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Community forums
A community forum is like a public meeting, where members of the community
come together at a central location to share their ideas, opinions and concerns
[97, 98]. A forum is a way of consulting members of the community and is part
of the community engagement process.
A community forum provides the opportunity to:
provide a two-way flow of information eg. the organiser provides an overview
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of an issue and members of the community respond [98]
gather large amounts of information in a short period of time at a relatively
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low cost [97]
raise awareness of the issue [97]
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collect the community’s ideas, beliefs, suggestions or responses [97, 98]
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select a course of action supported by the community [97]
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formalise and endorse an approach [97]
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identify new stakeholders, leaders, champions and advocates [97].
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Organising a community forum
A community forum can be organised in a number of ways depending on the
type of information that needs to be collected from the community. There are
two main formats:
a speaker presents background information about the issue to the community,
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followed by open discussion
guest speakers present on various aspects of the issue,
followed by small group
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sessions where questions and issues relating to the topic are discussed (all
small groups then present a summary of the issues raised to the full forum).
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For example, at a falls forum, guest speakers may discuss the following topics:
physical activity
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– small groups may discuss issues such as access, transport,
availability of activities and what type of exercise they would participate in.
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attitudes to falls – small groups may discuss their own attitudes and attitudes
of others including health professional, carers, family and friends
marketing campaigns
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– small groups may discuss campaigns they have found
effective, key messages, what images would be appropriate, what style, the
tone and the type of music.
For a successful community forum, you will need to develop a communication
plan that details how to market the forum, who to communicate with and how
you will communicate the messages. For more information, visit:
Phase Three Materials: Preparing a communication plan
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Link to Phase Three Materials: Preparing a communication plan
Tips for organising a community forum
Before the event
Hold the forum at a time that does not clash with other major events or work
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commitments [98].
Book a venue that has appropriate seating capacity, has universal access (eg.
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ramps and handrails at entrances), is easy to find, and is accessible by car and
public transport [98]. Confirm insurance (eg. public liability) is included in the
venue hire charge. Book audio equipment lectern, speakers and microphones.
Confirm guest speakers.
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Select a facilitator who is respected, neutral, a good listener, can summarise
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information quickly to clarify points, and can keep the meeting moving [98].
Arrange for additional assistance including scribe/s to write down people’s comments,
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a person to welcome community members and a person to assist with technology.
Before the forum, hold a training workshop for these support people (if necessary).
Develop a marketing plan to promote the event through the local newspaper,
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community group newsletters, radio announcements, flyers and direct
invitations to community groups.
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At the event
Collect attendance information such as age, gender, addresses (mail and
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email) and how they found out about the event. Ask if attendees want
to be included on a mailing list or web forum.
Set ground rules before commencing eg. respect the opinion of others,
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everyone gets a chance to comment and keep responses short [98].
Develop a series of questions to generate discussion.
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Have a suggestion box in case someone feels they are not able share their
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views publicly.
If possible, serve refreshments [98].
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After the event
Complete a report on the key issues raised at the forum and share the results
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with the community.
Web forums
Another way to hold a community forum is by using the Internet. A web forum
(otherwise known as an online forum or discussion) is where people can
contribute their point of view by typing comments onto a web-based discussion
page. These comments are then displayed for others to read and reply to. There
are an increasing number of older people who are active users of the Internet.
Web forums provide an opportunity to reach a wider group of people as they:
allow people to participate in their own time and at a place where they feel
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comfortable [99]
reach a large number of people [99]
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reduce the amount work required to write comments into a report [99]
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allow for participant contributions to be valued on their merit, as gender,
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ethnicity or social status are less obvious online [99]
can be monitored and tracked [99]
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can be a good way for people who are less mobile to feel connected to others
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provide ongoing feedback on issues as they evolve.
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Citation: Queensland Health. 2007. Queensland Stay On Your Feet
®
Community Good Practice
Toolkit – Phase 1 materials: Community forums. Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Branch,
Division of the Chief Health Officer, Queensland Health, Brisbane.