Community engagement has a history stretching back to ancient Athenian
direct democracy where citizens participated in local government
decision-making. When done well, engaging citizens continues to result
in better government, better decisions and stronger communities.
Community Engagement: Better Government, Better Decision and Stronger
Communities explores the forces, form and function of community
engagement initiatives by local governments. The quest for community
engagement is a significant global phenomenon, and mounting pressure for
more citizen participation presents professional practice with the
challenge and opportunity of determining appropriate actions and
outcomes.
While the value of community engagement is a well-established principle,
there are gaps in our understanding of how it can be successfully
applied in practice. This book contributes to closing these gaps through
insights gained from nine in-depth case studies of initiatives at local
governments in Sweden. The cases provide interesting, innovative and
instructive examples of the successful application of community
engagement which can inform international practice at all levels of
government.
Community Engagement: Better Government, Better Decision and Stronger
Communities reveals how engagement initiatives can enable
decision-makers to discover community needs, to frame possible
solutions, and to share in making better choices about policy responses
and program action.
