Community engagement in Queensland
Community engagement refers to the many ways in which governments connect with citizens in the development and implementation of policies, programs and services.
Engagement covers a wide variety of government-community connections, ranging from information sharing to community consultation and, in some instances, active participation in government policy development and decision-making processes.
Engagement acknowledges the right of citizens to have a say and to get involved in the business of government. Effective community engagement allows government to tap into diverse perspectives and potential solutions to improve the quality of its decisions.
Improving community engagement
In 2002, the Queensland Government implemented the Community Engagement Improvement Strategy to support the governments' commitment to increase the involvement of Queenslanders in a range of government processes and deliberations.
As a result of the strategy, the Engaging Queenslanders resources were developed, online engagement initiatives implemented and coordinated training programs rolled out across departments. In 2005, a review of the strategy showed that it had been effective in building the capability of the public sector to engage with citizens and the community.
Community engagement practices are utilised across the Queensland Government to provide citizens with a way to have their say and contribute to important policies, programs and services that affect their lives.
Best practice
The Queensland Government has received recognition at the state, national and international levels for leadership in implementing its community engagement agenda. This recognition was highlighted with the Queensland Government/United Nations partnership in hosting the first International Conference on Engaging Communities in 2005.
The Queensland Government continues to support best practice and capacity building in engagement through the Get Involved website and the continued development of the Engaging Queenslanders suite of community engagement resources.
