Resident engagement strategy consultation
We’ve taken an innovative, resident-led approach to creating our new Resident Engagement Strategy.
To make sure the strategy was truly collaborative, we set up a panel of 10 residents, chosen from over 100 applicants. The panel reflects Lewisham’s diversity, different occupations, areas, and communities, and met four times, both online and in person. They helped shape the consultation, reviewed questions, and monitored the process to ensure it met residents’ needs.
Our engagement reached around 850 residents through a mix of methods. Over 700 residents shared feedback via online surveys, and we held focus groups with key community groups, including the Young Mayor’s team and the Vietnamese Family Partnership. We also knocked on doors and translated surveys into Somali, French, and Vietnamese to remove language barriers.
What makes our approach stand out is how we worked with local partners, food stores, youth projects, gardening groups, and schools, to reach residents who might not usually take part. We monitored responses throughout and targeted areas with low engagement, making sure the consultation reflected voices from across our community.
This collaborative process means residents have helped shape the new strategy and framework, putting their voices at the heart of future engagement.
You can read the full strategy and consultation summary below.