Place-based engagement and communication with SHAP | RISE Masterclass

In this masterclass, delivered by SHAP in partnership with Birmingham City Council and Places in Common, we’ll share insights from Powering Up Castle Vale (part of the WMCA Local Net Zero Neighbourhoods programme) exploring how starting with people, not solutions, can reshape how we engage communities in net zero.

About

Delivering net zero at neighbourhood scale requires more than technical solutions. It requires approaches that build trust, reflect local priorities, and enable communities to shape their own futures.

Too often, engagement happens too late or feels extractive, leading to low confidence and limited buy-in. Powering Up Castle Vale takes a different approach, starting with people – not solutions – and exploring how a community can shape its own energy future.

What we’ll cover

You’ll gain practical insights into:

• How to design engagement that starts with community priorities, not predefined solutions
• Creating a place-based identity and narrative that builds trust and relevance
• Approaches to early, trust-building engagement, including working with local partners and community anchors
• How to move from consultation to co-creation and shared decision-making, including citizen-led approaches
• Techniques for making complex topics like retrofit and energy accessible, tangible and meaningful to residents
• How this approach can support credible, investable, community-led plans and better outcomes