Welcome to the Local Conversations Practice Guide
This guide has been developed to support lead organisations, practitioners/workers, and residents to do the best work possible in the neighbourhoods in which they work and/or live. It has been produced with a small group of practitioners to make sure it is easily understood and is focusing on the right thing. Thanks to all of them for their valuable contributions.
The guide is for the following people working on the Local Conversations programme:
- Steering Group members and residents
- Front line practitioners
- Managers and senior leaders
The guide is designed to support you if:
- you’re new to a Local Conversation
- you’ve been doing it for a while but could do with a refresher or some new ideas
- you’re stuck with some aspect and would like some help
This guide is a ‘live’ practice tool which means it will change as you add suggestions or as we all learn and develop.
About the guide
The guide is intended to be easy to follow and is in eight sections. The guide is now available to two formats.
- The illustrated introduction - Two pages with highlights from each section and illustrations. Scroll to the bottom of the page to download.
- The full guide - download each individual section below, or download the whole guide at the end of this page.
We have also produced this animation to introduce the Practice Guide in your communities. View the animation on vimeo.
Action – This section looks at taking action as the driving force for the Local Conversation. It explores the different forms of action that may be required to make progress.
LC Practice Guide Action
Approach – This section looks at the methods you can use when working with local groups of residents in order to arrive and achieve a local vision.
LC Practice Guide Approach
Context – This section is about the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities around you. It explores the economic, social and environmental characteristics of the neighbourhood.
LC Practice Guide Context
Governance – this section looks at the lead organisation and the Local Conversation steering group. It explores purpose, integrity, decision making and effectiveness, and diversity and openness.
LC Practice Guide Governance
Influence – This section looks at how you make changes happen by influencing locally and nationally and with a range of bodies, organisations and individuals.
LC Practice Guide Influence
Involvement – This section looks at how you can successfully involve local people so that they have the power to bring about change.
LC Practice Guide Involvement
Leadership – This section looks at what makes good leadership, why it is important in community settings and how you might do this.
LC Practice Guide Leadership
Relationships – This section looks at the importance of relationships for the success of a Local Conversation including with the lead organisation, local partners and public and private sector organisations.
LC Practice Guide Relationships
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