People Powered Places: Postcards

PRACTICAL ACTIONS FOR MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

RIBA PLAN OF WORK

These postcards describe actions that can be taken throughout a project to support a more meaningful engagement process. To explain when they might be most effective, there is one postcard per professional work stage set out by the RIBA (Stage 0-7).

this postcard are things that should be kept in mind at every stage of a project.

together:

• Remember that communities are diverse and may have different needs and expectations about a project or engagement process.

• Hold events at different times of day in convenient and accessible venues where different types of people feel comfortable.

• Use appropriate forms of communication to reach people with different needs and establish a clear point of contact for the community.

• Avoid everyday language or jargon.

• At the start and end of every work stage, clearly explain and discuss the next steps together.

• Talk openly about project limitations and encourage honest discussions to explore creative solutions.

• Keep a record of the engagement process and regularly ask for feedback.

• Use the engagement process as an opportunity for education, by connecting with schools and promoting internships for young people.

WHO’S WHO?

RIBA STAGE 0

What we’ll do together:

Every place and community is unique. That’s why it is so important to carefully consider the engagement process from the very start.

After getting an initial idea about the local area, we’ll start thinking about an appropriate approach to engagement for the full project timeline.

• Look back at previous research, best-practice projects, and community feedback from completed projects.

• Communicate to clients and other stakeholders why genuine community engagement is so important.

• Spend time learning about the local area and community networks.

• Carefully consider what can be achieved with the money available for engagement.

• Draft a plan for engagement for all stages of the project, and promote it across the entire project team.

• Think about who would be most appropriate to lead the engagement process.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT?

RIBA STAGE 1

It is very important to take steps to build mutual trust from the start of a project so that the engagement process can be as successful as possible. We will spend time listening and talking to people to understand their local area in more depth. This will allow us to agree on a detailed engagement plan and come up with a set of project objectives together.

What we’ll do together:

• Share information in the local area about the project and opportunities to engage.

• Collect in-depth information about the area from local people through different methods and observe how spaces are being used at different times of day.

• Hold workshops to explain the planning process, and highlight how local people can have most influence.

• Agree on a detailed engagement plan for every project stage, including methods, tools, and formats.

• Connect with existing community networks and establish a working group, engagement panel, or champions to represent local interests.

• Agree on appropriate forms of communication and a contact person for the full project timeline.

• Hold workshops on architecture and urban design principles, and agree on a set of project objectives.

• Take people on tours of similar built developments.

• Where there is no established existing community: - Invite in people from the wider area through events to activate the space and raise awareness.

DESIGNING TOGETHER

RIBA STAGE 2

we’ll do together:

This is the key stage where the design team can most easily integrate knowledge, ideas, and feedback from the community into the project design and brief. We’ll be bringing together professional knowledge with social insight from the local community to inform the design and development of the project. We’ll also agree on a set of design criteria together, to keep in mind as proposals are being developed.

• Continue training workshops on design and masterplanning principles.

• Hold regular design workshops to come up with proposal options together, based on the community objectives.

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and decide together which to take forward.

• Discuss and agree on the phasing of the project and, where applicable, the relocation strategy.

• Using the agreed forms of communication, regularly share information with local people about how things are going and highlight opportunities for influence.

• Invite developers and clients to workshops to encourage open communication between different parties involved in the process.

• Hold a workshop to discuss finances and limitations in relation to the proposals that are being developed.

PREPARING FOR PLANNING

RIBA STAGE 3

When preparing a planning application, we will be thinking together about how the proposals we have developed work with financial limitations or planning regulations.

It is common at this stage that adjustments to the proposals become necessary. This is why it is especially important to have clear and open communication to agree on any changes before the project is submitted.

What we’ll do together:

• Hold a session to explain the planning application process.

• Using agreed forms of communication, keep sharing information on the progress and invite feedback.

• After a cost assessment, discuss the impacts of any necessary changes and agree on solutions together.

• Discuss and agree on any updates to the phasing and, where applicable, the relocation strategy.

• Discuss how any Section 106 contributions (measures by the developer to reduce community impact) would best serve the local area.

• Hold regular sessions to make sure the project is developing in line with the community objectives.

• Get community sign-off on the proposal before the planning submission, and discuss opportunities for engagement during the planning approval process.

• Hold a session to discuss design changes that come out of the planning process and agree on solutions.

• Think about organising local design competitions for a part of the project design or public art projects.

HOW IT’S BUILT

RIBA STAGE 4

After the planning process, it’s time to think about the detailed aspects of the project. We will need a lot of technical skills for this, but there are still opportunities for local people to influence design elements.

is also likely that we need to make some adjustments to resolve technical issues, and we’ll think through any solutions together.

What we’ll do together:

• Organise workshops on technical design elements.

• Discuss and agree on a procurement route (strategies to obtain technical services for construction).

• Agree which design elements should be safeguarded, and which can be handed over the contractor.

• Organise a ‘Meet the Contractor’ Q&A session.

• Discuss how to achieve sustainability targets.

• Keep clear communication about project finances and the impacts of technical decisions.

• Discuss with the client and community possibilities of employing or training local people in manufacturing and construction or using local suppliers.

• Visit completed developments or project phases so local people can get a feel for their design influence.

• If possible, design in future flexibility through customisable materials and layouts.

• Where future users are already known:

If possible, involve them in decisions on materials, design elements, layouts, and energy options.

TIME TO BUILD

RIBA STAGE 5

While a project is being built, we will take efforts to keep the engagement process going and make sure people are informed about what’s happening. Wherever possible, we will make efforts to involve local people in the building process.

What we’ll do together:

• Implement any opportunities to local suppliers and manufacturers, employ local people during the construction process or industry apprenticeships for young people.

• Take local people on tours of the project site under construction and/or others by the same contractor.

• Regularly communicate with the community about the progress of the development and give advance notice of construction works.

• Think about organising events to celebrate the start of construction.

• On housing projects, where future residents are already known: - Organise ‘Meet the Neighbours’ sessions so future residents can start to get to know each other. - Invite residents to see their own home under construction, if possible.

OPENING TIME

RIBA STAGE 6

The social value of a project doesn’t end when construction is completed — it needs to be supported into the future. When a new development is handed over to the community, we will make sure future users know how everything works and that we set up an easy way to for them to communicate feedback in the long term.

What we’ll do together:

• Organise question and answer sessions, and, if relevant, briefing and training workshops about how to use the completed development.

• Distribute information packs using the agreed communication channels.

• Set up a clear point of contact for future feedback or queries.

• On housing projects:

- Give out instruction booklets so residents know how to use the systems and appliances in their homes.

www.metwork.co.uk

HOW’S IT GOING?

RIBA STAGE 7

It’s very important to understand how well a project is working for people and how much it matches up with the shared vision at the start of the project. This involves checking in with people in both the short and long term.

Feedback from users helps us to continually improve our approach to working with communities on future projects, as well as communicate the benefits of engagement to other people.

What we’ll do together:

• Collect feedback on the completed project from users through different methods.

• Observe how spaces in the new development are being used.

• Evaluate the project at different time scales (short term and long term), and compare observations and feedback with the situation before the development took place.

• Discuss feedback on the engagement process and how it could be improved for future projects.

• On housing projects: - Assess energy consumption, waste, water usage, and other costs for residents.