Working together with Communities

• we work with residents, not for them and design solutions together
• we treat lived experience as expertise and share ownership of outcomes.
• we build long-term, respectful relationships with communities, including grassroots organisations
• we use our influence, resources and connections to unlock community capacity
• the council’s role is to facilitate and encourage partnerships and support, not dominate 

Share power and build trust  

• we are clear about where power sits, decision-making processes
• we acknowledge the council’s responsibility within the system
• we use our power to support community leadership and drive
• we build trust through transparency, honesty and consistency
• we support influence and lobbying beyond the board where needed
• we challenge systems that exclude people  

Make it local and easy to access  

• neighbourhoods are different – one size doesn’t fit all  
• we build on local strengths and knowledge  
• we remove practical barriers to access
• reduce stigma so people feel safe to ask for help  

Focus on what works using data and lived experience

• lived experience and data are both essential to understanding what works
• success means real improvements in people’s lives, not just activity  
• we learn from what already exists and what communities tell us
• we allow space to innovate, test and adapt and not only repeat what is already proven