A Quality of Life: Code of Practice
A code of practice for effective community consultation and engagement in development, planning and design.
Introducing the Code of Practice
Community consultation and engagement are important parts of the development planning process. But current consultation and engagement practices vary wildly and there is no guarantee that communities will be engaged in ways that are inclusive, effective and leave them feeling empowered.
The Quality of Life Code of Practice for effective community consultation and engagement in development, planning and design aims to address this.
Based on UK-wide research funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, with input from industry professionals, local and national government, the code of practice outlines what ‘good’ and ‘excellent’ practice looks like, and provides a way for you to assess your work, with the intention to work towards accreditation.
Every project and team that measures up well against this Code of Practice will have developed a good understanding of the distinct needs and wants of the place and its communities.
By implementing the approach set out in the Code of Practice, you will be empowered to bring about positive change that’s tailored to meet the needs of local people. Ultimately, this will lead to better sustainable development and improved community wellbeing and resilience.
Code of Practice: Beta version
The Code of Practice is currently in its beta phase. This means we’re working with organisations to test it and make sure it’s the best that it can be before we formalise it and work towards developing an accreditation standard.
And we want to work with you!
Will you carry out a critical self-assessment based on the Code of Practice to help us test it? We have a straightforward process for doing this and will provide you with the information and documents you need.
By taking part, you will be part of an important, positive change in the industry.
Fill out the short form at the bottom of the page to get involved.
Would you like to provide sponsorship?
We’re seeking sponsors to fund the code practice beta phase. If you are in a position to support in this way, then do please get in touch at mail@qolf.org.
8 principles of the Code of Practice
Community Consultation for Quality of Life
The Code of Practice is based on the findings of the UK-wide Community Consultation for Quality of Life research project, which was headed up by Professor Flora Samuel.
A collaboration with the universities of Reading, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Ulster, the research was the largest study of its kind into consultation and engagement practices in the UK. The project gathered insights from urban areas and its national reports revealed inconsistencies and inadequacies in current practices.
Research findings
The research used innovative methods including urban rooms, digital mapping, focus groups, and community outreach. The team engaged with diverse communities in Reading, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast, tailoring their approach to each locality.
Findings from each place were compared with planning policies, highlighting significant disparities between national guidelines and on-the-ground experiences.
In England, 67% of research respondents had never been part of a consultation process, primarily because they had not been asked (60%). Similar figures were observed in Wales (61%) and Scotland (60%), where respondents felt largely ignored.
Northern Ireland exhibited a unique set of challenges, with 80% of respondents never participating in planning consultation due to a legacy of mistrust and consultation fatigue among established neighbourhood groups.
Take part in the Code of Practice.
Thank you for agreeing to carry out a self-assessment on your community engagement practices. By doing so, you are helping us to test the Quality of Life Code of Practice. And you’re playing a vital role in positive change in the development and planning industries.
We need a little bit of information from you to get you started. Once you submit this form, you’ll receive everything you need to carry out your self-assessment.