Why involve communities?
Challenges
The management of peatland sites involves many challenges that cut across scientific, social and cultural issues. In the past, decision-making without the active involvement of communities has often made problems worse rather than solving them. Solutions need to take into account the needs and aspirations of different stakeholders; they cannot be solved by bureaucratic or scientific expertise alone.
When Community Participation is done well, it can have many benefits for the agency and the community. Done badly, it can cause frustration and even alienation.
Benefits to the community
- Active citizenship - more people involved
- Develop greater confidence within a community
- Strengthening and changing local democracy - from representative towards more participatory
- Develop a sense of pride and place (feel good factor)
- Develop local economic opportunities - enterprising communities as partners in their own development
- Opportunity to explore new ground
- Educational opportunities
- Access to the experts
Benefits to agency
- Changed/better relationships between communities and public bodies
- Develop a shared sense of ownership
- Develop fertile ground for future work
- Discourage negative views and influences
- Put the agency is on same side as community
- Attract or sustain government support
Risks
- Patronise the community by telling people what you think they want to hear
- Pick the wrong community group
- Return to the familiar top down approach e.g.
“We are from the local authority/public agency and we are going to engage you!”
- Community participation takes time and often agencies leave too little time for this.
- Initiative fatigue
- Volunteer fatigue - over-reliance on key individuals
Have a look at a Case Study which might help you to develop ideas about how community participation and consultation could work in your own area.
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