Communities

Designated collection at John Ryland's Library

Communities

Museums, libraries and archives help to build strong and prosperous communities, support a strong sense of identity, community and well-being, and provide opportunities for people to learn, explore and interact. MLA seeks to support and advocate the role that the sector can play in delivering a wide variety of positive outcomes for communities.

In this section of the MLA website, you will find information, advice and other resources to help you engage and involve your community in planning and delivery. These pages set out some best practice minimum standards and examples of how a local authority or service might go beyond these minimums to involve people in innovative and exciting ways.

Why engage with and involve people?

High quality engagement and involvement will help to ensure that:

People feel empowered and able to have a real influence on service planning and delivery;
Services are of a higher quality, appropriate for the community and lead to increased positive outcomes for local people; and
Local services and the community form ongoing, mutually beneficial relationships, through which they work together to improve people’s lives.

There are many different types of engagement and involvement and the most appropriate means and method of engagement and involvement will vary according to the service, the area and the issue.

The following pages on this website will provide support, guidance and links to resources to help you to deliver high quality engagement and involvement:

Minimum standard: provision of information

It is vital that we understand our communities in order to deliver high quality and appropriate services.

Minimum standard: carrying out a consultation

The Government has published a Code of Practice on Consultation which should be read and followed in full.

'The duty to involve' - how we can help

The ‘duty to involve’ requires local authorities to involve interested persons or their representatives in decisions which may

Supporting local democracy - how we can help

Museums, libraries and archives have a key role to play to support local democracy and encourage participation in civil life.

Working with community groups

Working with community groups is a key way to engage with and involve local people in the design and delivery of services, and to

Working with volunteers

Volunteers make invaluable contributions to service delivery. How can we ensure that they feel valued; are able to develop and...

Involving and collaborating with people in decision-making

Community engagement and empowerment are about more than the minimum requirements of consultation and information provision. They

Community management and community ownership

In some circumstances, buildings and services can be handed over to the public to manage and run. However, this approach should...

Community archives research

Read about the work that MLA commissioned with two community archive projects to look at partnership working between local

Key Resources to support community engagement and involvement

Information on subjects ranging from policy context to working with volunteers and community management to help you engage your...

Responsibilities transfer

From 1st October 2011, this site will not be updated, so please treat it as the static archive it is. This is because <a target="_Blank" href="http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/">Arts Council England</a> has now taken over museums and libraries responsibilities. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/">The National Archives</a> has assumed responsibility for strategic leadership of the Archives sector. Arts Council responsibilities will also now include the Renaissance programme, Museum Accreditation, and Library Development, together with cultural property services such as Export Licensing and the Acceptance in Lieu scheme. The National Archives has assumed responsibility for providing strategic leadership to the archives sector and advising government on its development. The MLA is now winding down, with a skeleton staff remaining until May 2012 to complete the management of existing Renaissance contracts, complete outstanding financial and contractual arrangements and prepare for the appointment of a liquidator. This website will remain live until 31st March so that the public still has full access to the material on it – good practice case studies, toolkits, guidance and a range of other publications. Continue reading

Related links
consultation response
In early 2009, MLA conducted a consultation on community engagement and empowerment. The results of the consultation have now been analysed and an MLA response has been produced.
local government
Local government runs public libraries and local archives, and own or fund many local museums.
improvement
Our improvement and performance management resources have been developed within the context of the National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy which sets out how central and local government will support the local partnerships delivering outcomes for communities.
workforce development
In the drive for excellence in museums, libraries and archives, the MLA has an ambitious agenda relating to workforce, leadership and skills development.
living places
Living Places is an alliance of public bodies, led by the MLA, aiming to ensure everyone should benefit from culture, regardless of where they live.
strategic planning
The MLA works in partnership with government, agencies, key organisations and local government to devise national strategies to bring about the long-term development of the country's museums, libraries and archives
migration & new communities
Museums, libraries and archives are well placed to respond to and support the needs of new communities and to contribute to increased understanding and engagement between different groups.