Bridging the MismatchUrban Forum

Working for Urban Forum, and alongside The Campaign Company, Mobilise piloted the Bridging the Mismatch action research approach in Boston and Lincoln. Urban Forum developed this project to explore the effectiveness of each Council’s communication and engagement processes with communities. After recruiting suitable ‘community communication champions’ we set about exploring the differences and similarities between resident’s views on communication, engagement and influence and those of senior local authority officers. This was followed by further sessions to discuss how they could ‘bridge’ the mismatches identified and what action needed taking. This is a low cost, high impact approach where sustainable working groups can be established quickly to help ensure communication and engagement efforts are more effective and efficient. In Boston, we also piloted a young people’s version of the programme with great success.