up engagement: Establishing pop-up engagement stalls to facilitate face-to-face interactions and collect feedback from those who prefer in-person engagement.
Facilitation: Facilitating a staff workshop to gather Council staff input on improving communication and engagement.
Community Engagement Strategy: Draft and finalise the Communications and Communication Strategy in partnership with Council staff. The updated Strategy is based on the outcomes of our research in the community and community feedback.
Challenges:
The community has different preferences for communication channels: One challenge we faced on this project was balancing the diverse communication preferences of the community while maintaining consistency.
The community had varying preferences, such as social media, direct email or Council’s website. Identifying which channel is most effective to both share information and hear from different population segments can be challenging. Additionally, ensuring that communication across these channels remains consistent regarding messaging and frequency is a considerable challenge. To overcome this, we looked at resource allocation, content management, and adapting to rapidly changing communication technologies when developing out communication strategy for the project.
Tailoring communication for diverse audiences: Another significant challenge is addressing the need for tailored communication materials for demographic groups and providing translation services. Creating content that resonates with various age groups and cultures requires a deep understanding of the community’s demographics and cultural diversity, as well as a sprinkle of local knowledge.
Outcome:
The outcome of this project was the development of an updated Community Engagement Framework. This updated framework was informed and shaped by the insights and recommendations gathered from the community through various channels, including surveys, pop-up engagement stalls, and a staff workshop. We achieved a thorough and well-thought-out engagement framework while providing staff tools and techniques to adapt to their specific roles.
The Communication and Community Engagement Strategy document can be viewed on the Camden Council’s website.
Why Captivate Consulting:
Captivate Consulting boasts decades of extensive experience in community engagement, having crafted numerous tailored strategies in collaboration with various Councils. Our approach is distinguished by its unique emphasis on eliciting feedback from the community and adeptly translating it into straightforward yet highly effective and adaptive modes of engagement.
Start engaging with your community today.
Fill in your email address below and we will be in touch to discuss your next project