Consulting with existing local clubs, groups and societies.
Working in partnership with schools allows you to gather the views of large numbers of local children and young people.
Carrying out consultations at village venues which most people visit at some point each week, ie pubs, shops and post offices.
Surveying people on the street.
Drop in events and open evenings.
Community days.
Piggybacking onto existing village events.
Focus groups and workshops.
Door knocking
Community Lunches
Bus stops, railways, school gates.
Questionnaires
Advantages:
- Access to a group of people with shared interests, gives opportunities to gather people’s detailed opinions.
- Useful for reaching specific groups within the community.
Disadvantages:
- People may feel intruded upon, they attend the groups for a specific purpose.
- It is important not to dominate proceedings and to keep things informal and relaxed.
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Consulting with children, young people and their parents
- Visit playgroups, mother and toddler groups, schools and nurseries to gain the views of children, parents and young people.
Working with Schools
Advantages:
- Working in partnership with schools allows you to gather the views of large numbers of local children and young people.
- This process can facilitate better links between the school and the community.
Disadvantages:
- Children may feel limited in what they can say.
- Consulting via the schools will miss those children and young people who are not in education.
- School timetables are often set well in advance and so prior notice and organisation is be necessary.
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Consulting people at Pubs, Churches, Post Offices etc
Advantages:
- Most people visit these locations at some point every week.
- Can reach people who may not normally be able to attend meetings.
Disadvantages:
- People may only have a short time to spare and therefore methods of consultation must be quick and simple. The depth and detail of consultation responses may thus be limited.
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On the street
Advantages:
- Opportunity to consult people who might otherwise not be reached.
- Chance to consult with large numbers of people.
- Chance to consult with people who do not usually engage.
Disadvantages:
- People may be unwilling to talk and they may have little time to spare.
- Methods of consultation must be quick and simple. The depth and detail of consultation responses may thus be limited.
- Weather conditions may limit opportunity.
- Safety is a consideration.
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Drop in events and open evenings
Advantages:
- Gives people an opportunity to socialise and discuss issues.
- Informality encourages people to ‘have their say’.
- Informal events held at the weekend allowing people to drop in over a period of time tend to be better attended than formal evening events.
- Can be linked to a photographic / art exhibition or another point of interest to draw people in.
Disadvantages:
- May be less formal than some would like.
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Community days
Advantages:
- Similar to drop in events but need more organisation.
- Local groups, clubs and organisations can promote themselves and attract new members as well as organising activities on the day.
- Can promote interaction between community groups and also between agencies and community members.
Disadvantages:
- Considerable effort to organise. Requires co-ordination, planning and good publicity.
- Consultation must remain the focus of the event.
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Piggybacking onto existing village events
Advantages:
- Existing village events can provide good opportunities for consulting with a large number of people.
- Good way of raising awareness about the purpose of the consultation.
- Relaxed atmosphere.
Disadvantages:
- Timing of events may not tie in with the consultation process.
- People may be more interested in other aspects of the event.
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Focus groups and workshops
Advantages:
- Allow focused indepth discussion around specific issues and work towards detailed actions.
- Can provide an opportunity to discuss potential conflict and to identify possible solutions.
Disadvantages:
- People may not be able to commit the amount of time that may be required and so you may have to offer incentives, can be costly.
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Door knocking
Advantages:
- A means to consult those who do not attend public meetings or events.
- People may feel more relaxed in their own homes.
- It can be used to ensure that all individuals in a community have had the opportunity to participate in the consultation process.
Disadvantages:
- Can be very time consuming and resource intensive.
- There are safety considerations which must be taken into account.
- Community members may be wary of strangers knocking on doors.
- The weather can act as a disincentive.
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Community Lunches
Advantages:
- Providing refreshments can be a big incentive for people to attend.
- It also adds a social element to an event and is good for getting people talking to eachother.
Disadvantages:
- It may not appeal to the whole community.
- The social element may overtake the consultation process.
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Bus stops, railway stations, school gates
Advantages:
- A good opportunity to meet school children and commuters.
Disadvantages:
- Will not be ‘indepth’ consultation. A short, tick box survey would be appropriate as people will be in a rush.
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12. Questionnaires
* Questionnaires usually form the basis of Parish Plan Consultation and so warrant a separate section.
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