achieving effective community engagement about biosecurity ... · a checklist for investing in...

3
Guideline Remarks or 1. Program formation Key stakeholders are engaged early to influence the boarder goals of the engagement program If stakeholders are engaged too late, there might be a sense that the program has been imposed on them with not enough opportunity to shape its overall goals. The broader program goals allow for realistic timeframes Effective engagement is difficult to achieve and maintain in short timeframes. Fund engagement programs that appear realistic, not those that seem overly ambitious. One option is to allow for staged funding to be made available with funding for the next stage depending on the success and outcomes of the previous stage. Where applicable, the engagement program is well integrated with the operational side of the larger pest control program If the engagement and operational staff are not ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ target groups will receive mixed messages. The two groups need to work together; their activities must complement each other. A program coordinator (team) is appointed based on both technical and people skills People skills will help connect with stakeholder and target group representatives; to gain and maintain their support. A good understanding of the pest(s) in question is also important to underpin sound engagement. 2. Program design 2.1 Formulating an engagement strategy The engagement strategy is based on a clearly articulated objective It is hard to aim for a target if that target is vague. The objective could be stated as an outcome based on what success would look like at the end of the engagement program. The engagement strategy involves a targeted approach for each target group This involves biosecurity messages that are based on the ‘What’s in it for me?’ principle and activities that have been designed based on target group preferences. To achieve this, the engagement strategy is best designed around input from target group representatives or people who know target groups well and by a baseline investigation to better understand target groups. The engagement strategy is based on baseline investigation in order to better understand target groups A baseline investigation allows the engagement team to gain a good understanding of the local context and help design and finetune engagement activities. If the engagement team is involved in the investigation it is a powerful way to start building relationships with key people. Achieving effective community engagement about biosecurity. A checklist for investing in engagement programs This checklist should be read in conjunction with Biosecurity engagement guidelines: Principles and practical advice for involving communities and Biosecurity engagement guidelines: how to develop an engagement strategy including a monitoring and evaluation component. Available at daff.gov.au/abares

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Page 1: Achieving effective community engagement about biosecurity ... · A checklist for investing in engagement A baseline investigation allows the engagement team to gain a good understanding

Gui

delin

eR

emar

ks

or

1. P

rogr

am f

orm

atio

n

Key

stak

ehol

ders

are

eng

aged

ear

ly

to in

fluen

ce th

e bo

arde

r goa

ls o

f the

enga

gem

ent p

rogr

am

If st

akeh

olde

rs a

re e

ngag

ed to

o la

te, t

here

mig

ht b

e a

sens

e th

at th

e pr

ogra

m h

as b

een

impo

sed

on th

em w

ith n

ot

enou

gh o

ppor

tuni

ty to

sha

pe it

s ov

eral

l goa

ls.

The

broa

der p

rogr

am g

oals

allo

w fo

r rea

listic

timef

ram

es

Effec

tive

enga

gem

ent i

s di

fficu

lt to

ach

ieve

and

mai

ntai

n in

sho

rt ti

mef

ram

es. F

und

enga

gem

ent p

rogr

ams

that

app

ear

real

istic

, not

thos

e th

at s

eem

ove

rly a

mbi

tious

. One

opt

ion

is to

allo

w fo

r st

aged

fund

ing

to b

e m

ade

avai

labl

e w

ith

fund

ing

for

the

next

sta

ge d

epen

ding

on

the

succ

ess

and

outc

omes

of t

he p

revi

ous

stag

e.

Whe

re a

pplic

able

, the

eng

agem

ent p

rogr

am

is w

ell i

nteg

rate

d w

ith th

e op

erat

iona

l sid

e

of th

e la

rger

pes

t con

trol

pro

gram

If t

he e

ngag

emen

t and

ope

ratio

nal s

taff

are

not ‘

sing

ing

from

the

sam

e hy

mn

shee

t’ t

arge

t gro

ups

will

rec

eive

mix

ed

mes

sage

s. T

he t

wo

grou

ps n

eed

to w

ork

toge

ther

; the

ir a

ctiv

ities

mus

t com

plem

ent e

ach

othe

r.

A p

rogr

am c

oord

inat

or (t

eam

) is

appo

inte

d

base

d on

bot

h te

chni

cal a

nd p

eopl

e sk

ills

Peop

le s

kills

will

hel

p co

nnec

t with

sta

keho

lder

and

targ

et g

roup

repr

esen

tativ

es; t

o ga

in a

nd m

aint

ain

thei

r sup

port

. A

good

und

erst

andi

ng o

f the

pes

t(s)

in q

uest

ion

is a

lso

impo

rtan

t to

unde

rpin

sou

nd e

ngag

emen

t.

2. P

rogr

am d

esig

n

2.1

Form

ulat

ing

an e

ngag

emen

t st

rate

gy

The

enga

gem

ent s

trat

egy

is b

ased

on

a

clea

rly a

rtic

ulat

ed o

bjec

tive

It is

har

d to

aim

for a

targ

et if

that

targ

et is

vag

ue. T

he o

bjec

tive

coul

d be

sta

ted

as a

n ou

tcom

e ba

sed

on w

hat s

ucce

ss

wou

ld lo

ok li

ke a

t the

end

of t

he e

ngag

emen

t pro

gram

.

The

enga

gem

ent s

trat

egy

invo

lves

a ta

rget

ed

appr

oach

for e

ach

targ

et g

roup

This

invo

lves

bio

secu

rity

mes

sage

s th

at a

re b

ased

on

the

‘Wha

t’s in

it fo

r me?

’ prin

cipl

e an

d ac

tiviti

es th

at h

ave

been

desi

gned

bas

ed o

n ta

rget

gro

up p

refe

renc

es. T

o ac

hiev

e th

is, t

he e

ngag

emen

t str

ateg

y is

bes

t des

igne

d ar

ound

inpu

t

from

targ

et g

roup

repr

esen

tativ

es o

r peo

ple

who

kno

w ta

rget

gro

ups

wel

l and

by

a ba

selin

e in

vest

igat

ion

to b

ette

r

unde

rsta

nd ta

rget

gro

ups.

The

enga

gem

ent s

trat

egy

is b

ased

on

base

line

inve

stig

atio

n in

ord

er to

bet

ter

unde

rsta

nd ta

rget

gro

ups

A b

asel

ine

inve

stig

atio

n al

low

s th

e en

gage

men

t tea

m to

gai

n a

good

und

erst

andi

ng o

f the

loca

l con

text

and

hel

p de

sign

and

finet

une

enga

gem

ent a

ctiv

ities

. If t

he e

ngag

emen

t tea

m is

invo

lved

in th

e in

vest

igat

ion

it is

a p

ower

ful w

ay to

sta

rt

build

ing

rela

tions

hips

with

key

peo

ple.

Achi

evin

g eff

ectiv

e co

mm

unity

eng

agem

ent a

bout

bio

secu

rity.

A c

heck

list f

or in

vest

ing

in e

ngag

emen

t pr

ogra

ms

This

chec

klis

t sho

uld

be re

ad in

conj

unct

ion

with

Bio

secu

rity

eng

agem

ent g

uide

lines

: Pri

ncip

les a

nd p

ract

ical

adv

ice

for

invo

lvin

g co

mm

unit

ies

and

Bios

ecur

ity

enga

gem

ent g

uide

lines

: how

to d

evel

op a

n en

gage

men

t str

ateg

y in

clud

ing

a m

onit

orin

g an

d ev

alua

tion

com

pone

nt. A

vaila

ble

at d

aff.g

ov.a

u/ab

ares

Page 2: Achieving effective community engagement about biosecurity ... · A checklist for investing in engagement A baseline investigation allows the engagement team to gain a good understanding

Gui

delin

eR

emar

ks

or

2.2

Des

igni

ng e

ngag

emen

t to

ols

and

acti

viti

es

A r

ange

of

enga

gem

ent

tool

s an

d ac

tivi

ties

are

used

to

reac

h ta

rget

gro

ups

to c

ater

for

diff

eren

t le

arni

ng s

tyle

s

This

incl

udes

tool

s th

at a

re p

assi

ve (o

nus

is o

n ta

rget

gro

up m

embe

rs to

find

info

rmat

ion

on w

ebsi

tes,

requ

est c

opie

s of

docu

men

ts) a

nd a

ctiv

e (‘i

nfor

mat

ion

finds

targ

ets

grou

ps’,

door

knoc

king

, pre

sent

atio

ns a

s pa

rt o

f com

mun

ity e

vent

s,

shed

mee

tings

for g

row

ers)

.

A s

igni

fican

t num

ber o

f eng

agem

ent

activ

ities

are

bui

lt on

soc

ial e

nabl

ers,

like

trus

t, re

latio

nshi

ps, r

espo

nsiv

enes

s an

d

conv

enie

nce

The

rese

arch

foun

d th

at e

ngag

emen

t is

mos

t effe

ctiv

e if

soci

al e

nabl

ers

are

invo

lved

. Thi

s co

uld

be a

chie

ved

in v

ario

us

way

s. T

he e

ngag

emen

t tea

m c

ould

focu

s on

bui

ldin

g re

latio

nshi

ps a

nd g

aini

ng tr

ust o

f key

peo

ple

in c

omm

unity

gro

ups.

Key

mes

sage

s an

d do

cum

enta

tion

coul

d be

cha

nnel

led

thro

ugh

inte

rmed

iarie

s (p

eopl

e or

gro

ups

who

hav

e th

e tr

ust o

r

are

in d

irect

con

tact

with

mem

bers

of t

he ta

rget

gro

ups)

.

Prin

t mat

eria

l is

wel

l des

igne

d Pr

int m

ater

ial i

s w

ritte

n in

sho

rt s

ucci

nct p

lain

Eng

lish,

free

of c

lutt

er a

nd ja

rgon

. Mat

eria

l is

desi

gned

to b

e pr

actic

al,

such

as

wea

ther

proo

fed

and

desi

gned

to b

e pl

aced

whe

re th

ey a

re m

ost l

ikel

y be

use

d, s

uch

as g

love

boxe

s an

d sh

eds.

Phot

os o

f pes

ts n

eed

to b

e of

hig

h qu

ality

with

the

char

acte

ristic

s of

the

pest

s cl

early

reco

gnis

able

.

Whe

re s

uita

ble,

eng

agem

ent t

ools

and

activ

ities

are

test

ed

A d

raft

doc

umen

t rev

iew

ed b

y a

few

targ

et g

roup

repr

esen

tativ

es w

ill h

elp

ensu

re th

e do

cum

ent i

s us

er-f

riend

ly. I

f

a se

ries

of s

hed

mee

tings

are

pla

nned

, the

firs

t tw

o or

thre

e m

eetin

gs c

ould

be

used

to s

eek

feed

back

to fi

netu

ne

subs

eque

nt m

eetin

gs.

Achi

evin

g eff

ectiv

e co

mm

unity

eng

agem

ent a

bout

bio

secu

rity.

A c

heck

list f

or in

vest

ing

in e

ngag

emen

t pr

ogra

ms

Page 3: Achieving effective community engagement about biosecurity ... · A checklist for investing in engagement A baseline investigation allows the engagement team to gain a good understanding

Gui

delin

eR

emar

ks

or

2.3

Cont

inua

l im

prov

emen

t

Two-

way

com

mun

icat

ion

is in

tegr

ated

thro

ugho

ut th

e en

gage

men

t pro

gram

Two-

way

info

rmat

ion

flow

is im

port

ant b

etw

een

the

enga

gem

ent t

eam

and

sen

ior m

anag

ers

in k

ey s

take

hold

ers

orga

nisa

tions

as

wel

l as

targ

et g

roup

repr

esen

tativ

es. T

wo-

way

info

rmat

ion

flow

ens

ures

that

nee

ds, i

ssue

s an

d

oppo

rtun

ities

are

com

mun

icat

ed, a

llow

ing

for q

uick

resp

onse

s. It

als

o co

ntrib

utes

to a

sen

se o

f ‘w

e’re

in th

is to

geth

er’

rath

er th

an ‘u

s ag

ains

t the

m’.

A m

onito

ring

com

pone

nt r

uns

para

llel w

ith

the

enga

gem

ent s

trat

egy

Mon

itorin

g al

low

s fo

r kee

ping

trac

k of

the

enga

gem

ent p

roce

ss. T

his

enha

nces

ada

ptiv

e m

anag

emen

t by

help

ing

to

resp

ond

to is

sues

and

opp

ortu

nitie

s as

soo

n as

pos

sibl

e. A

mon

itorin

g co

mpo

nent

wor

ks b

est i

f it i

s ba

sed

prim

arily

on

the

enga

gem

ent t

eam

’s in

form

atio

n ne

eds

rath

er th

an s

olel

y on

ext

erna

l req

uire

men

ts.

A p

rogr

am e

valu

atio

n is

pla

nned

A

n ev

alua

tion

asse

sses

the

exte

nt to

whi

ch th

e en

gage

men

t str

ateg

y ha

s ac

hiev

ed it

s ob

ject

ives

; whe

ther

any

unex

pect

ed o

utco

mes

hav

e oc

curr

ed; a

nd th

e le

sson

s le

arne

d fo

r sub

sequ

ent e

ngag

emen

t pro

gram

s.

3. O

vera

ll

The

enga

gem

ent t

eam

focu

ses

on e

ngag

ing

the

right

peo

ple

for t

he d

ecis

ions

and

task

s

at h

and

It is

not

onl

y im

port

ant t

o ha

ve th

e rig

ht o

rgan

isat

ions

, age

ncie

s or

gro

ups

repr

esen

ted,

but

als

o th

e rig

ht in

divi

dual

s fo

r

the

deci

sion

s or

task

s at

han

d. It

mig

ht b

e be

st, f

or e

xam

ple,

to e

ngag

e di

rect

ly w

ith s

enio

r man

ager

s if

deci

sion

s re

late

to fu

ndin

g an

d ho

w th

e en

gage

men

t pro

gram

cou

ld b

e be

st a

ligne

d w

ith o

ther

initi

ativ

es o

r org

anis

atio

nal g

oals

. For

deci

sion

s on

how

to b

est e

ngag

e w

ith ta

rget

gro

ups,

ext

ensi

on o

ffice

rs a

nd o

ther

s w

ho re

gula

rly d

eal d

irect

ly w

ith ta

rget

grou

ps m

ight

be

mos

t sui

tabl

e.

Targ

et g

roup

s ar

e ke

pt u

p-to

-dat

e ab

out t

he

pest

or e

ngag

emen

t pro

gram

’s p

rogr

ess

If pe

ople

’s in

tere

st h

as b

een

gain

ed o

n an

issu

e, th

roug

h a

pres

enta

tion

for e

xam

ple,

and

they

nev

er h

ear a

bout

the

prog

ram

aga

in, i

t cou

ld le

ad to

frus

trat

ion

and

dise

ngag

emen

t.

Achi

evin

g eff

ectiv

e co

mm

unity

eng

agem

ent a

bout

bio

secu

rity.

A c

heck

list f

or in

vest

ing

in e

ngag

emen

t pr

ogra

ms