How to get people on board

Identify potential barriers and solutions

You will probably have a fairly good idea of some of the reasons people will give for not wanting to get involved with PB or even allow PB to happen in the first place.  If you identify these barriers upfront and think about what the solutions might be, you are one step ahead when people pose the issues to you. 

Have a workshop

Workshops are a great way to get all the stakeholders around the table to ask all the awkward (and sometimes considered, stupid) questions, suggest all the reasons why PB cannot be done, and to see what PB really is, how it works why it might be a good idea, and where it's already working, in an informal and practical learning environment.

The PB Unit can provide these workshops.  They usually last about 3 hours and may involve some role and game playing to get people to think about the issues and some videos to show people the excitement at such events.  If you're interesting in having a workshop, please contact us.

Play the simulation game

We  often play the simulation game at seminars or if we come and do a workshop for you.  It's a good way to get people thinking about the practicalities of PB.  You can play the game yourself, the resources are here.

Show them videos

Lots of the PB pilots have created videos of PB events.  Some of those videos are on our website alongside the case studies.  Videos are really good at capturing 'the moment' - the atmosphere, excitement and chaos of a PB event and giving people a flavour for it.  You can download videos from our site here.

Answer their awkward questions

You'll always get at least one person who's decided to play 'devil's advocate' and ask the questions you wish they wouldn't ask.  We don't have all the answers on PB as it's evolving and developing and you learn by taking risks and being innovative.  However, we have had a lot of experience in answering the awkward questions.  Some of them can be found in our FAQs.  If you can't find the answers there, we are more than happy to try and answer them by email or over the phone, or come and visit you and be asked them ourselves.  You could also come along to one of our seminars or workshops and ask them there.

Demonstrate openness and transparency in all aspects of the planning

People will easily get dissolusioned with PB if you shut them out of the planning process.   If all stakeholders are brought on board at the beginning but then not allowed to influence how PB is implemented then they will lose faith in actually being able to influence decisions on the budget.  Set up a steering group with all stakeholders represented.  The steering group can direct and influence the way that the project is developed whilst not being involved in the day to day project management (as that can become unwieldly if too many people are involved).  That way stakeholders retain control over the whole process and the process itself reiterates the principles of PB.   Have independent counters to count up the votes and a clear system for signing people into an event so no one thinks it's rigged.  Always show the results at the event to avoid accusations of it being rigged.  All these things mean that the process remains transparent and clear and inclusive and no one feels that 'the wool is being pulled over their eyes'. 

Involve all stakeholders from the start

This may seem very obvious but it's really important.  If certain key individuals or groups are left out of the initial discussions (be that a stakeholder workshop or other meetings) then they may feel left out and become antagonistic simply because they don't feel valued.  Avoid it by inviting everyone that should be involved whether they are councillors, other partner agencies, officers in different sections or departments, voluntary and community sector groups, or community activists.  This also means that everyone is brought along in the process at the same pace and you don't have to 'catch someone up' if they join in later. 

Use the 'what's in it for me' factor

At the end of the day, this is what people want to know.  Doesn't matter who they are, there's always a reason why people do anything.  Everyone can have a different reason for being involved, whether it be a sense of community pride or a sense of wanting justice or whether it's being involved in the latest government initiative or wanting people to take more responsibility for their local areas.  Maybe they want better services or more community support in providing services with less and less money.  Maybe they want legitimacy or trust or to be re-elected.  Whatever their reason is, if you think about those different reasons and suggest that PB can deliver on it (providing it's something PB delivers on!) then people are much more likely to get involved and be 'up for it'.