Engage
Why Engage?
Engagement is not a single phase in the Action Cycle. It sits at the center, shaping how assessment, planning, action, evaluation, sustainability, and communication/celebration are carried out. Ongoing engagement throughout the action cycle allows the KU community to learn from community partners. It also helps build trust and relationships that make it possible to increase KU’s impact on the broader community.
Level of Participation
The diagram below shows that community engagement happens on a continuum. The continuum reflects movement towards a more community-engaged approach that emphasizes shared leadership and strong bidirectional relationships
- Some community involvement
- Communication flows one way, to inform
- Community provided with information
- Entities coexist
- More community involvement
- Communication flows to community and back; answer seeking
- Gets information or feedback from the community
- Entities share information
- Better community involvement
- Communication flows both ways; participatory form
- More participation with community on issues
- Entities cooperate with each other
- Strong community involvement
- Communication flow is bidirectional
- Partnerships across each aspect from development to solution
- Entities form bidirectional communication channels
- Strong bidirectional relationships
- Final decision-making at community level
- Entities have formed strong partnership structures
Reference: Modified by the authors from the International Association for Public Participation
Ways to Engage
Purposeful and meaningful engagement occurs at multiple levels (individual, relational, community, and societal) and may take different forms depending on context. Engagement can vary across positions, roles, and levels of influence; however, everyone has opportunities to participate in social action. The following framework offers ways to think through and identify opportunities for action.
Social Change Wheel - Ways to Engage
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Socially Responsible Daily Behavior | Engaging in public life and civic responsibility, building cultural competence, and standing up for marginalized individuals. |
| Deliberative and Reflective Dialogue | Creating space to listen to the experiences of marginalized communities, engaging in public dialogue around specific issues, learning from the stories of others. |
| Community Organization | Bringing people together across sectors to work towards a common vision, mission, or goal. |
| Advocacy and Raising Awareness | Collecting of evidence about an issue and supporting change through public and private communication, education, and outreach. |
| Community Building | Building local capacity to take meaningful action on community priorities. |
| Social Innovation/Enterprise | Developing and implementing innovative solutions to address social problems. |
| Fundraising, Giving, Philanthropy | Donating time, service, money, or goods to a community or non-profit organization. |
| Community and Economic Development | Providing resources or economic opportunities to sustainably improve social conditions. |
| Protests and Demonstrations | Participating in rallies, creating art, or other publicly visible expressions of political or social messages. |
| Voting/Formal Political Activities | Participating in elections, mobilizing others to vote, and influencing public policy. |
| Mutual Aid/Informal Association | Organizing collectively to meet shared needs and pursue common goals outside formal institutions. |
| Volunteering and Direct Service | Addressing immediate needs by providing service or assistance through schools, churches, social service agencies, and non-profits. |
Key Questions to Consider
Who should be involved
- Which groups, units, or stakeholders should participate in strengthening engagement efforts?
- Who is most affected by the issue, and who has the influence or responsibility to change conditions?
- Have these groups been meaningfully engaged? If not, how can participation be strengthened?
- To what level/degree do we hope to engage key stakeholders?
How engagement will occur
- How can community partners and stakeholders be engaged at each stage of the Action Cycle (assessment, planning, action, and evaluation)?
- How can participation be supported in ways that are inclusive and equitable, particularly for groups experiencing inequities?
- Have we created conditions that encourage full and effective participation?
What guides the work
- What guiding principles (such as inclusion, respect, or shared leadership) will shape how people work together?
- What strengths do participants bring to the effort, including experience, knowledge, skills, resources, and networks?
- What ground rules or agreements can help build trust and accountability?
What supports engagement
- What structures, resources, or supports are needed to make engagement feasible and rewarding?
- How can engagement be sustained across roles, units, and community partnerships?
Recommended Actions
- Review the foundational definitions and principles in the Engaged KU Toolkit with partners to better understand shared goals and approaches to engagement.
- Reach out to potential stakeholders through trusted individuals, organizations, and networks to strengthen participation.
- Communicate clearly about the purpose, expectations, and benefits of being involved in community engagement efforts.
- Build capacity for participation by providing information, skill development, and technical support.
- Establish shared guiding principles and use existing assets to strengthen trust and working relationships.
- Create supportive conditions that make engagement feasible and rewarding, including attention to time, effort, cost, location, and respectful interactions.
Resources to Support Engagement Efforts
Explore these resources from the Community Tool Box