The form and function of local government community engagement initiatives : Swedish case studies

The aim of local governments to increase community engagement is an emergent global phenomenon. Ideally, community engagement initiatives connect the community with their government so that citizens can have a say in the things that really matter to them. Mounting internal or external pressure for more citizen participation moves the focus from 'local government' to 'local governance',. And presents professional practices with the challenge of determining the ends for participation, and responding with the appropriate means - given the local economic, social, political and technological context. The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of community engagement initiatives by local governments in order to inform professional practice in a growing but under researched asrea of activity. The research aims to conceptualise and articulate factors and characteristics that consititute the 'form' (means) and 'function' (ends) of individual community engagement initiatives; identify the shape of these attributes in practice, and provide a management model to fuel debate and inform the planning, implementation and evaluation of community engagement initiatives