FAQs

Community engagement refers to a planned process whereby Council and the community exchange information through different methods and take actions to solve common problems, deliver services or make decisions. The process exists on a spectrum to help define the public’s role in any engagement process–inform, consult, involve, collaborate and empower.

Community engagement doesn't mean you have to do everything that people suggest - but it's important to hear what people have to say, to listen to ideas, concerns and aspiration, and consider that in Council's decision making.

Council is committed to working with its local communities and stakeholders to understand the needs and aspirations of our communities.

When we engage (with both internal staff and with the community) we can help people understand what we are doing (and why we are doing it), and use people's feedback to help us make good decisions.

It's important when you are undertaking a project to think about community engagement - just like you would consider budget, risk management etc.

If you would like assistance, please contact the team here

Council has developed a set of resources designed to help with your engagement available here in the Document Library

Broadly, Wellington Shire staff, Councillors, consultants and contractors should engage when:

• The views of individuals or groups within our community will provide further information valuable to the planning, solution or decision;
• The issue will significantly affect existing levels of service;
• The issue is complex or controversial;
• The issue will have long term impact on the community, or
• When it is a legislative requirement.

Community engagement doesn't need to be difficult - we have some great resources to help you with your engagement.

Community engagement has some great benefits for both you and the community!

When you plan out your engagement as part of your project (just like you would plan your budget, your risk management, your work schedule etc) it actually makes it much more likely that you will achieve your project outcomes.

Some of the benefits of engagement include:

• Making people aware of what you are doing (both within Council and the community) so people aren’t surprised!
• Finding out at the start of the project if there are any great ideas, concerns or issues that you might not have thought of – then you can address them early
• If you are hearing that lots of people have the same question(s), you can answer them as a group (this is easy to do on the YWYS page!)
• Helping you to gain some valuable supporters and advocates for your project
• Providing you with “evidence” or support for what you are doing
• Using people’s ideas and suggestions to help plan future services if there is a need
• Building trust between Council and the community
• Remember, you don’t have to “do” everything that is suggested by the community – as long as you let people know why a decision has been made, people are generally happy to have had an opportunity to participate and be heard.

The Community Engagement Procedures document in our document library has a more detailed list of benefits to the community and to Council.

We know –it seems like it’s just another form you need to fill out. However, we hope that by registering now it will actually make your engagement easier–and save you time in the long run! Completing the form should help you:

• Understand why you are engaging
• Identify your stakeholders (who needs to know–both internally and externally)
• Work out your time frames
• Develop a plan for how you will talk to people (i.e. workshops, letters to residents, surveys etc)
• Plan for how you will communicate outcomes back to the community

It will also help the Project team work out the best way to help you set up your engagement on YWYS!

Your Wellington Your Say is easy to use, however if you need assistance, we can work with you to help you get your engagement project up on the platform.  

If you are new to Your Wellington Your Say, or would like assistance with an upcoming engagement project, we can help!

Contact us here

Whilst working in the platform you can reach out to the platform provider EngagementHQ's Live Chat team (24/5) for support via the right hand corner speech bubble or emailing support@engagementhq.com

There is also an extensive library of guides available on the Help Desk by clicking the question mark in the top right hand corner of screen or visiting https://helpdesk.bangthetable.com/