Neighbourhood Renewal Community Engagement

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Neighbourhood Renewal- Community Engagement
Engaging Communities in High-Rise Public Housing
Estates Northern Metropolitan
Region Collingwood November 2003 Kate Austin,
Sherri Bruinhout, Jacki Holland Aldo Malavisi
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Overview

• Background to Neighbourhood Renewal
• Whole of Government
• Social Capital Outcomes
• Structure Governance
• Evaluation
• Engaging the Community
• Case Studies
• Strategies, Tools, Techniques
• Whats Working/not Working
• Practice Learnings

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Growing Victoria Together

• Neighbourhood Renewal is a priority approach for
  the Victorian Government in addressing
  place-based disadvantage
• Base Department of Human Services, Office of
  Housing
• A Whole-of-Government approach in Neighbourhood
  Renewal areas means
• Better coordination between portfolios
• Prioritising existing and growth funding to NR
  sites
• All of Government support for NR Action Plans
• All of Government commitment to local communities

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Site Selection
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Priorities

• Increase pride and participation
• Enhance housing and the physical environment
• Lift employment, training and education
  opportunities and expand local economic
  activities
• Improve personal safety and reduce crime
• Promote health and wellbeing
• Increase access to transport and key services

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Whole of Government Agreements

• Authorisation
• Cabinet, Social Development Committee
• Portfolios
• Industry and Regional Development
• Department of Education and Training
• Department of Infrastructure
• Victoria Police
• Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria
• Urban and Regional Land Corporation
• Department of Justice
• Department of Human Services

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Principles

• Community members best positioned to determine
  issues and priorities
• Importance of local communities
• shaping own future
• participating actively
• leading change and opportunity
• Work together with agencies, local industry,
  government (all levels) to improve neighbourhood,
  through Community Action Planning

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Governance Structure
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Health Wellbeing
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Employment, Education Training
   
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Pride Participation
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Better Services
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Capital Improvement
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Community Safety
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Working Group - Education, Employment

• Enjoy yourselves as you jump through a series
  of hoops to develop a place based roadmap for the
  future

The process is outcome focussed collaborative
It is resident driven and all about partnerships
Residents Schools Industry
Government Groups TAFE
Business Agencies
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Evaluation

• Short residents involved in planning
• Medium increased pride / improved services
• Long (3 years) positive change in crime and
  safety and health and wellbeing, education,
  employment, services, physical environment, pride
• Quantitative and qualitative assessments done at
  local level
• Resident managed survey supported by TAFE

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Partnerships- Paradigm Shifts

• Competition V Engaging all Stakeholders
• Doing For the Community V With
• Demand for Outcomes V Advocating for Process
• Quick Wins V Continuous Improvement
• Role change Landlord to Community Developer

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Partnerships- Examples
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Engaging the Community
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Methods

• Family Support, child minding, kids youth
  activities
• Established Cultural and other Community Groups
• Training, community skills, mentoring
• Employment
• Working Groups
• Welcome packs
• Presentations, Conferences
• Consultations
• Access existing networks
• etc, etc, etc

• Public Meetings
• Door Knocks
• Mail-outs, fliers, newsletters
• Arts, Performances
• IT projects
• Telephone trees
• Festivals
• Barbecues
• Social Activities, sports, outings, visits
• Shopping, cooking groups
• A local and personal approach

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Obstacles

• Language
• Inexperience
• Power sharing v power imbalance
• Time
• Resourcing
• Mistrust of Government
• Communication, accessibility of information
• Vague outcomes
• Culture
• Conflicts of interest
• Unrealistic expectations

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The role for Council in Neighbourhood renewal

• Strategic planning and coordination
• Local championship of the initiative.
• Assisting different levels of participation
• Practical support e.g. administration
  assistance, Youth traineeships, Community Grants/
  community decision making.

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Benefits to Council

• Complimenting existing civic engagement
  structures e.g. Community Advisory Committees,
  Council meetings, community surveys and other
  issue-based consultation strategies.
• Assisting strategic planning in municipal policy
  development e.g. MSS, MPHP and Affordable Housing
  Policy
• Providing a coordinated and strategic response to
  City of Yarra residents who experience levels of
  disadvantage and marginalisation.

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Benefits to Council

• Building partnerships with local stakeholders
• Developing a whole of Council response to public
  housing
• Cost effective partnership and consultation
  strategies
• Working towards sustainable, long-term, systemic
  change and improvements.

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Case Study Collingwood Housing Estate

• 3 high rise towers and 350 walk-up or townhouse
  style properties
• Population 1600
• Over 30 different preferred languages
• 56 Different Countries of Birth
• Broad mix of ages
• Only 6 in receipt of income other than Statutory
• 30 households with incomes below 300 p/week
• A number of agencies based on the estate

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Context

• Some processes we have been through
• Introduction of measures to address security
  concerns
• Employment Initiatives/Community Jobs Programs
• Establishing a Neighbourhood Advisory Team
• Vacant premises available for lease

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Engagement Strategies, Tools Techniques

• Personal/individual approach
• Listening
• Taking steps to respond (valuing input and ideas)
• Inviting feedback and comment
• Encouraging participation
• Building confidence building on strength
• Capacity building, formal training, TEFL
• Encouraging ownership
• Supporting the actions of community members

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Essential Elements

• Trust and trustworthiness
• Initiatives that are visible and tangible
• Continuity
• Communication
• Providing repeated opportunities for
  participation
• Providing various opportunities for participation
• Valuing others in the partnership(s)
• Best practice in process

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What worked

• Approaching/accessing existing groups and
  gatherings
• Support for residents through existing connection
  points (people events)
• Short term projects part of a larger framework
  vision
• A localised approach
• Planned actions that are multi-layered and built
  gradually

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What didnt work

• Difficulties in bringing people on board who have
  previously experienced broken trust
• Agency speak
• Rushing
• Relying on communication via a single medium
• Imposing ideas/events/processes
• Tension between balancing obligations and
  commitments to the community against
  organisational commitments and pressures

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What we learned

• Engaging the community takes time
• The population shouldnt be viewed as an
  homogenous entity
• Partnerships need to be formed as a first step
• A range of opportunities for participation and
  partnership need to be made available
• Acknowledging mistakes
• Providing food

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Thank You