Do I need to visit?
“We see the planes come in and go out and often we have no idea who came and why”
A message we consistently hear from remote community residents is that there are too many unnecessary meetings.
Public servants often invite people to be part of a ‘consultation’ when in reality, a decision has already been made. Sometimes this information is so important or complex that it needs explaining in person. Many times it’s not. An informative poster or other forms of communication might save everyone’s time and a costly charter.
Before you commit to visiting a community, you need to reflect on what it is you are asking people to participate in, and whether you really need to go.
The levels of participation table and the decision tree will help you work through this decision.