Community Planning: Principles, Methods and Strategies

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Nick Wateswww.nickwates.co.ukauthor and consultant

Site Editor: communityplanning.net

Community Planning:Principles, Methods & Strategies

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1. Present a simple framework for addressingcommunity involvement in planning.

2. Provide a taster of the options available.3. Look at how one can develop an

involvement strategy for any particularsituation.

4. Introduce some online resources includingcommunityplanning.net

This session

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Community Planning = ‘Planning carriedout with the active participation of the endusers. Similarly community architecture,community design and so on.’

(Community Planning Handbook, 2000)

Definition

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Community Planning = ‘Planning carriedout with the active participation of the endusers. Similarly community architecture,community design and so on.’

(Community Planning Handbook, 2000)

Definition

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Urban Design Group

The Prince’s Foundation

South Bank University

Department for InternationalDevelopment

Department of theEnvironment, Transport& the Regions

European CommissionHumanitarian Office

Published 2000

Research

6Launched 2001

Global resource

72003

Universal applicability

2008

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PrinciplesApply to almost any situation. Worldwide applicability

MethodsHuge menu of different techniques and approachesnew ways of people interacting | new types of event | new support frameworks

ScenariosHow one might use a combination of methods in aparticular development situation - creating aninvolvement or empowerment strategy.

Community Planning framework

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Universallyapplicable good

practice

Principles

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Ore Valley, Hastings, UK PakistanPeople of different ages, gender, backgrounds and culture invariably have differentperspectives. Make sure a full spectrum of the community is involved. This is usuallymore important than involving large numbers.

Principle: Involve all sectionsof the community

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Wherever possible, base community planning activities physically in the area being planned.This makes it much easier for everyone to bridge the gap from concept to reality.

Wallingers Walk, Hastings, UK Kenya

Principle: Work on location

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People can participate more effectively if information is presented visually rather than inwords. Use graphics, maps, illustrations, cartoons, drawings, photomontages and modelswherever possible.

Wenceslas Square, Prague, before ……… and after

Principle: Visualise

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Use all available media to let people know what you are doing and how theycan get involved. Simple methods often work best but be imaginative - getmembers of the community to help

Hulme, Manchester, UK

Principle: Communicate

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Effective participation processes take time and energy. This image isa reminder that the costs of building the wrong thing in the wrong placecan be astronomical and make the cost of proper communityinvolvement insignificant. Budget generously.

Principle: Spend money

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Build local capacity

Follow up

Mixture of methods

Local ownership of the process

Plan your own process carefully

Some other principles

These are just some examples.There are over 50 on the website.

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How do yougo about itin practice?

Methods

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Public meetingspoliticians like them but only vociferous participate - can lead to conflict.

Questionnaires and surveysuseful for getting views of a representative sample of the population but danger of uninformed comment

Suggestion boxesat point of service - in village shop for instance

All have their uses - but there is a constantlyexpanding range of more creative approaches.

Some standard Methods

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People engaging in the issues and debate, ontheir own and in an enjoyable way, by makingadditions or alterations to pre-prepared exhibits.

Method: Interactive displays

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Makes it possible to secure the views of larger numbers of people than ispossible indoors. Particularly useful where the views of people using aparticular street or public space are wanted.

Method: Street stall

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A good way to help peopleunderstand the planningprocess and other people’sviewpoints. Also anenjoyable way to get peopleworking together.

- Street theatre

- Role play

- Board games

Method: Gaming

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The inspection of the environment being dealt with by mixed teams of local peopleand technical experts. Used to familiarise everyone with the physical environmentand key issues at the start of a project and to review progress at intervals.

Method: Reconnaissance trip

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Simple, easy-to-organise workingsessions wherepeople work in smallgroups to identify keyissues and possiblesolutions

Method: Briefing workshop What is wrong?

What is your dream?

How canit happen?

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Method: Design workshop

Hands-on sessions allowingsmall groups of professionals andnon-professionals to work creativelytogether developing proposals.

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Very effective for gettingpeople involved. Particularlyuseful for generatinginterest, presenting ideasand helping people think inthree dimensions. Lots ofdifferent kinds.

Method: Models

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Method: Art workshop

A workshop programme in which local peoplework with artists and crafts people to design -and often construct - environmental artworks.This can be an end in itself or part of a widerregeneration effort.Community arts projects are particularly usefulfor helping people express their creativity (anddevelop skills, a sense of identity andcommunity pride.)

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Method: Ideas competition

A good way of stimulatingcreative thinking andgenerating interest andmomentum. They can bedesigned to allow everyonea chance to put forwardtheir ideas.

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Method: Electronic map

The internet provideshuge scope for newparticipation methods.E.g. Allowing peopleto explore an area andmake comments atcomputer terminals.

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Method: Video soapbox

A slightly bizarre hightech way of allowingmembers of the publicto broadcast theiropinions about localpublic open spaces onvideo screens erectedin public places.

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Method: Community planning event

Carefully structured collaborativeevent at which all stakeholders,including the local community, workclosely with specialists from allrelevant disciplines to make plansfor the future of that community orsome aspects of it.

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Introductions and briefings

Briefing workshopsissues and opportunities

Plenary session

Lunch and site walkabout

Design workshopsoptions and proposals

Plenary session

Next steps

Presentation/reception

Method: Planning days

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Method: Planning weekendThursday Team arrivals

Saturday Briefing workshops Design workshops Brainstorm dinnerFriday

Launch & introductions Reconnaissance Briefings Social event

Sunday Team working

Monday Team working Public presentation

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Presenting design ideas to the public and securingreactions in an informal manner.

Less structured than a workshop; more interactivethan an exhibition.

Method: Open house event

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The creation or strengthening of user groups is a key element of mostcommunity planning. They act as clients in championing the views ofthose who will use the end product and keep the momentum going.

Method: User groups

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Places set up to help peopleunderstand, and engage in,the design of local buildingsand the built environment.

Method: Architecture andplanning centres

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An involvementstrategy for every

developmentsituation

Scenarios

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Scenario: LocalNeighbourhood

initiativeLocal people in a rundown neighbourhood andagencies working with them take the initiativeto speed up the regeneration process.

Process planning session

Steering group

Co-ordinator appointed

Planning weekend

Development forum

Neighbourhood office

Review session

Development trust

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Scenario:Derelict site

re-useAn initiative to make use of a derelict urbansite in public ownership.

Research

Public meeting or forum

Ideas competition

Development partnership

Art workshop

Open house or street stall

Implementation

Management body formed

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Scenario:Village revival

A village community takes steps to protect theA village community takes steps to protect thetraditional character and develop new facilitiestraditional character and develop new facilities

Community profiling

Community planning forum

Local design statement

Countryside design statement

Review session

Project groups

Local design statement revised

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TheCommunity

PlanningWebsite

www.communityplanning.net

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Google’s No 1 of over 250 million results for‘community planning’

Over 1,000 visitors per week Users from 100 countries per month UN-HABITAT study features site as good

practice toolkit for urban governance

Good framework to build on Need partners and funding to add content from

more countries

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For your localsituation

Plan your strategy

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Be clear what overall aim is.

Be aware of principles.

Piece together a sequenceof methods to achieve the aim.

Involve community in creatingthis strategy.

Plan your strategy

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Strategy planner download

Download all three versions of the StrategyPlanner from the Toolbox forms section:http://www.communityplanning.net/useful/forms.php

Plan your strategyresources on www.communityplanning.net

1. Have a quick look at the Sample2. Print out the Blank and spend 10 minutes

brainstorming and rapidly completing it for yourchosen example.

3. Use the Template to work up your strategy inmore detail.

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Process planning session

You can also learn how to hold a workshop withkey stakeholders to devise a community planningstrategy

1. Go to the Methods A - Z section2. Select Process planning session

http://www.communityplanning.net/methods/process_planning_session.php

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Methods Menu

Explore the vast menu of methods available in theMethods A - Z section

http://www.communityplanning.net/methods/methods.php


and browse the rest of the site to seewhat others have done and are doing.

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Engagement strategy the key.

Summing up

Ever-expanding menu of methodsto suit aims and resources.

Huge potential of internet.

Climate change increases need forcommunity planning.

Build on previous work by many people and groups all over the world.

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Follow up

[email protected]

[email protected]

Technology

Community Planning: Principles, Methods and Strategies