Purpose
Can you explain why engagement is needed, what will be asked and how input may be used?
Engagement Readiness Tool
Community Readiness Checklist
prepare before you invite people in.
A practical checklist for organisations preparing to run consultations, public information sessions, community forums or engagement processes.
Framework summary
Good engagement begins before the invitation.
This checklist helps organisations test whether they are ready to involve people in a way that is clear, accessible and respectful.
- Purpose
- Audience
- Access
- Trusted connectors
- Clear message
- Follow-up plan
The framework
The core model
in practice.
Use this section as a practical reference when planning, facilitating or reviewing work with communities and stakeholders.
Audience
Have you identified who should be involved, who is most affected and who may be missing?
Access
Have you considered language, timing, transport, digital access, venue, childcare and safety?
Trusted connectors
Have you identified people, groups or networks who can help build relevance and trust?
Clear message
Can the opportunity or issue be explained simply, without jargon or unnecessary complexity?
Follow-up plan
Do you know how you will respond after the engagement and what participants can expect next?
When to use it
Useful for
real project work.
This page is designed to help professionals apply the framework in practical settings, not just read it as theory.
Public information sessions
Check whether people will understand the purpose and pathway to participate.
Community forums
Plan accessible, respectful and useful engagement settings.
Consultation planning
Finalise invitations, questions, methods and follow-up responsibilities.
Program mobilisation
Support programs that rely on people understanding and choosing to get involved.
Practice note. This framework is most useful when it is adapted to the community, organisation, issue and decision-making context involved.
Practice questions
Questions to ask
before moving forward.
Use these questions to test whether your planning is clear, respectful and practical.
Can we explain the purpose in plain language?
Do we know who is most affected and who is likely to be missing?
Have we reduced practical barriers to participation?
Have we involved trusted connectors early enough?
Do facilitators understand the context and sensitivities?
Do we have a realistic follow-up plan?
Common risks
What to avoid
in practice.
These risks can reduce trust, weaken participation or make the work less useful.
Inviting the same voices only
Convenient participation can miss people with the greatest proximity to the issue.
Poor access design
Language, timing, venue and digital barriers can exclude people before engagement begins.
No follow-up capacity
If no one owns the next step, engagement can create frustration rather than trust.
Apply the framework
Need this adapted
for your organisation or project?
This framework can support planning, consultation, needs assessment, facilitation, stakeholder engagement and community-centred program work.
Useful details to include
The community, issue, program or event you are working with.
The kind of support you need: advice, facilitation, consultation, needs assessment or engagement planning.
Email:
blaise@itabelo.com
Mobile:
0402 493 675
Engagement Readiness Tool
Community Readiness Checklist
prepare before you invite people in.
A practical checklist for organisations preparing to run consultations, public information sessions, community forums or engagement processes.
Framework summary
Good engagement begins before the invitation.
This checklist helps organisations test whether they are ready to involve people in a way that is clear, accessible and respectful.
- Purpose
- Audience
- Access
- Trusted connectors
- Clear message
- Follow-up plan
The framework
The core model
in practice.
Use this section as a practical reference when planning, facilitating or reviewing work with communities and stakeholders.
Purpose
Can you explain why engagement is needed, what will be asked and how input may be used?
Audience
Have you identified who should be involved, who is most affected and who may be missing?
Access
Have you considered language, timing, transport, digital access, venue, childcare and safety?
Trusted connectors
Have you identified people, groups or networks who can help build relevance and trust?
Clear message
Can the opportunity or issue be explained simply, without jargon or unnecessary complexity?
Follow-up plan
Do you know how you will respond after the engagement and what participants can expect next?
When to use it
Useful for
real project work.
This page is designed to help professionals apply the framework in practical settings, not just read it as theory.
Public information sessions
Check whether people will understand the purpose and pathway to participate.
Community forums
Plan accessible, respectful and useful engagement settings.
Consultation planning
Finalise invitations, questions, methods and follow-up responsibilities.
Program mobilisation
Support programs that rely on people understanding and choosing to get involved.
Practice note. This framework is most useful when it is adapted to the community, organisation, issue and decision-making context involved.
Practice questions
Questions to ask
before moving forward.
Use these questions to test whether your planning is clear, respectful and practical.
Can we explain the purpose in plain language?
Do we know who is most affected and who is likely to be missing?
Have we reduced practical barriers to participation?
Have we involved trusted connectors early enough?
Do facilitators understand the context and sensitivities?
Do we have a realistic follow-up plan?
Common risks
What to avoid
in practice.
These risks can reduce trust, weaken participation or make the work less useful.
Inviting the same voices only
Convenient participation can miss people with the greatest proximity to the issue.
Poor access design
Language, timing, venue and digital barriers can exclude people before engagement begins.
No follow-up capacity
If no one owns the next step, engagement can create frustration rather than trust.
Apply the framework
Need this adapted
for your organisation or project?
This framework can support planning, consultation, needs assessment, facilitation, stakeholder engagement and community-centred program work.
Useful details to include
The community, issue, program or event you are working with.
The kind of support you need: advice, facilitation, consultation, needs assessment or engagement planning.
Email:
blaise@itabelo.com
Mobile:
0402 493 675