We’ve always believed that the best ideas come from communities themselves, not from assumptions made without really listening. That’s why we love Discovery Days – they’re our chance to actually listen to what people want, need, and dream about for their local areas. This autumn, we tried two completely different approaches in Pitsea and Canvey Island, and both taught us something valuable.
In November, we hosted a Discovery Day at Northlands Primary School in Pitsea. This was our classic format – 47 local residents, teachers, young adults, councillors, charity representatives, and business owners turned up to sit down together for proper conversations. Over refreshments (always essential!), and meaningful discussions, we explored what’s working well in Pitsea and what could be even better.
People told us that “Good sense of community now, it wasn’t there before” – showing that positive change is already happening. We heard about how “Doing something for somebody else makes me feel good” and the importance of “One person being brave enough to start the conversation” when starting new initiatives. We captured the kind of detailed feedback that can really shape services. As one participant put it, the possibilities are “endless and achievable with the right support and funding“.
For Canvey Island, we tried something different. Rather than asking people to come to us, we went to them – embedding our Discovery Day questions into Castle Point Borough Council’s Christmas Open Day. Over 1,000 people had signed up, with 591 attending on the day. Our secret weapon? A free Grinch Grotto with gifts and a meet-and-greet with the Grinch and Cindy Lou!
Whilst families queued for festive fun, we asked them to complete a digital questionnaire. We managed to get 54 responses – nearly 10% of attendees – which in a busy, excited, Christmas-y environment felt like a real win. The feedback was clear and consistent: people love “The Canvey spirit” and value that “The people make the community“. There was real excitement about The Paddocks, with people noting “Paddocks much improved” and describing possibilities as “Endless with community and financial support“. One person beautifully captured the aspiration: “Creating an environment where everyone wants to be“.
Each approach has its strengths. The traditional Pitsea format gave us detailed insights – the kind you get when people have time to really think and discuss together. The Canvey approach gave us the opportunity to reach more people, capturing broad community priorities in a fun, accessible way.
Would we get even more detail in a traditional setting? Probably. But did we still gather genuinely useful, action-focused feedback whilst families enjoyed a Christmas treat? Absolutely. Sometimes the best consultation doesn’t feel like consultation at all.
As a team, we’re privileged to engage with communities in this way. There’s something special about watching people’s faces light up when they realise you’re actually listening. Whether it’s sat around a table in a primary school or standing in a Grinch Grotto, these conversations spark amazing ideas that would never emerge from top-down planning.
Whether you want the traditional sit-down format or something more creative (Grinch optional!), we’d love to help you engage with your community using Asset Based Community Development. Get in touch – we can’t wait to chat about the possibilities in your area.
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