FAQs
- Gathers Different Views: It brings together residents who reflect the borough’s different backgrounds.
- Improves Decisions: It helps us understand the deep needs and values behind people’s opinions.
- Builds Trust: By focusing on citizens, the resulting recommendations will be more credible and will shape the Council's long-term VAWG plan.
- Fosters Safe Conversations: The process is built around safety but encourages open, respectful, and courageous discussions.
What is a Community Discussion?
A Community Discussion is a process where a group of residents comes together to learn about a complex topic, discuss it thoroughly, and then develop informed, joint recommendations. It goes deeper than a standard survey because participants carefully weigh evidence and explore different views to form a strong public judgment.
Why is the Council using this approach for VAWG?
VAWG is a sensitive and complex issue that needs solutions rooted in our community's values and experiences. A Community Discussion is especially useful because it:
Who is participating in the discussion?
We will have 36 residents taking part. These participants will be carefully selected from people who volunteer themselves, to ensure they represent the different groups across our local population. To create the safest environment for discussing sensitive topics, the process involves small groups based on age and gender (women, men, teenage girls, and teenage boys). All groups welcome and include trans and non-binary people.
Is this work only focused on women and girls?
While the project specifically focuses on preventing violence against women and girls because they face unique and disproportionate risks, ending all forms of violence is our shared goal. By involving all genders and ages, we aim to build understanding, empathy, and collective responsibility for a community free from violence.
What action will the Council take based on the community’s recommendations?
The recommendations that come out of the Community Discussion will be the main guide for the Council and its partners. This means the Council will use these findings to decide what actions to take next and directly shape the development of our new, broader VAWG Strategy. The suggestions from the community will help us make sure our final decisions accurately reflect what residents want and are concerned about.
How can I get involved in the Community Discussion or other stages of this work?
Click here to find out more about the Community Discussion (opens in a new window)
We are recruiting a group of Maidstone residents to join and help shape these discussions. Your ideas will be turned into actions for the Council and its partners to take forward.
If you are interested in joining the discussion, you can fill out this short form to register your interest (opens in a new window)