We brought together PfE partners, community members, engagement and other professionals from across Scotland for a full day of learning about community engagement through expert speakers, case studies, workshops and networking.
On this page, you’ll find all the information about the agenda, speakers, resources. Simply click on the headings below or scroll through to see the relevant section.
Agenda
🎟️ 09:30 – 10:00 – Arrival and Check-in
🎤 10:00 – 11:10 – Welcome and Keynote
From Policy to Practice – The Journey to Meaningful Community Engagement
An overview of the policy context to community engagement in planning and how this can be implemented in practice. The session considered case studies from Planning Aid Scotland’s own work on inclusive engagement programmes with communities around the country, and discussed practical ways to approach community engagement, looking at some of the tools and supports that are available.
Presented by Johanna Boyd, Chief Executive at Planning Aid Scotland
☕ 11:10 – 11:25 – Break
💡 11:25 – 12:15 – Setting the Scene: Towards Change
We heard from speakers on two important themes: Inclusivity and Creativity.
Insights into Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Active Travel: Scottish and Global insights
Presented by: Rachel Goater (Engagement Manager, Sustrans) and Katherine Henebry (Senior Grant Advisor, Sustrans)
Re-designing the Future for Everyone – A Creative Approach: Learn about the value of small-scale public engagement that accesses a wide cross-section of the community, drawing on creative approaches that engender discussion and build community.
Presented by: Nichol Wheatley (Curator, Stockingfield Bridge, Glasgow), Louise Nolan and Ruth Impey (Artists, Make It Glasgow).
🍽️ 12:15 – 13:15 – Lunch
🎤 13:15 – 14:30 – The Changemakers
- Inclusive Community Engagement – The View from the Community
This panel session showcased three organisations (Bike for Good, Disability Equality Scotland and SCOREscotland) who’ve made practical strides towards creating an inclusive community through engagement in active travel.
2. Unleashing Community Creativity
In this panel session, these organisations (The Causey Development Trust, The Leven Programme and Sustrans Artroots and Tragic O’Hara) discussed how community engagement helped them to take a creative role in developing active travel and community spaces.
☕ 14:30 – 14:45 – Break
💡 14:45 – 15:55 – Workshops
Apply the day’s learnings and see them in action. These workshops provided attendees with practical takeaways.
Workshop 1: Young People and Engagement
A Place in Childhood recently undertook an important research piece on Teenagers and Public Space in Scotland, on behalf of Sustrans. The results have significant value across our sector both in terms of understanding the place-based interventions that best serve this age group, and the methods for meaningful and intergenerational dialogue on their needs as part of any engagement. In this experiential workshop, APiC shared what they found, and explored ways of enabling the effective participation of teenagers in your projects.
Workshop 2: Playing with Co-Design Methods
Delivered by Sustrans’ Co-Design Team, this practical workshop covered the principles of co-design.
Workshop 3: Dealing with Difficult Situations – A Practical Approach
Room: Macphail Room
Delivered by Hannah Taylor, Sustrans’ Network Development Manager (Engagement), in this interactive workshop we learnt how to deal with challenging situations in a community engagement setting using discussion and role play.
🎤 16:00 – 16:45 – Closing Plenary: Transforming the City: The Ecology of the Inclusive City – Feminist Planning, A Case in Point
An introduction to the importance of inclusive cities through the lens of a feminist approach. Set in the context of transforming cities to be more equitable and accessible for all.
Presented by: Councillor Holly Bruce, Scottish Green Party
Speaker Bios
Read all about the speakers in our compiled list of speaker bios:
Resources
Access key resources from the event:
- Community Engagement Guide
- Community Engagement support templates including Engagement Plan, Stakeholder Map, EqIA Tool and Behaviour Change Plan (scroll down to relevant section)
- Learn more about the organisations who attended the event’s Learning and Resource Hub
- Teenagers in Public Space Report – A Place in Childhood