
Relevant to: Research, Policy, Practice
Sector: Cross-sectoral
Summary: The EDGE tool is a self-assessment tool to help organisations take stock of their current support for public engagement and to identify areas where they would like to see change.
The EDGE Tool, developed by the National Coordinating Centre for public Engagement (NCCPE) in the United Kingdom, is a self-assessment tool to help organisations take stock of their current support for public engagement and to identify areas where they would like to see change. The tool has nine focal points in three areas – purpose, process, and people – which form a self-assessment matrix that allows institutions to assess their progress in public engagement. The nine focal points are:
Have you created a shared understanding of the purpose, value and meaning of engagement and embedded this in your strategy and mission?
Do you support champions across the organisation who embrace engagement?
Do you communicate consistent, clear messages to validate, support and celebrate public engagement and ensure open and two-way communication with internal and external stakeholders?
How do you coordinate your support to maximise efficiency, target support, improve quality, foster innovation, join up thinking and monitor effectiveness?
What opportunities do you provide for learning and reflection and what support do you provide for CPD?
How do you recognise and reward staff involvement within recruitment, promotion, workload plans and performance reviews, and how do you celebrate success?
Do you ensure that all staff – in academic and support roles – have opportunities to get involved in informal and formal ways?
Do you proactively involve stakeholders/users/public in shaping the mission and in the delivery of the strategy and maximise opportunities for their involvement?
How are students involved and what opportunities do they have to contribute their expertise and energy?
The EDGE Tool can be accessed at: