The City of Unley, a vibrant community just south of Adelaide’s CBD, is home to over 38,000 residents who are deeply invested in their community. Known for its leafy streets and quality of life, Unley is setting a new standard in community engagement with its Shaping Unley framework.
This five-step process invites residents to actively contribute from start to finish. Here’s how it works:
Step 1. Community Conversation: Residents share feedback and ideas.
Step 2. Community Panel Discussion: A diverse group reviews these ideas and proposes options.
Step 3. Community Testing: Further feedback is collected on the Panel’s suggestions.
Step 4. Community Panel Review: The Panel refines recommendations based on testing results.
Step 5. Council Decisions: Final recommendations are presented to the Council.
Initially applied in 2022 to create a city-wide parking strategy, Shaping Unley’s latest project commenced in August 2023. The challenge? Addressing the decline in tree canopy cover on private land to help Council meet the State Government’s target of 31 per cent tree canopy cover by 2045 and keeping the City green and welcoming for future generations.
Combining digital tools with panel meetings, the process engaged residents through a high-impact marketing campaign featuring social media and eye-catching graphics. This approach encouraged broad participation: 1,096 survey submissions, 1,014 ideas, 50 Panel Members across two Panels, over 12,000 community testing votes, and 20 actionable recommendations. In April 2024, the Council endorsed all 20 recommendations to work together with the community to enhance tree canopy cover on private land.
Shaping Unley’s success highlights the effectiveness of community involvement and digital engagement, offering a model for other councils tackling tough issues.
The Building Greener Neighbourhoods Together project is a finalist in the Environment category of the IAP2 Core Values Awards 2024.
