Public Engagement Toolkit

The toolkit was originally developed by the City of New Westminster Mayor’s Task Force on Public Engagement with support from SFU’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. The toolkit was then adapted for a broader audience.

This toolkit is designed to support high-quality public engagement by governments and institutions, and the implementation of Public Engagement Strategies. At the core of the toolkit is a commitment to enacting a set of five principles for collaborative public engagement, which are described in more depth within the kit:

  • Work in partnership with communities
  • Include participants reflecting the full diversity of interests and perspectives
  • Create conditions for actionable public judgment
  • Increase shared understanding
  • Commit to transparency about purposes, methods & outcomes

The toolkit consists of a strategic framework as well as concrete steps to plan engagement initiatives. Staff responsible for planning and delivering engagement processes and events can use the six strategic considerations included in the framework to clarify key sponsorship questions with decision-makers and senior staff. The six planning steps, as well as the worksheets and resources included in the Appendix, provide guidance for preparing and carrying out engagement initiatives. 

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