Action: Taking your first steps

To be successful, stakeholder and community engagement needs to identify clear objectives that are appropriate for everyone participating. Thus the objectives of the provider and those of the stakeholders need to be clearly identified from an early stage, together with agreed approaches defining their relationships.

Once key stakeholders have been identified and some broad methods of engagement established, it is important for you to decide a route forward.

This part of the section has been designed to help you and your organisations address the priorities under the Community section of the LSC Strategy for Sustainable Development and will address each of the six priorities in turn. (You must bear in mind that this strategy was published in 2005. Whilst the priorities contained within it provide a good framework for action you should always be alert to the latest research, Government strategy, guidance or developments that might help to refine or improve your plan).

The six priorities:

Choose from one of the following:

Community engagement

Ensure good communications and involvement exists with the local community at all levels, including employers

Local and regional networks

Maintain and develop appropriate local and regional partnerships between wider stakeholders and providers, local authorities, RDAs, higher education and other key stakeholders.

Local markets and ethical trade

Support local markets, ethical and fairtrade, and socially responsible initiatives within the community.

Share facilities

Consider sharing facilities with local community agencies and groups to make the best use of resources.

Local economic strategies

Be aware of, support and connect to, the local economic strategies drawn up and developed by local authorities and RDAs.

Volunteering

Encourage learners and providers to undertake volunteering activity as part of community commitment to sustainable development.