Our support for community participation and engagement

What is community participation?

In Barnet, we want to empower communities and work with them on things they care about. That means supporting people to get involved in decisions that shape their lives, now and in generations to come.

Community participation is about more than just asking for opinions. It’s about listening, working together and making sure local voices help shape services, projects, and places they live. When people are part of the process, the outcomes are more meaningful, inclusive and effective.

Community participation is not a one-off activity, or a ‘nice-to-have’. It is about a culture shift that puts communities at the heart of decisions and services that affect their lives.

Why is it important? 

When communities are involved in the decisions that affect their lives, the services they use and the places they live, everyone benefits.

Communities know their own needs best. They bring knowledge, ideas and power that help build confident and resilient neighbourhoods. As a council, when we create trusted and collaborative relationships with communities, we all contribute to a better Barnet.