The Duty to Involve makes the links between engagement and empowerment. But how do we create opportunities for participation which empower individuals and communities? How do we enable people to engage in ways that lead to sustainable change? This workshop considers the principles of participation, introduces the PA4Change process and presents a range of  lively and accessible ways to involve and empower people. It is delivered in a participatory way that will have participants talking, laughing and actively learning.

This course is suitable for anyone who wants to engage community members or people who use services in decision-making. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this one day workshop participants will...

• Understand the principles of effective participation
• Know how to create engagement opportunities that promote empowerment
• Have tried out a variety of participatory tools for information gathering, prioritising, action planning and evaluation
• Understand the importance of excellent facilitation skills to community engagement work
• Know how to ask questions that promote change
• Have considered the diversity within and between communities and thought about ways to make participation inclusive
• Decide how to use what they have learned in their own work or community

Things people liked about the workshop from a recent evaluation

• the variety of participatory techniques
• tools that can be easy for people to use and easy to turn into priorities / plans
• lots of different practical examples
• just how many amazing people there are out there who care about engagement
• new ideas, renewed inspiration

Related courses

PA4Change is a more in-depth course that will enable people to design,facilitate and complete participatory projects. Zebra's two day facilitation skills course can help to develop the confident and skilled facilitation which is essential to effective participation,