Clermont Preferred Future: Stakeholder Reflections on a Community Foresight and Planning Initiative

Resources

Richard Parsons¹  Aleta Lederwasch² 

[1] Social Research Consultant, Nimbin, NSW 2480, Australia;Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia; E-Mail:

关键词: art engagement;    community engagement;    community development;    foresight;    futures studies;    mining;    visioning;   

DOI  :  10.3390/resources2040528

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

This paper demonstrates the potential of the mining industry to contribute to social development (community building, resilience and wellbeing) and to economic transitioning post-mining. A number of factors may facilitate the realisation of this potential, in particular community engagement activities that build community resilience and capacity to adapt to changing environments. This paper reviews a community foresight initiative, named Clermont Preferred Future (CPF), which is associated with a coal mine development in the town of Clermont in Queensland, Australia. The purpose of CPF, which was adopted in 2008 and is intended to continue to 2020, is to facilitate a transition to a prosperous and sustainable future by leveraging opportunities from coal mining while reducing dependence on the industry. CPF has been cited as a successful model of engagement and community development, and was highly commended in the Community Economic Development category at the 2011 Australian National Awards for Economic Development Excellence. This review draws on the experiences of stakeholders involved in CPF, and on foresight, community engagement, and community development literature. It identifies what has worked well, what has fallen short of the project’s rhetorical aspirations, and how processes and outcomes might be improved. It also trials artwork as an engagement tool. The findings are valuable for Clermont specifically, but also for the mining industry and mining communities more broadly, as well as for other industries in the context of community engagement and strategic planning.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.