Community engagement is not a new term. It came into existence decades ago, driven by the arrival of the internet and its power to unite groups of people with a common cause. What is new, is the extent in which community engagement has engrained itself into the building sector.
This can clearly be seen by current clients favouring construction companies with a sustainable community engagement strategy and track record, for example. It is also felt by the change in expectations within communities around a building site, and their claim to be included. And finally, the emergence of large independent associations such as the Considerate Constructors’ Scheme, emphasize the fact that community engagement can no longer be ignored.
Community engagement is nothing new and it has developed rapidly over the years. We are not there yet. What are the current trends in community engagement and what can we expect in the future? Here you can read about what we predict at SitePodium.
3 trends in community engagement
Through the success of our community engagement app and the variety of projects it has been used for, we are always at the heart of community engagement in building projects. We see wonderful collaborations, unique initiatives and heartwarming acts taking place between construction companies and building sites all over the world.
We believe these 3 trends sum up the future of community engagement in construction.
1. Get the youngsters involved
There seems to be a definite trend in community engagement where not only the adults living and working the community are addressed, but also its youngest members. This might seem like an unlikely target audience to you, but nothing is further from the truth. You can make the workforce of the future excited about construction, or make the area more child-friendly. That, in turn, will impress their parents.
How can you involve the youth in your area? The opportunities are huge. Visit local schools and clubs to do a presentation about the project. You will get the children excited about the construction industry and your project. You can donate something to the children and adolescents, like a natural playground, a place to hang out or a table tennis table in the square.
2. Feel good with volunteering
We have seen clients who make it compulsory for employees of the building company to do voluntary work within the community. This trend in community engagement seems to be taking the construction industry by storm. It is a great way to not only give something back to the community, but also to bridge the gap with its members.
What kind of volunteering are we speaking of? You can organise a cleanup action of the local park, work together with the local churches, animal shelters, or charity shops. The best thing about volunteering is that it does not require a large investment, but it makes a huge difference. And your volunteers will feel good about doing something meaningful as well!
3. Helping the local environment
A last trend in community engagement with construction companies is that the initiatives are often aimed at preserving the environment. If you, with your construction project, can make the area greener, you have not only done a great thing for the community, but also for the country and even the planet.
There are many ways in which you can put the environment and the community on a shared first place:
- Donate solar panels that light the square, with charging points for mobile devices and free Wi-Fi.
- Organise an auction selling building site materials that you would otherwise throw away. Sleepers, furniture, tiles; these are great examples of materials that can get a second life in the community they were taken from.
- Create areas with wild flowers, green roofs on bus stops or vertical gardens. Change an empty area into a herb garden or allotments for community members to tend to collectively. You can even save some battery chickens for eggs.
The future together with SitePodium
It is no wonder that more and more building companies are looking for all-encompassing solutions for streamlining and centralising community engagement. SitePodium offers a wonderful way to do that. It is an app which brings communities and building sites together, shortening the lines of communication and enabling quick sharing of information through a recognisable news feed setup.
With these trends in community engagement comes an increased effort required from you. You invest in a community engagement officer (and team) and you free up time and budget for your initiatives. SitePodium makes your life easier by offering a single and simple app for all your communications with the community members.
Book a demo, download our free brochure or book Happy Neighbors, or simply contact us so we can speak about how SitePodium can make your community efforts simpler and more efficient.
