Join us on Saturday November 3rd in Edinburgh for our latest event: From nonsultation to community empowerment – putting consultations to work
After our two successful campaigners’ days in Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, we’re now planning another day covering an issue that affects the whole of Scotland at the moment – making the most of consultations.
One of the things we hear a lot is that consultations – of which there have been a lot in recent months, with more in the offing – are an area where people struggle. Even if they’re not ‘nonsultations’ or bafflingly technical to a lay person, people often end up suffering from consultation fatigue, or simply don’t have the time to attend an event held in the town hall on a Tuesday lunchtime in November. And when you have made the effort to respond, it can all feel like a giant waste of time. And yet, the alternative – not being consulted – seems worse.
That’s why we’re joining forces with the Women’s Cycle Forum Scotland to run a joint event that will try and demystify the process of consultations, challenge some of the ways that they happen, and establish what the barriers are to people getting their perspective across.
Here’s the outline programme:
10.30 Refreshments, registrations
10.45 Welcome
10.50 Opening address: Lesley McInnes (Transport Convener for Edinburgh Council) and Daisy Narayanan (Sustrans and lead officer for the Central Edinburgh Transformation project)
11.10 Current consultations – what are we being consulted on (and why it matters)
11.30 Workshops (1)
- Diversity and equality – How to engage unheard voices: Women’s Cycle Forum
- What is a quality response? A view from the inside: Anna Herriman
- Masterminding local consultation responses: GoBike and Spokes
12.15 Comfort break
12:30 Workshops (2)
- Get your rulers out – a geek’s guide to responses: Alex Ingram of Wheels for Wellbeing and the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain
- Community Empowerment Act and local governance
- How to get the most out of local housing developments for walking and cycling: Morag Haddow, East Lothian Council
1.15 Lunch
2.00 Roundtable discussions, world café style – What are the barriers to responding to consultations, and how can the process be improved?
3.00 Panel reflections and learning points
3.30 Close
This free event will take place on Saturday 3rd November in Edinburgh – please book now.