There are lots of resources available that provide guidance on working with residents and local communities.
Below we have collected some examples to help get you started. They are organised into four categories:
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Covid, communities and local government
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Designing public participation
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Community engagement
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Participatory methods and tools
Covid, communities and local government
COVID-19 recovery communications | Local Government Association
This resource from the LGA provides guidance for local authorities on communicating with residents about the Covid recovery.
COVID-19: good council practice | Local Government Association
This database of case studies from the LGA gives examples of how local authorities are responding to Covid across their many different areas of policy and responsibility.
Revisiting the Route Map to an Enabling State: Guiding Principles for Recovery | Carnegie UK Trust
This resource by the Carnegie UK Trust explores the relationship between government, public services and citizens and updates their 2014 “Route Map to an Enabling State” with some guiding principles for recovery.
How is COVID-19 changing the relationship between communities and public services? | New Local Government Network
This report by NLGN looks at how the relationship between communities and public services changed during the pandemic and gives pointers on how to ensure progress continues in the future.
Communities vs. Coronavirus: The rise of mutual aid
This report by NLGN explores how mutual aid groups have emerged in response to Covid and gives recommendations to local authorities on how to work with them.
Designing public participation
How do I plan a participatory process? | Involve
This knowledge base resource from Involve gives a step-by-step guide to planning participatory processes.
How to design and plan public engagement processes: A handbook | What Works Scotland
This handbook by What Works Scotland includes detailed guidance on designing and planning effective engagement processes.
Community engagement
Community mobilisation: Unlocking the potential of community power | NLGN
This report from NLGN provides a how-to guide for building active, networked and powerful communities.
Participatory methods and tools
Methods | Participedia
Participedia is a crowdsourced platform for methods and case studies on public participation and democratic innovation. It includes a collection of over 300 methods that have been used around the world. Participedia is building a specific “Citizens Voices and Values on Covid-19” collection
Methods Toolkit | Involve
The methods toolkit by Involve outlines over 50 different participatory and deliberative methods, including what they are, when they should be used, their strengths and weaknesses and what they cost.
Digital Tools Database | Involve
The digital tools database by Involve includes a range of online tools to enable participation, collaboration and discussion.
Civic Tech Field Guide
The Civic Tech Field Guide, by Crowd Hall, is a crowdsourced, global collection of civic tech tools and projects.
