Most public-sector organizations understand the importance of public engagement. It’s in the mandate, the messaging and the meeting agendas. But… even with the best intentions and well-crafted communications, the turnout can be disappointing. The public doesn’t show up. And when they do, it’s often not the communities you most hoped to reach.
What’s going on?
Contrary to popular belief, low turnout isn’t always a sign of apathy. Sometimes, it’s a sign of history. Or design. Or unspoken power dynamics that make engagement feel like a one-way street.
If we want public engagement to mean something, we have to ask a harder question: What are we doing that makes people opt out?
Public fatigue is real — and often earned
When communities are repeatedly asked to show up, speak up and fill out yet another form, they begin to ask: What’s the point? If previous feedback disappeared into a vacuum or didn’t result in visible change, you’ve trained the public not to engage.
The invitation matters as much as the event
A last-minute email, a dry press release or a PDF-heavy website doesn’t exactly spark a rush to register. If your outreach feels bureaucratic or impersonal, it likely won’t resonate with the very people you need to hear from.
Engagement often reflects institutional comfort — not community reality
It’s easier to host a webinar than to visit a community health centre. It’s simpler to use corporate language than to adapt to cultural nuance. But if we’re serious about hearing new voices, we have to go where those voices are — not expect them to come to us.
Not everyone sees themselves reflected in your process
Representation isn’t just about race, gender or geography. It’s also about tone, trust and perceived authority. If your engagement is led by people or organizations that aren’t known or trusted in a community, that community may disengage before you’ve even begun.
Discomfort doesn’t mean failure
When people push back, challenge assumptions or call out inequities, it doesn’t mean your engagement failed. It might mean it’s finally working. Creating space for truth-telling — even when it’s inconvenient — is a hallmark of authentic public engagement.
So, what can you do?
Reaching more people — and the right people — requires more than outreach. It requires intention, investment and a shift in mindset. Here’s where to start:
1. Treat marginalized communities as partners, not participants
Engaging communities only when a survey or focus group is needed often feels transactional — or worse, performative. The real work is in building sustained relationships, inviting co-design, and involving those communities in shaping not only engagement, but governance, strategy and service delivery. That’s what builds trust.
2. Audit your practices through a public-first lens
Look at your current processes and ask: Whose voices are we consistently hearing? Whose are we missing? Who benefits most from how we engage — and who might be unintentionally excluded? An equity-centred audit can reveal powerful insights.
3. Make engagement part of operations, not just projects
Embedding engagement into your day-to-day work — from communications to decision-making — helps shift it from a checkbox to a culture. Regular dialogue, even in small forms, builds credibility over time and shows you’re listening even when you’re not asking for something.
4. Share what you’ve heard — and what you’ve done
Don’t wait for a final report. Close the loop early and often. Even a short message about what feedback was received, what’s changing (or not), and why, can go a long way in strengthening public confidence and showing that engagement leads to action.
Final thought
Regulators and public-sector organizations have an incredible opportunity — and responsibility — to reshape how engagement happens. That doesn’t mean doing more; it means doing differently.
Sometimes, the most strategic question isn’t how do we engage the public?
It’s why haven’t they engaged with us yet — and what do we need to change?
Need some guidance?
Need to learn how to design and deliver more effective engagement? Contact us. We’d love to chat!
