| This unit will demonstrate to the student the role of community stakeholders in the management of environmental issues, where 'the community' may include international, national, regional scales of engagement and government, industry and public sectors. We use biosecurity as a shared case study, while the principles, skills and knowledge covered in this unit apply to any context where a community engagement is required for the implementation of a project or policy. Students will build their understanding of social aspects of engagement including ethics, stakeholder analysis and monitoring and evaluations of programs. Applying tools such as social mapping, students will analyse the role of social structures in augmenting (or impeding) action and understanding of natural resources management. Students will investigate community perspectives, and the importance of genuine consultation with community members for the development of effective practice. By the end of this unit students will have developed an ethical rationale, be able to undertake a stakeholder analysis and design a program that can be monitored and evaluated, for effective community engagement. Although developed specifically as part of a national curriculum for biosecurity, the unit will also benefit students in other disciplines where social partnerships and community engagement are integral to effective professional practice, and will draw upon a broad base of community engagement literature and activity. |
