The value of public engagement

August 2011 - Aimee Ward

Public engagement can be so much more than just a paper exercise. A win-win situation for all those involved, engaging with a community not only allows you to truly explore and examine what people think or feel about something, it also lets you educate and inform in a non-didactic way. It is a great tool for education, raising awareness and testing ideas.

Preparation is key to a successful public engagement event or activity; make sure you know why you are doing what you are doing and what it is you are trying to achieve.

Ask yourself if you are targeting the right people and asking them the right questions. Done well, public engagement generates mutual benefit, we can learn from each other through sharing of knowledge, expertise and skill.

Although there is no definitive methodology to facilitate public engagement, diva recommends some best practice tips:

• Approachable & Friendly – Think about what makes you walk the long way around to avoid someone with a clipboard on the street, and do the opposite. Make sure the environment you are in is warm and friendly, not intimidating.
• Attraction – Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. Have something that will attract people so you aren’t constantly chasing people to talk to. We recently had a stall at a family event and had a Hoopla game set up for children to have a go at while we chatted with parents/guardians.
• Incentives – People love freebies. With your target audience in mind, come up with simple, low cost and effective giveaways where important key messages can be printed on them. Prize draws can be used as an incentive for completing a survey or questionnaire.
• Listen – Listen to what the public has to say and make notes. A Chlamydia screening event can offer the opportunity for young people to discuss why they aren’t actively getting tested, list barriers preventing them from doing so, and highlight ideas that would make them more inclined to get tested.
• Knowledge – Know what you are talking about and be prepared to answer any questions that may arise. You are there to share information and gather information.
• Peer Mentors – People tend to respond to those their own age or with whom they can relate. Recruit and train according to your target audience; peer mentors can be a secret weapon as part of a sustained intervention or campaign.