Overview of the Engagement Tool/Innovation:
The containers of stories toolkit are designed to provide volunteers or park goers the opportunity to tell stories about their experiences at the park, sharing these with other visitors and UGN. The toolkit opens the possibility to showcase these stories and provide a personal touch around the parks. The containers would be a small box used to hold the stories. Additionally, these containers could have different designs which represent the park they are in or the question associated with them. Moreover, this toolkit can also double up as a tool for feedback, for example from park users, allowing UGN to get a feel for important aspects in the park which play a vital role in the experiences many visitors have. There are two possible routes for this:
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Volunteer based: pose the questions to park volunteers and use these stories to inform park goers and UGN of the volunteer experience, such as what the parks mean to them or their wishes for the future.
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Visitor based: have visitors detail their past experiences and showcase these in the parks.
Role in decision-making:
This toolkit would not necessarily play a role in decision making, however, UGN could use it to get a sense of valued areas or aspects of the park.
The main use of this toolkit could be connecting to local communities and building trust. With the containers, UGN could ask several different questions about experiences. With option 1 (presented in the last section), these questions could revolve around experiences of being a volunteer or their favourite parts of the parks. Option 2 could ask questions about park goers special moments, favourite walks, or events, as well as feelings and emotions which their time in the park evokes. This would provide UGN with valuable feedback on these aspects.
Asking questions coupled with showcasing answers for others to see, will add a personal touch, making those who participate feel like their voices are being heard.
By implementing this toolkit UGN could tap into a new way of communication, building bridges between themselves and communities. Moreover, it can help in decision making as it gives UGN access to feedback from hopefully a varied range of people.
Build trust with communities: this gives volunteers or park goers the chance to share their stories/experiences in the park throughout their lives.
Hard to reach groups: like above, this option could provide underrepresented groups the chance to share their experiences with UGN and those who use the parks.
Empowering: this toolkit would be empowering due to its personal nature. Similarities with the idea of ‘conservation-near’, which involves connecting a project or area back into the community.
Evaluation of participation: will help UGN understand what the personal aspects of the parks are to people and how to enhance these.
Consulting: indirect way of consultation. UGN can use the containers, where the stories are stored, to ask certain questions and get feedback from possibly a wide range of people.
Involving: sharing of stories can involve people from many different groups. Moreover, it is not just those who submit answers, but those who stop to read them (could create displays around the parks to gain more interest).
Online: opportunity to post questions online and receive answers from a wider range of people.
Suitable for:
This would be suitable for projects which aim to build more personal relationships with either volunteers and/or park goers. The toolkit would suit smaller projects; although, it could work with a medium scale project as well.
HOW TO DO IT:
ENGAGEMENT:
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Engagement with the toolkit – The way in which participants would engage with the containers of stories toolkit would depend on which option/s UGN chooses.
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Option 1 would invite volunteers to answer the questions at suitable locations.
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Option 2 would invite park goers stop at stations in the park and write stories in answer to certain questions. There could be multiple questions in one spot, or they could be spread out throughout the park.
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Additionally, if UGN decides to incorporate this toolkit to work online, participants would be able to access it through the UGN website or social media.
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Engagement with UGN – The containers of stories toolkit will create engagement by providing participants opportunity to tell their stories and experiences. Whether this is about being a volunteer at the park, or someone who visits them.
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UGN engagement with participants – UGN could tailor the questions to encompass a wide range of answers and reach more groups. Moreover, displaying the stories will highlight that their responses are being listened to and foster further community engagement.
All answers received by UGN will readily be accessible for UGN to view, whether they be in person or online. From here UGN would be able to go through the answers, gathering feedback from them, such as the feelings of those who volunteer with them or the important aspects of the parks to visitors. Once the feedback is collocated, UGN would then be able to interact with it, whether that be through showcasing stories, like is suggested, and/or using them to inform decision-making.
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SELECTION METHOD:
Selection of participants – UGN could choose to target particular groups e.g., volunteers or park users etc. If UGN does decide to open it to the public, they could select participants by tailoring the questions to certain groups, which would encourage them to provide answers.
Formats:
In person – The predominant format of this toolkit would be in person. The way in which this is delivered would depend on who you aim it at.
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Option 1: set up questions and containers at suitable locations and invite volunteers to answer them.
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Option 2: containers could be set up around parks where visitors would be able to go over and interact with them.
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Online – There is the opportunity to provide this toolkit online, such as on the UGN website or on social media.
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The UGN website could have a page dedicated to the questions, where individuals could submit answers, providing them the option to participate from home.
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Similarly, UGN could post questions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, with people posting their stories in the comment sections. This has the possibility of reaching a wide range of people, due to interactions such as retweets or shares spreading the posts.
Groups who would benefit:
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VOLUNTEERS
The leading example of this toolkit shows it being used to share stories and experiences of volunteers in museums. Due to this, it represents a group who are typically not heard from, allowing them to voice their opinions and experiences.
PARK
GOERS
If option 2 above is implemented park goers will be able to tell their stories. The toolkit would be easy to access as it is something they can interact with while they are at the parks.
BME COMMUNITIES
Due to the containers of stories asking specific questions, some of these could be tailored to tell the stories of experiences of BME communities. However, those who are unable to communicate in English would be unable to participate unless questions and instructions are available in their language.
DISABILITIES
Like with BME communities, questions can be tailored to those with disabilities. Moreover, the containers could be placed in easily accessible areas.
Will need to set up boxes (i.e., containers) where people can post their stories; these can be in the form of a traditional post box or can be more creative. Ample resources such as paper/postcards and pens or paper will be needed for people. Finally, if UGN wishes to display stories around the parks, they could use existing notice boards or put-up new ones.
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This toolkit is likely to be a low-cost project. UGN will need to purchase materials for writing letters and the post boxes/containers they will be contained in.
This toolkit is not very time consuming, for the most part the post boxes will be left alone. However, staff will occasionally need to empty them and read the stories. If UGN displays them, time will be needed to put together a display.
Staff will be needed to set up the post boxes/containers and maintain them, such as updating questions, collecting stories, and reading them to decide which ones to make displays on.
ADVANTAGES
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Easy to set up
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Relatively low costs involved
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If done in a workshop with UGN volunteers there would be a quick turn around
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Provides a potential voice for traditionally unheard groups among park users
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Helps UGN build relationships and understanding with different groups
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The toolkit is adaptable
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Does not require prior technical support for understanding of how to use it
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The box could be left in the park and people could share their reflections – this would allow UGN to get a large number of responses.
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Encourages people to be creative and open with their thoughts and reflections –could cause them to reminisce of good memories in the park.
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May appeal to younger people and younger audiences.
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Could be possible to digitise this method – for example through a QR code.
CHALLENGES
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If put out to the public there is a risk of low interaction
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If there is low interaction there would be a slow turn around in the project
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Feedback it produces is niche and might not always be detailed enough
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Reaching groups who are unable to communicate in English might be difficult
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Limited academic literature and case studies on the toolkit
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The container could go missing and could be damaged by the weather if left out for a long period of time.
