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conduct it effectively
monitor and record the process
evaluate the outcomes
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Visioning Outcomes in Community Engagement (VOiCE)
VOiCE is a database planning and recording tool designed to assist individuals and organisations to design and deliver effective community engagement. VOiCE has been developed using funding from the Scottish Government as part of the third year of support for the National Standards for Community Engagement.
VOiCE will support you to:
conduct it effectively
monitor and record the process
evaluate the outcomes
It can be used to support a range of participation from overall area regeneration to specific concerns of users of particular services. It is designed to be relevant both for individual services and for integrated, cross disciplinary community planning. VOiCE enables all users to have a common system for analysing, planning, monitoring, evaluating and recording that provides common protocols, definition of terms and understanding of different types and purposes of engagement.
Why do we need VOiCE?
Community participation and engagement is a central feature of public policy across almost all services. Endorsement and adoption of the National Standards for Community Engagement by Scottish national and local government and leading public agencies has set targets for best practice. These targets reflect the desire of public sector reform to deliver outcomes that respond to the aspirations of service users and communities.
The User's Guide to the National Standards for Community Engagement notes: "Community engagement can take many forms, however it is always a process that involves purposeful dialogue between public agencies and communities aimed at improving understanding between them and taking action to achieve beneficial change."
VOiCE sets out to support such purposeful dialogue. It recognises that delivering effective engagement is challenging both in relation to specific participation initiatives and in terms of the overall management of the range of initiatives that are conducted.
VOiCE has been developed to assist with designing and delivering effective engagement at both levels.
The User's Guide to the National Standards for Community Engagement notes: "Community engagement can take many forms, however it is always a process that involves purposeful dialogue between public agencies and communities aimed at improving understanding between them and taking action to achieve beneficial change."
VOiCE sets out to support such purposeful dialogue. It recognises that delivering effective engagement is challenging both in relation to specific participation initiatives and in terms of the overall management of the range of initiatives that are conducted.
VOiCE has been developed to assist with designing and delivering effective engagement at both levels.
Who should use VOiCE and why?
VOiCE can be used by:
Staff of front line service units in public, private or voluntary organisations, primarily as a tool to support direct engagement practice.
Intermediate level, operational service managers to maintain a coherent view of what is being done by their staff and units and to plan conduct and evaluate engagement they might initiate.
Strategic planners and managers to ensure a coherent and properly planned approach to engagement, to provide a basis for quality assurance relating to the overall conduct of community engagement and to plan conduct and evaluate engagement they might initiate.
Intermediate level, operational service managers to maintain a coherent view of what is being done by their staff and units and to plan conduct and evaluate engagement they might initiate.
Strategic planners and managers to ensure a coherent and properly planned approach to engagement, to provide a basis for quality assurance relating to the overall conduct of community engagement and to plan conduct and evaluate engagement they might initiate.
VOiCE can also be used by community groups and organisations wishing to engage their own communities or initiate engagement between their community and relevant agencies.
Community Links has been one of the Developement Sites within South Lanarkshire for the VOiCE community engagement dtatbase tool. If you would like further information on how Community Links could utilise VOiCE to the benefit of you organisation please contact Community Links on 01698 827583, or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Further details can be found on the Scottish Community Developement Centre Website here
Community Links has been one of the Developement Sites within South Lanarkshire for the VOiCE community engagement dtatbase tool. If you would like further information on how Community Links could utilise VOiCE to the benefit of you organisation please contact Community Links on 01698 827583, or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Further details can be found on the Scottish Community Developement Centre Website here
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