Originally published 4 September 2006. This article is retained from the tCI archive. Law, policy or practice may have changed since publication.
A few days ago, one of the more popular Radio Stations invited a Church of England Vicar to talk about the special prayer he had published. In essence this was an appeal to the Almighty (or, to reflect our multiculturalisms, one of the Almighties) to assist the England team in their quest to win the World Cup.
Once upon a time, such an item would have struggled for space on the BBC but in these days of rolling 24-hour news and current affairs, this was an angle fully deserving of an airing. Afterwards, the presenter asked the Vicar why he had gone to the trouble. Predictably the answer was This is the way we can engage with young people! There followed a fascinating discussion on the wall-to-wall media coverage of the football-fest in Germany; on the good and bad points of the football culture, and on the cult of soccer celebrities and the influence they have on young people. This is not for everyone; there are probably legions who would pay extra for a World-cup free newspaper or television channel. But the statistics are impressive. Millions of children either play or follow the game, as do their parents and neighbours; and fans all over the world follow Premiership teams as if they were the local town’s team. In short, football fuels the imagination, determines allegiances and motivates millions.
So if we want to engage in dialogue, and really understand communities and citizens, are we more likely to do so if Sir Alex Ferguson fronts the appeal for participation. Or Wayne Rooney? Or Thierry Henri? Do we find young 18-25 year-olds in Shopping Centres or at Football Stadiums? Do we use games technology to mimic football-related scenarios and attract youngsters to websites which might also carry other messages and opportunities to express their views?
In favour of this approach is the harsh fact that whatever we are marketing, we have to go to where the buyers will be found. This applies to public participation as much as to cars, washing-machines or personal computers. By the same token, if we want to have a dialogue with older people, we might go to sheltered accommodation blocs, the Village Hall afternoon tearoom or to any number of community organisations. It is just horses for courses. And in today’s climate – particularly this month’s climate, the answer is: Young People = Football.
There are drawbacks. Aren’t we just climbing on the latest bandwagon? Next year there may be another one and investments made in building relationships, developing dialogue mechanisms and feedback routes may need to be replaced by fresh initiatives. Furthermore, is there a danger that we focus on stereotypical group members at the expense of others; this may have already happened with some disabled people.
One of the most persuasive arguments is that people of all ages are nowadays drawn towards doing things that are fun! If one generation has fun playing Bingo on Monday evenings, let’s work with this pattern. If another involves meeting other parents on a wet Saturday morning to see which of their offspring is most likely to be the next David Beckham, then we can work with that also. Football is not the only source of fun; but if public participation can be encouraged by leveraging the enjoyment people have with their own hobbies, then it is much more likely to succeed.
Trigger points
- Have you experimented with innovative ways to involve young people?
- Identify stakeholder groups and research what they regard as Fun!
- Find ways to meet people in their own preferred environments
This is the 62nd Tuesday Topic; a full list of subjects covered is available for Institute members and is a valuable resource covering so many aspects of consultation and engagement