Community update on survey results

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey about the Community Engagement Framework. We would also like to thank the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Youth Advisory Committee and Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee for providing their invaluable insight into how we can best reach and engage with their communities.

What we heard

Aboriginal Advisory Committee:

  • Engage with the Aboriginal community early in the consultation process.

  • The best way to engage with them is by visiting meetings or events held with local Aboriginal businesses and by having a yarn with them.

Youth Advisory Committee:

  • Environmental issues, recreational precincts and facility design & improvements are topics that mean the most to them and are projects that they want to have influence over.

  • When consulting with young people, their preferred method is via a survey, social media and in-person workshops.

  • Use existing channels at school to spread the word that consultation opportunities are available, provide opportunities during school hours for feedback and ensure information is shared at a literacy level of a young person.

Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee:

  • Are interested in having influence over facility design & improvements and infrastructure projects.

  • In-person consultation is the preferred method of engagement but there are a range of tools to keep in mind. Such as transportation options, support staff, accessible facilities (such as ramps and toilets) and various delivery methods.

Online survey:

We had a total of 1,578 visitors to the project page and received 509 survey responses from both the online Get Involved survey and paper surveys available in Council facilities across the Shoalhaven.

The overwhelming majority of responses were from people aged over 50, comprising 75% of the total respondents.

Some of the ways you currently receive information from Council are:

  • Rates notice
  • Council website
  • Social media
  • Word of mouth
  • Community Consultative Bodies


When Council seeks your feedback on projects and initiatives, you prefer to be informed via:

  • Social media
  • Community newsletter
  • Council website
  • Rates notice
  • Community Consultative Bodies


You indicated that you would like to provide your feedback through:

  • Online surveys
  • Emailing council directly
  • Attending drop-in sessions or pop-up stalls
  • Face-to-face workshops


The top three topics you are most interested in when providing feedback on projects are:

  • Local Development Planning and Construction Projects
  • Roadworks
  • Council Services and Fees

Next steps

  1. A workshop will be held with the Community Consultative Bodies at the end of their next executive meeting in May.
  2. We will review all feedback in detail and draft a framework with the Community Engagement Strategy.
  3. The draft framework will be put on public exhibition in November for further community input.

We appreciate your active participation and look forward to continuing our work together to enhance our communication and consultation activities. Subscribe to this project page for more updates and opportunities to get involved.

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