Russell House Publishing Ltd

Engagement and Practice examines many of the huge opportunities and some of the possible pitfalls which engagement and participatory work can present, including how to:

• balance the need to achieve measurable outputs and outcomes, with not wanting to restrain the more open-ended potentials of engagement work
  
• ensure engagement is not a service delivered to people, or done to them, but is based on authentic communication and is backed with sufficient resources to create what has been agreed
  
• ensure all people are included, and not just those with more power and resources who may feel they have more rights and authority, or more at stake
  

Engagement in Practice has been written in an accessible way so that those with a background and those with little background in engagement can develop their understandings and skills. It covers background information and theories of participation and engagement. It explores some of the complex issues such as power, politics and relationships. It offers a range of practical activities and opportunities to reflect on how to support and facilitate engagement, how to develop effective communications and to manage virtual engagement.

The book urges readers to reflect critically on how engagement practice involves making informed ethical decisions, being appreciative of others, and being aware of the impacts of what is done to reinforce and challenge the existing status quo.

While written in such a way as to be accessible to those with less experience of engagement and participatory work, the book will take the reader to an advanced practical level, providing food for thought to anyone commissioning, orchestrating, instigating, involved in, evaluating, thinking about or researching engagement.