Community engagement is about ensuring that those most impacted by social challenges have a say in designing and implementing solutions. Evidence and practice shows that the participation of intended beneficiaries and their families, neighbours, and trusted leaders can be critical to collaborations achieving impact. And a shift in power where community members own and help produce the result will lead to greater impact. Yet we don’t so this well.

This workshop will address this head on. You will leave inspired and informed about the benefit of community mobilisation and leadership and with the confidence and tools to improve your practice and the work of your collaboration.

The workshop will be highly interactive and laden with tools and case studies. The format will be a mix of content presentations, unpacking case studies, applying tools, small group work, individual reflection and planning, and peer support.

Who:

You should attend this workshop if you:

• are a resident or citizen leader in your community wanted to mobilise other community members and support other community leaders
• hold a role that has accountability for community engagement, mobilisation or leadership
• are a member of a cross-sector leadership group that would like to enable and involve citizen leaders as part of the table or
• are a policy writer interested in best practice approaches to community ownership and leadership.

Learning Objectives:

As a participant in this workshop you will walk away with

• strategies to strengthen the engagement of community members in your work
• a stronger understanding of the purpose of community engagement and approach to engagement that supports your work
• an applied understanding of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and racial equity practices to your community engagement
• a renewed commitment to strengthen community engagement in your work

Testimonials

"Paul really changed my thinking about really going back to community. I am now motivated to really support my community to tell their own story about what we are all working towards."

—Workshop participant, 2017

Event facilitators

Paul Schmitz
Co-Chair Barack Obama's
Civic Engagement Group

Kerry Graham
Director and Co-founder
Collaboration for Impact

Paul Schmitz (USA)is the Senior Advisor to the
Collective Impact Group and is the first Innovation
Fellow in Residence at Georgetown University’s Beeck
Center for Social Innovation and Impact. He is a
faculty member of The Asset-Based Community
Development Institute, a board member of
Independent Sector and The United Way of Greater
Milwaukee, and the former co-chair of Voices for
National Service. Paul co-chaired the 2008 Obama
Presidential campaign’s Civic Engagement Policy
Group, was a member of The Obama-Biden Transition
Team, and was appointed by President Obama to The
White House Council on Community Solutions.
Paul is recognised as one of America’s most influential
non-profit leaders; writes and speaks frequently on
social innovation, civic participation, diversity, and
community building; and has served on President
Obama’s transition team and the White House Council
on Community Solutions.

Kerry has worked in social change for over 20 years.
Her purpose is to evolve the way social change
happens in Australia for the benefit of young people.
In her role at CFI, Kerry curates learning for and
provides support to communities, corporations,
governments, philanthropy and non-profit organisations
on how to drive large-scale social change in intractable
social challenges. Kerry also lectures on collaborative
practice with Centre for Social Impact at University of
New South Wales.
Prior to this Kerry held executive roles within national
non-profit organisations (Inspire Foundation CEO; Good
Beginnings Australia, COO); and advised governments
on social policy (Australian Social Inclusion Board, NSW
Treasurer’s Advisory Body). She holds qualifications in
public policy, law, social work and community
management.