Step 1: Project Identification

Identifying a project which is bespoke, purposeful and location specific.

Projects should be conscious of, and responsive to, a community’s unique characteristics, capacities and capabilities. The depth and scale of community participation should be reflective of the potential for community influence over project outcomes, and the commitment towards community benefits.

Questions for Project Leads:

• What is the location you are looking to do an engagement process? What are the geographic bounds of the area?
• What would you like to address through an engagement process?
• Is the question for communities clear and specific? For example “Would you [the community] like a new biodiverse forest in this area? What could some of the benefits or challenges be with growing a new biodiverse forest in this area be to the community?”
• What are the project’s parameters?
• Do you have an intended/expected outcome?
• Who is your target community? Is this a community of interest or a geographic community?
• What does the community want/need?
• What is the background of the community's wants/needs? Is there a history of engagement or challenges the community have faced on this topic?
• How does your project meet this need?

Resources and case studies:

• Delivering Community Benefits from Land (SLC)
• Guidance on Engaging Communities in Decisions Relating to Land (SLC)
• Community Engagement in Decisions Relating to Land Route Map (SLC)