Imagine Monash Deliberative Engagement

Across May and June 2021, Capire partnered with Monash City Council to deliver a deliberative engagement process. Taking part during the pandemic, Capire leveraged the online environment to amplify voices from the community and facilitate community aspirations.

Capire was engaged to design and deliver a Community Panel deliberative engagement process to inform the City of Monash’s Community Vision, Council, Financial and Asset Plans. Capire recruited a representative sample of Monash community members and held four, focused, online engagement sessions.

Capire turned the ‘engaged’ into the ‘engager’ by encouraging the panel to collect stories from every corner of the community. The engagement focused on six key themes:

• A Sustainable Future
• A Strong Sense Of Community
• An Engaged Community
• A Green And Leafy City
• Easy To Get Around
• Services In My Neighbourhood

The sessions guided the Panel to prepare key messages for the Council that reflected the community’s priorities.

The community panel developed a vision statement, principles, and goals that reflected their community values. One of the vision statements proposed by panellists formed the draft Vision for Council.

Community Vision: Monash is a city that gives more than it takes.

Capire asked Monash City Council to listen and discuss its challenges, possibilities, and opportunities for the city with its residents. By utilising the expertise of council staff, residents and council were able to consider different aspirations for the community and understand the trade-offs of each aspiration.

The community felt that they were able to take part and contribute to the future of Monash. The feedback also described the community engagement process as iterative, responsive to people’s needs, and accessible.