Community Solutions

The Project

A consultancy team led by Jane Elix of Communication Solutions and Colma Keating of Dinkurn Results was selected by DOCEP  to provide services to "develop effective community consultation processes" for the Department through its Policy and Education Directorate. The project was intended to assist the Consumer Protection Division in better engaging with consumers both in developing new legislation and in reviewing and updating the 55 pieces of legislation for which it is currently responsible.

While stakeholders are generally viewed by the Department as falling into one of three distinct groups - community stakeholders representing consumer interests, industry stakeholders representing business/industry interests, and public sector stakeholders representing various aspects of the public interest - it is recognised that "non-government organisations or consumer group"

The challenge for this project was to design and develop effective and practical consultation processes which would overcome the problem associated with "individual consumers and representative groups (being) asked to provide a consumer perspective about details and complex issues"

The Result

"Jane Elix worked with the Policy team to develop a "road map" for effective community engagement. She blended the experience of the Policy team with her own expertise in community engagement to construct a unique tool, which is being used to plan, implement and evaluate community engagement regarding complex consumer protection policy issues. Jane's unique background and exceptional skills ensured the success of the project."

Susan Nulsen, Policy and Education Directorate, Consumer Protection Division, Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, Western Australia, 2005.