Quality of Life Foundation unveils community engagement code of practice

The Quality of Life Foundation has published a new code of practice to help drive effective community consultation and engagement in development, planning and design. As the government promises high levels of housing growth in coming years, the foundation said it hoped the new code of practice would ensure that local voices are genuinely heard and integrated into decision-making processes about where and how those homes are built. The code provides a comprehensive framework for meaningful consultation and collaboration, offering  practical guidance to developers, housing associations and local authorities, focusing on ethical practices, inclusivity and transparency. By adopting these standards, said the foundation, organisations can enhance community engagement, reduce risks and achieve more successful and community-backed projects Matthew Morgan, co-founder and director of the Quality of Life Foundation, said: “Effective community engagement is crucial for creating sustainable and resilient neighbourhoods. As the new government places increasing emphasis on housing growth, it is more important than ever to embrace this agenda and ensure that our consultation and engagement practices meet the highest standards. We have developed our code of practice with input from experts across the engagement world. It sets a new benchmark for how we involve communities, ultimately leading to more successful and community-backed projects.” In addition to the code, the Quality of Life Foundation is launching support and training services to assist organisations in implementing the new principles and standards. These include the publication of case studies showing “good” and “excellent” examples of community engagement in real life; a freely-available self-assessment tool that organisations can use to reflect on their own practices; and paid-for support and training packages to help with specific projects, strategies or organisational practices as a whole. These services are designed to help organisations effectively integrate the principles of the code into their projects and operations. Click here to read the code in full >> Image © Vitalii Barida/iStock