Barriers to Engagement
The Professional’s View

What is this?

The table lists barriers to citizen engagement as viewed by professionals.
You can find more information on this list in the Research Review (PDF, 458k).

What is its use?

It gives you an easy checklist which is useful at any stage when you’re doing a project. It’s really the ‘other side of the coin’ to the older person’s (PDF, 20k) view.

This is the basic version. In other parts of the toolkit, you will find examples of how we used this.

Lack of organisational resources

  • Lack of time to develop relationships & trust
  • Little or no budget
  • Lack of knowledge / expertise

Lack of motivation

  • Citizen engagement is a low priority
  • Engagement is just for show and not to make real change
  • People do not want to get involved even when invited
  • Too many consultations with no definite outcomes or impacts
  • Doubt about the purpose of engagement exercises
  • Perception that staff tasked with consultation lack the authority to make changes
  • Lack of control over the methods used

Previous negative experiences

  • Failed or unsatisfactory engagement exercises
  • Difficulties in getting groups involved
  • Unrealistic public expectations

Organisational Cultural Issues

  • Using unsuitable models of engagement
  • Don’t recognise or understand the range of different types of engagement that are available to use
  • Professionals become defensive
  • It takes so long for anything to happen or change
  • Perception of them and us e.g. public versus professionals