When to engage
When a policy, service, programme or place needs input from people affected, or participants can help shape the approach itself.
Explore a specific brief
Find the assessment or engagement support closest to your decision.
How the work is approached
The scope is tailored to your decision, timeframe, community and available evidence.
Community consultation, stakeholder mapping and interviews, participation planning, co-design and engagement communications.
- Step 01
Define purpose and influence
Identify the question and what is open to change. Connect participation with a clear decision.
- Step 02
Plan participation and access
Map stakeholders and trusted networks. Plan for language, disability access, time, location and other barriers.
- Step 03
Listen and work together
Choose interviews, workshops, conversations or collaborative activities. Adapt the approach to the people and setting.
- Step 04
Translate and report back
Translate findings into recommendations. Explain how contributions informed the next steps.
Possible outputs
- Engagement, stakeholder and access plan
- Clear invitations, participant information and consultation materials
- Community findings, recommendations and a feedback summary explaining how input was considered
- Engagement plan
- stakeholder and access mapping
- facilitated activities
- findings report and recommendations
Scope, outputs, responsibilities, timing and fees are agreed before work begins.
Relevant experience
Examples include work from Alisha Abate’s previous Council roles and independent practice. Each account explains the contribution and context.
- Wheatsheaf Road
Community conversations informed a creative brief and coordinated delivery.
- Intercultural Maribyrnong: participation shaping policy
Community participation informed intercultural policy development.
- First Nations leisure access: co-design with community partners
Co-design with community partners informed leisure access.
Related support and resources
How this connects with other support
Start with the decision people can influence. A defined facilitation, engagement strategy or co-design process can support different parts of the process.
You can start with the service name that feels closest to your brief. We will clarify the right combination before agreeing the work.