On completion of the course, participants will have an understanding of:

• The legislation and policy requirements for different types of projects

• The benefits beyond ticking boxes set out by legislation and local and national government policy

•How and when to invite public participation

•How to identify, understand and communicate with stakeholders

•How to effectively communicate and manage relationships with politicians, media, interest groups and communities

•How to communicate technical information in plain English, in a way that achieves buy-in to your projects

• What tools are available: the benefits and limitations

•How to record, manage, analyse and present outcomes 

• Fundamental concepts and principles of participation

• Relevant participation policies and legislation

• Stakeholder identification and management

•Best practice in copywriting for a lay audience

•Managing relationships with the media

• Traditional engagement tools

• Social media and digital tools

• Feedback analysis and reporting

This course is aimed at junior and senior transport planners, transport managers and those working in associated professions who want to improve their skills in developing, managing and executing public participation exercises.

Increasing importance is now being placed on the role of consultation and public participation as part of the policy and infrastructure scheme development process. Policy and best practice guidance encourages those involved, national and local government agencies, other public sector bodies, developers, and other agencies, to consider using both established innovative tools to engage with communities. Not only is it important to ensure that public sector bodies ‘tick the boxes’ for public participation, but it is also important to ensure that projects achieve buy-in from the communities that they affect and reach people traditionally excluded from the conversation on built environment issues. This course sets out what responsible organisations must do to enable inclusive development. In addition, and possibly even more important, it demonstrates, through practical case studies, the difference between running public participation well and running it badly.