Community engagement training

Community engagement skills are key to making sure that our services are relevant and effective, and yet it’s often just expected that our staff will know how to engage with our communities.

“It’s important that you are involved in the decisions that will affect you – engagement should happen at lots of different levels and be broad ranging”

This course has been designed for and delivered with a range of public and voluntary sector staff who need to:

  • Work effectively with communities
  • Understand better the diverse needs of communities
  • Support sustainable community groups
  • Write and put into practice an action plan that develops your role within the community

The course is particularly relevant to public sector bodies who have a duty to involve people in the planning and delivery of services, and voluntary organisations that are contracted to deliver a range of services. The training can be richer if you also include people from community groups as participants in the course.

“Helped to get an understanding of how to build relations with community groups”

“Very interactive and centered around us and what we do”

The training is one full day, with two follow-up half-days, although we are able to be flexible depending on your needs.

“I liked the way it fitted together and the fact it was in three parts, spread out, so you could develop ideas in between”

“Informal, and plenty of time to reflect and discuss”

The training originally responded to the Brighton & Hove Community Engagement Framework which identified the need for a cross sector training and development programme on how to achieve high quality community engagement for residents, community groups, ‘front line’ workers, managers, policy makers, businesses and councillors.

“Was a very comfortable environment in which everyone was keen to share ideas, bounce suggestions off each other and learn”

“The teacher was excellent – the trainer’s ability to engage the whole group”

Who would benefit:

  • Council departments, including housing teams
  • Voluntary sector staff
  • All organisations involved in Local Strategic Partnerships
  • Government staff
  • NHS
  • Fire Service
  • Police
  • Ambulance Service
  • Bus companies
  • Developers
  • Planning departments
  • Market research companies
  • ‘For anyone who needs to do a community consultation’

This course can be delivered bespoke in-house for £1,500 for two days, with an optional £450 for a follow-up session.