Survey - Participation & Engagement Strategy

The Highland Council is committed to being a listening council. 'Our Future Highland' (the Council Administration's Programme) sets out our ambition to work with communities to shape a sustainable, prosperous, and resilient future. Community participation and engagement are central to achieving the best outcomes for everyone in Highland.

Your feedback on our Draft Participation and Engagement Strategy will help shape how we listen, involve, and empower communities.

This survey will be open until Monday 16th of March 2026.

We will consider all responses and the final strategy will be submitted to Communities & Place Committee on 21st May.

Section 2: Vision and Principles sets out the purpose, vision and principles of the strategy.

‘Our communities have the opportunity to have their voice heard, can influence and get involved in decisions that are important to them and are empowered to shape their communities’

Do you agree with the Vision statement?

Select option

If you disagree with the vision statement, how can it be improved?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

Do you agree with the Principles for Participation and Engagement?

‘Listening, Transparent, Accessible, Collaborative’

Select option

If you disagree with the Principles, how can they be improved?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

Section 3: Participation highlights the importance of meaningful, inclusive participation in decision‑making, especially within communities.

What practical steps can we take to ensure participation is genuinely meaningful, respected, and acknowledged in our engagement work?

(e.g., feedback mechanisms, accessible venues, interpreters, timing, format)

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

What one change would most improve engagement with your community?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

Section 4: Participation and Engagement – Why do it? - sets out why being inclusive is important and how we need to reach as many people as possible to let them know they have an opportunity to engage.

What is the best way to engage with you or your group or business?

Select option

What one thing would help you or your community feel more confident and able to take part in engagement activities?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

Section 6: Challenges to Overcome and Opportunities for Improved Involvement

We have listed some of the challenges that we are aware of, are there other specific challenges you would like to highlight?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

10.

What actions could we implement to remove barriers and make our participation opportunities more inclusive for all groups?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

11.

What do you think we should do differently (or more consistently) to support communities to feel empowered and involved in decision‑making?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

12.

Section 7: Our Commitments – What we will do sets out the commitments we are making in the strategy.

Please rank these in order with 1 being most important through to 10 (10 being the least important)

Identify opportunities for community involvement as early as possible.

Select

Develop and publish an action plan showing expected involvement opportunities.

Select

Use the appropriate level of engagement from the Framework for Engagement shown on page 7

Select

Identify relevant communities and the best ways to engage them inclusively.

Select

Promote opportunities for communities to submit Participation Requests.

Select

Identify potential delivery partners across public, private, and third sectors.

Select

Explore delivery options and be transparent about practical limitations.

Select

Encourage constructive challenge and maintain genuine two-way dialogue.

Select

Provide feedback to all participants on engagement outcomes.

Select

Create an engagement calendar for shared use across projects and services.

Select

13.

Is there anything missing you would like to see included in this list?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

14.

Section 8: Improving Outcomes highlights what positive changes and improvements should happen as a result of better engagement and sets out the intended outcomes.

What outcomes would you most like to see from improved engagement?

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

15.

Section 9: States that an Action Plan will be created to support the identified commitments within this strategy. The initial actions below have been identified - please choose the 3 most important to you.

Engagement Platform: Create a single online platform hosting all Council engagement

Empowering Staff: Develop online training module

Best Practice: Produce a simplified "How to Engage" guide

Co‑ordination: Explore creating a shared engagement calenda

Co‑production: Identify pilot areas

16.

And add any additional suggested actions below:

Maximum 20,000 characters

0/20,000

17.

And now a bit about you. Are you mainly

Select option

18.

Which geographical area are you (or your group/business) based in ?

Maximum 255 characters

0/255

19.

If you are responding as an individual, what age category do you fit in?

Select option

20.

Do you have a disability, impairment or health condition which affects your day-to-day activities or does the group / business you represent support people with such health conditions ?

Select option