Community Engagement

On this page we have links to basic advice for some of the most common ways to engage your communities. There will usually be a link to more detailed information on other sites. As with all kind of communication, there is no right way of doing it, and you might have to try a lot of different methods to find out what works best in your area.

Training for Effective and Meaningful Community Engagement

As part of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s ongoing commitment to support Community Councils a series of free online training sessions on ‘the importance of effective and meaningful community engagement’ were arranged.

Face-to-Face

Engaging with members of the community in person can show that community councils are approachable and it can also help raise their profile. Learn more about face-to-face engagement here.

#Scottish CCs Twitter Hour: Community Engagement

The aim of the Scottish Community Councils Twitter Hour was to create an online shared space where community councils could share knowledge, discuss experiences, and network, and also to raise awareness of the great work community councils do and encourage others to get involved locally.

Printed Material

It is important to use both traditional ways to engage as well as more digital ways. Find out more information about using printed material, such as posters or flyers, to engage with the community.

Five ways to engage the community in consultations

Here are Scalloway Community Council’s tips on how to engage the community in consultation. While these examples were used to help develop a local place plan as part of their Recreate Scalloway project, we hope you also find the information useful for more general local consultations.

Not the Usual Suspects - Wider Community Engagement

Bill Fraser, member of Pollokshields Community Council, highlights the projects that are being undertaken in Pollokshields, from the charrette design process to a year-long stalled space, that are widening community engagement and creating a stronger sense of place.

Community Councils: participation pioneers engaging young people in the democratic process

Louise Macdonald, chief executive of Young Scot, shares her thoughts on why community councils are pioneers in engaging young people in the democratic process.

Pollokshields Community Council

Learn how Pollokshields Community Council engaged local communities in planning and direction of their place and created Pollokshields Playhouse, a year-long experiment where the community built, curated, and ran an art and culture outdoor space in Pollokshields.

Darvel Community Lottery

As well as producing over £30,000 per annum from an adult population of 2,500, Darvel and District Community Council's community lottery has acted as a catalyst for higher levels of community activity, more interest in town affairs and a new, more energised group of local volunteers.

The Scottish Pantry Network

The Scottish Pantry Network (TSPN) currently have 6 pantries in Glasgow either recently opened or in progress, a further pantry is in progress in Inverclyde and 2 more are in the initial development stages in Renfrewshire. We wanted to find out more about their work and spoke with Cllr Mandy Morgan (Chairperson) about the thinking behind the project and their aims and vision.