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Stakeholder engagement and communication

If relationships between your organisation and your stakeholders are to flourish, you will find yourself steering a course between many different interests and expectations.

These will no doubt include: changing consumer expectations, the demand for openness and transparency, the different forms of participation that are evolving, new forms of community partnerships and governance, and protest and direct action.

Our stakeholder engagement team deals with all of these issues, whilst maintaining a clear focus on the social results that organisations and local communities value and pursue. We do this by working directly with organisations and stakeholder groups, aiming to create understanding of people's experiences and perceptions, identify and resolve areas of misunderstanding or conflict, establish common goals and priorities, and agree actions for change.

We carry out a wide range of assignments, staffed by teams of experts from across the social sciences, who are also skilled in large and small group facilitation, conflict resolution and communication. All our projects are designed to reflect local needs and circumstances, but they create a dynamic which unblocks resistance and produces creative change.

Our work has supported local organisations and their stakeholders to develop and strengthen their capacity to engage successfully. In addition to consultancy and project management, we are now offering development workshops and seminars for members of community and voluntary groups and workshops specifically designed to build organisational capacity.

A number of examples of our stakeholder engagement work with local government and health organisations have been published.

Papers

Future policies for governance and public engagement
Good practice case studies [PDF, 137Kb]

This report examines future policies for governance and public engagement, and includes examples of good practice, or innovative developments, in response to the current forces and drivers operating on local government.

Customer and community engagement briefing [PDF, 201Kb]

This briefing explores how councils can ensure that their relationships with customers and communities are as strong as possible through change to both the way councils work and the way members and staff think. It summarises: the drivers of change; keys to success; approaches to planning and improvement; and some examples of tools and techniques.

Case studies

Making consultation real: a toolkit for health and social care

image: cover of Making consultation real

OPM produced a consultation toolkit for health and social care organisations in Wales. It is designed to help the NHS, social services, community health councils (CHCs) and the voluntary sector work together to undertake effective and meaningful consultation with service users and carers and the wider public.

An accessible and practical resource, the toolkit:

  • seeks to put user and public consultation in context and explain what consulting properly involves;
  • identifies eight core principles of good consultation practice and describes what those consulting should be doing and what those being consulted ought to experience if these principles are followed;
  • explores some of the challenges faced putting these principles into practice;
  • provides a selection of twenty one practice case studies of recent consultation experience from Welsh health and social care organisations.

It is very much intended as a reference resource to be dipped into as needs require. It may be used as a planning tool, a research aid and reference resource, an evaluation framework to benchmark against, a model and reminder of what good practice and performance looks and feels like, and a potential training resource.

The toolkit is in the form of an accessible, interactive PDF. You can download the toolkit here. [Note the large file size, 2MB].

Camden Council: Measuring social capital

In 2005 OPM was commissioned by Camden Council to carry out a survey to track changes in social capital. This followed on from our work with them in 2002 to develop measurements of social capital and conduct a baseline survey. The survey allowed comparisons between different areas of Camden, with a particular focus on Neighbourhood Renewal Areas to measure the impact of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and Community Strategy on life in Camden.

Social capital is akin to 'social glue', and covers a variety of relationships including social networks, civic engagement, participation in local communities, trust and reciprocity, feelings of well-being and empowerment. The survey aimed to measure the strength of communities in Camden through a variety of questions, from whether people feel valued members of society to how much volunteering they do.

Sticking Together: social capital and local government

In March 2006, OPM contributed to a joint publication between Camden Council and the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) exploring the implications of social capital for local government.

The publication Sticking Together: social capital and local government draws on the two Camden surveys, examining the significance of the findings and ways to develop policies in response to them. It also aims to help others in local government and beyond to think about why social capital matters and what can be done to promote it.

Download the article from Sticking Together [PDF, 135 KB]

Download the full publication: Sticking together: social capital and local government [PDF, 350 KB]

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Research into women in London's economy

The GLA, on behalf of the Mayor of London, commissioned OPM to undertake a qualitative study of women's economic participation, as part of wider study to support an analysis of the position of women in London's economy, and to inform future policy development. In broad terms, the study sought to identify the concerns of women across a range of socio-economic groups when considering particular forms of employment; to examine their experiences whilst in employment; and to identify good as well as bad employment practices. More specifically, the study centred on:

  • The nexus between home and work
  • The cost, availability, and affordability of childcare
  • The social and economic context in which women choose particular employment options
  • The wider labour market patterns of discrimination based on gender, disability, race and ethnicity, and sexual orientation
  • Women managers' experiences of the glass ceiling
  • The influences that govern women's decisions to become self employed.

Whilst the focus of the research was particularly on women as full-time workers, the research also looked at the experiences of women in part-time work and women not currently in employment but seeking work.

You can view the report on the GLA's website

Contact us for further information.

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Future use of psychoactive substances

The Stakeholder Engagement team completed an exciting futures project for the Foresight Directorate at the Office of Science and Technology. The aim was to gain insight into public perspectives on psychoactive substances and the future. The Foresight Brain Science, Addiction and Drug project asked the question: How can we manage the use of psychoactive substances in the future to best advantage for the individual, the community and society?

The public perspectives work was carried out in three stages:

  • Six discussion groups – introducing the issues
  • Six workshops – exploring the issues
  • A one-day forum – exploring trade-offs and preferences

Stages two and three used deliberative approaches, case studies and scenarios.

Participants included members of the general public; people with, or caring for children with, ADHD; users of illicit psychoactive substances; and young people from school years 9 – 13. Work was carried out in Glasgow, Swansea, Derry and London.

In an article in the Guardian, ‘The people have spoken’, Vivienne Parry said that in this project, ‘for the first time, the OST had specifically sought the views of consumers for one of its reviews. And their take on the science was as fascinating as the science futures themselves.’ ‘... [t]his bit of the report ... should be a must-read for scientists.’

The Report was launched on July 13th and is available on the Foresight website: http://www.foresight.gov.uk/Brain_Science_Addiction_and_Drugs/832_bb.html

The Guardian article is available on the Guardian website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/lastword/story/0,13228,1532364,00.html

For further information on this project, contact Diane Beddoes at OPM, on 020 7239 7841 or email Diane

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Role models in science, engineering and technology

OPM recently completed a study for the Royal Society to produce a good practice guide for all those involved in role model schemes aiming to inspire young people to consider pursuing careers in science, engineering and technology. In particular, the guide looks at how role models can play a part in attracting more women and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds into these fields.

OPM carried out a web-based survey of scientists and engineers to find out what influenced their choice of career; a literature review of existing role models schemes; and case study work with sixteen existing schemes. The case studies included interviews with scheme organisers, sponsors and role models, as well as consultation with young people taking part in the schemes. We then distilled the key messages and success factors into a good practice guide to help others wishing to set up new schemes, improve existing schemes or become role models. The work was overseen by a steering group chaired by Sir Magdi Yacoub, Fellow of the Royal Society.

The guide was launched on 18 January 2005 and is available on the Royal Society website.

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Community Cohesion Guidelines

The Home Office invited OPM to develop a set of guidelines on community cohesion. The guidelines were intended to be of interest to government departments, other statutory agencies and partnerships, but were specifically aimed at regeneration practitioners, residents and community representatives working or living in regeneration areas.

The first stage of the project involved a national practitioner survey, which identified good practice lessons and approaches to fostering community cohesion in a cross-cultural setting. We undertook ten detailed case studies, focusing on approaches to community cohesion in the nine English regions. The case studies involved intensive local consultations at the grass roots level, to ensure that the guidelines were firmly grounded in practice and experience.

The community cohesion guidelines focus on what works and why, and on barriers to community cohesion faced by practitioners and residents in regeneration areas and ways in which they can be overcome. You can find the guidelines on the Home Office website

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Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools

picture by young person with asthma

Good management of asthma is vital for children of school age with the condition. The focus of this research, carried out for the Office of Public Service Reform, was to understand the impact of asthma on children and young people in school and hear their recommendations for improving asthma management.

Our approach brought children and young people together with health and education professionals, allowing the latter to hear and respond directly to children and young people's views.

We would like to thank the children and young people who took part for their ideas, drawings and enthusiasm. Many of them said this was the first time their views on the issue had been sought. We would also like to thank the schools for giving their pupils the opportunity to take part in the project.

Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools - Summary report (pdf, 404kb)

Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools - full report (pdf, 450kb)

You can find out more by contacting Diane Beddoes on 020 7239 7841 or email Diane

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The Metropolitan Police Authority's Safer London Panel

Safer London Panel members

OPM was asked to set up and run a citizens panel for the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA).

The Safer London Panel comprises 3,000 residents, recruited randomly from the population of Greater London. Panel members will be asked to give their views on a wide range of issues about how London is policed, through surveys, discussion groups and events.

The panel reflects London's  population - people from age 16 upwards are represented, along with different ethnic groups, employed and unemployed people, those with disabilities and people who live in all types of accommodation.

 

Kai RudatTo find out more about our stakeholder engagement work,
contact Kai Rudat, Director, Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
through his PA on 020 7239 7838. Or email Kai