Community Engagement to Explore Access and Inclusion for All

Healthy Environs was engaged by the City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters to facilitate community engagement for the review of their Access and Inclusion Strategy. The Council aspires to be “an inclusive, connected, accessible and friendly community” and is committed to addressing its legislative responsibilities under the Australian Equal Opportunity Act 1984 and the Disability Inclusion Act 2018. The Strategy review will focus on access and inclusion for all abilities, cultures, genders and backgrounds.

The engagement approach aimed to involve citizens in the decision-making, empower stakeholders through the process, and promote accessibility for all.

Healthy Environs project services incorporated:

• Working with Council’s representative to develop questions for an Accessible and Inclusive Community survey to be promoted both online and in hard copy.

• Facilitation of an internal Inclusive Council Workshop which aimed to take a ‘whole of Council’ approach to assessing access and inclusion opportunities and to build the capacity and motivation of staff members to support access and inclusion for all within the City.

• Facilitation of an Inclusive Communities Forum which adopted a strengths-based approach to exploring thoughts, ideas and a vision for access and inclusion for all with local community members.

• Development of a clearly articulated report to Council’s executive and Elected Members on the engagement findings to inform the new Strategy.