Kosciuszko to Coast (K2C)

K2C Community Engagement Forum 21 July 2017

K2C's Community Engagement Forum - "creating a formula for success" a great success.
Some 29 people attended the one day forum-cum-workshop, presented by Debbie Hunt, Alison Whealing and Lorraine Oliver (all from the office of Environment and Heritage). Attendees came from far and wide including Sydney, the South Coast, the Southern Highlands, Canberra and distant parts of the Monaro and from Boorowa. Alison had travelled from Sydney for the day. Many attendees came from a community facilitation background and were keen to learn and discover from the forum about what works and what doesn't.
The three forum leaders imparted many insights and information. The topics covered
  • the critical components of community engagement success,
  • understanding and learning from existing supporters,
  • looking at innovative approaches and influencing group members and the wider community,
  • how to craft a members and what makes a good story and the impacts of good story telling,
  • tips and useful tools in using social media, and
  • campaign preparation and planning and monitoring effectiveness.

The leaders illustrated the content of the workshop by the way they delivered the workshop. They acted as a team frequently tossing the microphone to each other. They demonstrated how to understand and listen to community and supporters by listening to and answering questions from participants and encouraging participants to describe their experiences. Each participant in one way or another explained their experience.

Before lunch, Geoff Robertson, K2C Chair spoke of some of K2C's aspirations, strategies and how agencies, organisations and individuals from across the K2C region might participate in K2C. He also introduced Bob Debus a former Minister for the Environment in NSW State and the Commonwealth Governments and who is now the Chair of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative. Bob spoke about GERI current plan. K2C is a regional partner in the Initiative.

Debbie is preparing some notes to document the themes and approaches outlined in the workshop which will be distributed to participants shortly.

K2C greatly appreciates the leaders efforts and providing and inspiring and informative workshop. It also wishes to thank OEH and the ACT governments which sponsored the workshop and the other organisers, Tony Robinson and Lesley Peden.