The value of working with communities

Grounded in community-based, co-production approaches, Work stream 4 explores the multiple and competing values of water, beyond economic worth. Working with and gaining an understanding of communities is crucial to this work, and in this presentation Maggie Roe goes into more detail about types of communities, how to reach communities, and how water values are shaped within communities.

The term ‘community’ can generally be condensed down to three main groups, namely communities of place, communities of interest, and communities of identity.

Maggie also touches upon how concepts of community are complex, reflecting the kind of complex systems also considered in systems thinking, demonstrating how the work streams frequently overlap. 

Communities can be a real force for change, but they are still often overlooked as a source of knowledge. The knowledge gained from working with communities is fundamental in understanding the bigger picture around water values.

One key issue is how to get communities to express their knowledge. Citizen science can be useful for reaching out to communities, and Maggie shares other ways of building relationships and trust.

Maggie: “Don’t underestimate working with communities. It is really rewarding.”