So you've heard of "Planning for Real®" - it's a model, right? Well, not quite. "Planning for Real®" is a nationally recognised process of community consultation. It begins with contacting the local community networks and reaches a conclusion with the formation of an Action Plan for taking forward the decisions made during the process. Of course, it can be revisited at any point; models are often kept and used many times.
We start by letting everyone know how "Planning for Real®" works, and taking their advice on matters such as which venues would work - often what seems like an ideal venue to an "outsider" turns out to be one that local people know always gets a poor turnout. We look at the option cards with them - are there issues specific to the neighbourhood that need to be covered? Of course, there are always blank cards on the day for people to write themselves.
Next is the model-making. Starting from a large scale map (usually
around 1:300), a three-dimensional model is built. It helps the local "ownership" of the project if this is done locally, either by adults, or more commonly, in the local school. This begins the process of looking at the area as a whole - finding where your house is, tracing your regular journeys, and considering what needs to be done to improve community wellbeing.
The "Planning for Real®" events are held in venues convenient for local people, as many as required. Sometimes an event is arranged for a specific group, perhaps young people, or Asian women. At the events, the model is laid out with cards placed around it. These show options, around 300, which people put on the model to show what they want, and where they want it. There are also blank cards for people to write their own suggestions.
Following on from this, all the options placed on the model are prioritized into HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW, again using visual hands-on techniques. This is then be developed into an Action Plan looking at stakeholder involvement, actions and opportunities for progression.
