EDITOR’S NOTE
WELCOME TO OUR 15TH EDITION OF EYS MAGAZINE!! We are back after a very encombosome and productive year at eYs Headquarters. We are excited to announce that we have expanded our company structure and delighted to launch, eYs Global - the parent consortium of eYs Magazine, eYs SDGs World Council and eYs Global Alliance! At eYs GLOBAL our aspirations, concerns, needs and values of citizens and communities are incorporated at all levels and in all sectors in policy development, planning, decision-making, service delivery and assessment; and governments, business and civil society organizations involving the citizens, our clients, communities and other stakeholders are our priority in the process. We take pride and a strategic approach to the relationships, communication, and interactions between the community members and an organization to influence outcomes for both. A huge part of our community engagement involves talking to people. But it’s not a one-way thing – it means having a conversation talking to the 4 | eYs Magazine, Winter 2022
community and listening to what they’re saying. Communication is often harder to facilitate and we aim to break down the communication barriers and look for ways to make us more reachable and accessible, offering a range of communication platforms and formats. Communicating wih our stakeholders is always worth it. It means we get more diverse perspectives and gather more information to better inform our decisions. Plus, share information that will better inform our community, so there’s a better understanding on both sides. Engaged people feel heard, understood, and connected with any organization and brand. So the connection is a natural side effect of successful community engagement. There are lots of reasons why connection matters. Connection and trust help communities become more open and receptive to discussing and understanding issues that, initially, they might feel opposed to. For example, your community might be against a development that’s needed for longterm sustainability, like a wider road or zoning changes to allow for more residential buildings. But if your community feels connected to your
