Community engagement is the process by which people, government, and organizations (the community) work together collaboratively to create and realize sustainable visions for their community’s future. For governments and organizations, it is about working with and listening to, communities to build long-term relationships and develop meaningful solutions to complex issues.
Another way to describe community engagement is through decision-making: everyone who is impacted by an issue in the community should have a say in how it is resolved. Community engagement holds the promise that public participation can influence decisions that affect the provisions of services, future visions, and sustainability of our communities.
Source: Hussey, Sally (2019). What is Community Engagement? Bang the Table: https://www.bangthetable.com/what-is-community-engagement/