Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s Post

👥 In communications, we talk a lot about stakeholder engagement – but what does this actually look like?   🏘 Last week we visited the gorgeous new Appleby Blue almshouse, a flagship development for United St Saviour's Charity, for a fascinating discussion on place-based connections and integrating social value into urban developments.    🚀 Moderated by Kevin McGeough, the panel was comprised of experts in community asset development Naomi Rubbra, youth engagement Carl Konadu BEM and social impact investment Katy Saunders.   🤝 We wanted to share four key insights on what organisations – irrespective of sector – can do to make sure that they’re building strong relationships with their stakeholders. 1. Get to know your audience: Stakeholder engagement is a two-way street. Take time to listen to their problems and understand what makes them tick, then use this to create solutions that add value. 2. Make it easy for them to have a voice: Establish simple and seamless ways for them to get involved – how can you meet them where they’re at? 3. “What’s in it for me?”: if your stakeholders feel personally invested, they’re much more likely to engage with you. It’s about feeling seen and heard – and knowing how what you’re doing will benefit them. 4. Measuring success: Sometimes the impact can’t be quantified by an impressive set of metrics. It’s also about the feeling you get when you’re speaking to people or walking into a room – that’s important too!   💙 Member of the Blue John Collective, Lizzie Lynch, has been working with United St Saviours on Appleby Blue, and shares her view: “Effective stakeholder engagement is about understanding what drives each person, on an organisational and individual level, and showing how your work can help them reach their goals. Last week at Appleby Blue, we saw firsthand the impact of meaningful engagement: it’s about creating takeaways that resonate, building personal connections, and inspiring people by sharing real-world examples. When we bring people into projects like Appleby Blue, we make it tangible, giving them something valuable to apply in their own work.”   👨👩👧👧 Good stakeholder communications creates communities, turns audiences into advocates, and ultimately helps organisations deliver solutions that actually make a positive difference in people’s lives.   It’s given us lots to think about – thank you for having us! Ebbsfleet Development Corporation | Footwork | 2-3 Degrees #ApplebyBlue #Almshouses #Community #Events #Engagement #SocialValue #SocialImpact #Networking