Section 5
Follow-up
What next?
Continuing engagement
Walking tour of development under construction
“You shouldn’t do one of these things unless you are able to follow up for two to three years at least. Community Planning Events must be the beginning of a process, not isolated events.”
Jon Rowland Chairman Urban Design Group
The Community Planning Event process does not finish at the end of an event. What happens next is vitally important to ensure that the proposals are acted upon and that the engagement of the community continues during the implementation stage.
PRINCIPLES
• Commitment to follow-up should be built into the process from the beginning and funding allocated.
• The nature of the follow-up will vary depending on local conditions and the extent to which the event is part of an already established development process.
• A definite programme and organisational mechanisms for follow-up should be included in the event report and announced at the presentation. There should be achievable targets and clear responsibilities.
• The local Steering Group, modified as appropriate, should normally take the lead.
TIPS
• Ensure that follow-up is the responsibility of more than one individual, preferably an organisation or local committee.
• Make the follow-up formal and publicise the results.
• Keep good records. Ensure the event report is kept in print, is available on a website and is sent to all relevant organisations and individuals.
• Change the membership of the Steering Group but keep some continuity.
Follow-up Methods
□ Implementation workshops
Organised by the Steering Group on a regular basis to monitor progress
□ Report reviews
Special meetings can be set up to run through the event report with community leaders and others
□ Team debriefing
Perhaps 4-6 weeks after the event. Evaluate event and assess next moves. Preferably in the host community
□ Annual evaluation meeting
Organised by Steering Group or others. Good for maintaining momentum
□ Team revisit
Handful of Team members revisit to:
a) Learn of achievements
b) Offer additional suggestions
c) Prepare an evaluation report
Periodically at intervals. Visits can be formal or informal
□ Project website
Continual updates with opportunities for exchange of views
□ Newsletter
Distributed on a regular basis with updated information on progress
□ ......................................................................................
□ ................................................................................
Ways forward
Diagram of proposed development process, and sketch showing urban design proposals, both drawn up at early Community Planning Events and included in the event reports
Evaluation
Real improvements, real communities, real results
New skateboard facility and new eco homes resulting from Community Planning Events
“The … event was an example of the new collaborations that are emerging … Our thinking … has been greatly enriched. Equally importantly, the enthusiasm both of Councillors and officers has been fired anew.”
Nicky Gavron Chair, Environmental Services, London Borough of Haringey
Evaluating the impact of Community Planning Events helps keep those involved focussed on long-term objectives and is important for improving the process generally.
PRINCIPLES
• Evaluation procedures should be built in from the outset and budgeted for.
• Attempts should be made to evaluate the impact of events even though it will always be difficult to be absolutely certain that any specific changes result directly from an event.
• National or regional evaluations of citizen satisfaction may provide evidence of success but will not replace the need for dedicated evaluation of each event.
• Analysing responses from a range of event participants during and after an event is a practical and valid approach (see form opposite).
TIPS
• People may need incentives to complete evaluation forms. Interviewing will be more reliable but costly.
Common Event Defects
□ Lack of adequate lead time
□ Lack of information at the outset
□ Lack of interest by key players
□ Lack of involvement of all sections of the community
□ Logistical failures of equipment or people
□ Raising expectations without the means to deliver
□ Team members distracted by other commitments
□ Inadequate media coverage
□ Lack of systematic follow-up
□ ........................................................
Community Planning Event Evaluation Form
Complete what you can. Use extra sheets to elaborate but try and summarise in the space provided.
Title of event ............................................................…
Nature of event ............................................................…
Place ............................................................…
Dates of event ........................ Date of evaluation....................................….
Name, title and organisation of evaluator ............................................................….
Role at event (if any) ............................................................….
Address ............................................................…
Telephone ..................…. Email .............................................................
Summarise the impact of the event on the following:
Physical environment (buildings, parks, transport, design standards) ....................................
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Economy (work prospects, wealth) ........................................................
..................................................................….
Perceptions and aspirations (self-view, hopes) ..........................................
.............................................................................
Local organisations (changed roles, new partnerships) ............................................................…
The participants (members of the public, Team members) ............................................................…
How could the event have been organised better? ........................................................................….
.........................................................................
What would be your advice to other communities holding such an event? ............................................................…
Any other thoughts ..........................................................................
..........................................................................
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Sample form for evaluating an event. Copy and complete at the end of an event and then again periodically. Ask a range of people who participated in the event to fill it in. Editable version downloadable from the Toolbox on www.communityplanning.net
Working on the detail together
Design workshop at a Community Planning Event
