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The four years of Engagement Compass data show a practice that is becoming more established, more diverse in its methods and increasingly recognised as important to decision-making. At the same time, the results point to a persistent gap between recognising the value of engagement and consistently acting on that value.
The strongest and most sustained areas of practice remain the use of online engagement and the presence of policy or regulatory expectations. There has also been a gradual improvement in diverse participation and, particularly in 2025, in monitoring and evaluation. However, the 2026 results show a notable reversal across several measures, particularly those relating to decision-maker understanding of impact, investment, flexibility, participant safety and evaluation.
The qualitative responses reinforce this picture. Respondents increasingly describe a profession with stronger skills, methods and recognition, but continue to identify organisational commitment, time and resources, tokenistic practice, limited influence over decisions and weak feedback loops as fundamental barriers.
To read the full summary report, ‘Four-Year Trends in Community Engagement Practice’, please complete the form.
