Scottish Government

Community engagement activity can take place in many different ways. It can involve simply asking people to fill in a survey, or take part in a focus group. Or it can mean supporting a group of people to set up their own community group, or get involved in a local partnership.

This section provides guidance on some of the methods that can be used to engage with communities.

• Discussion group techniques

• Public event techniques

• Survey techniques

• Regular involvement techniques

• Capacity building and support

• Using arts and innovation

Discussion group techniques

Focus group

Priority search

Appreciative inquiry

Scenario planning

Conflict resolution

Public event techniques

Community conferences and seminars

Open house event

Open space event

Interactive displays

Future search

Public scrutiny

Community auditing and profiling

Planning for real

Survey techniques

Opinion surveys

The LENS method

Participatory rapid appraisal

Regular involvement techniques

Citizens' juries

Citizens' panels

Capacity building and support

Community animateurs

Community visioning

Partnership working

Achieving Better Community Development (ABCD)

Learning Evaluation and Planning (LEAP)

Action Research

Participatory Evaluation

Participatory Budgeting

Using the arts

Graphic recording

Story dialogue

Legislative theatre/participatory drama