First Steps to Involvement: Information-Gathering and Consultation

Abstract

Invitations to get involved in our neighbourhoods and services have multiplied. They are mostly concerned with gaining our knowledge and opinions. The two main approaches are information-gathering and consultation. ‘Tell us your views’, ‘Your opinion counts’, ‘What do you think?’ They echo other activities which have become a day-to-day part of our lives and cultures, from political opinion polls to air-time to express our views about television programmes. Information gathering is probably best seen as an extension of market research, trying to find out what we know and think, but consultation, as the dictionary tells us, is also concerned with getting our advice and counsel. Our situation, experience and attitudes are the focus of both. They may be directed at people using certain services, particular groups of people or the whole population. They can be on a large or small scale.