Imagine a district where climate action isn't shaped by policy alone, but by the voices of people in every corner, from bustling city centres to quiet rural communities. This is the vision that guided Derry City and Strabane District Council as they embarked on a new approach to building their climate action plan.
The Derry and Strabane Sustainability and Climate Commission recognised something important: whilst some communities were actively engaged in climate discussions, many voices remained unheard, particularly those in rural, remote, and economically underserved areas. To develop climate priorities that truly reflected the whole district, they needed to reach beyond the usual suspects and hear from everyone.
Rather than starting with technical climate goals or jargon, the council took a different path. We worked with them to recruite 17 ordinary residents from across the district, people interested in talking to their neighbours, family, friends and co-workers about what matters most to them locally. These 'Conversation Starters' would become the bridge between communities and climate action, ensuring that policies reflected real priorities rather than assumptions.
Starting where communities are
True to the principles of community-led engagement, the process began not with climate change, but with what people care about. The Conversation Starters spent an evening and a full Saturday at the start, learning how to hold inclusive, meaningful conversations. The emphasis was clear: start with what matters to your community: the places you love, the things you want to protect, and let climate themes emerge naturally from there.
Armed with a co-designed conversations handbook and new facilitation skills, these residents went back to their own networks. They spoke with friends over coffee, chatted with colleagues at work, and gathered with community groups. Each Conversation Starter committed to at least three hours of these grassroots discussions, creating a ripple effect of engagement across the district.
The insights they gathered were then brought back to collaborative workshops. Together, Conversation Starters identified shared themes, explored what they'd heard, and began shaping ideas that could make a real difference. In a final session with policymakers, they worked side by side, not as separate groups, but as partners, to refine these ideas and prioritise them based on both impact and feasibility.
When people feel valued, they stay engaged
Of the 17 residents who joined at the beginning, 15 participated in every session, a remarkable retention rate that speaks to how the process made people feel. One participant who was initially hesitant to speak described feeling "important" by the end. This wasn't just about gathering input; it was about recognising residents as experts in their own communities, capable of co-creating solutions rather than simply being consulted.
This was made this possible through thoughtful inclusive practices: paying participants for their time, covering caring costs, using accessible materials and formats, and designing activities that welcomed different learning styles. These weren't extras: they were essential to ensuring everyone could participate meaningfully.
From ideas to action
The process yielded tangible results that are already shaping the district's future. The ideas developed by residents have been shared with the Sustainability Commission and are informing the upcoming Climate Action Plan. The council is actively exploring funding opportunities to bring these community-generated initiatives to life.
But perhaps the most significant outcome was internal. This project marked a shift in how the council views participation: moving from seeing residents as people to consult, to recognising them as co-creators and equals. It has laid the groundwork for ongoing community 'hubs' for climate engagement across the district, ensuring this wasn't a one-off exercise but the beginning of sustained collaboration.
Navigating challenges
The journey wasn't without its difficulties. Recruitment proved challenging, particularly outside Derry City where existing civic networks are strong. Despite wide outreach, most initial interest came from already-engaged urban groups. We responded to this with paid social media advertising and targeted on-street recruitment in underrepresented areas.
Another challenge emerged from the varying levels of climate knowledge among Conversation Starters. Some arrived with no prior knowledge, whilst others were deeply involved in climate advocacy. This created imbalances in group discussions, with more active participants sometimes dominating conversations. The facilitators addressed this by consistently framing discussions around shared values and themes everyone could connect with, regardless of their technical knowledge.
What makes this work?
This project reinforced several key lessons about meaningful community engagement. That is, focus on community benefits first as climate conversations work better when rooted in what people care about rather than starting with technical goals. We supported everyday residents to become community climate champions. When people feel they're contributing meaningfully, they engage with genuine commitment.
When decision makers create roles that draw on residents' lived expertise and ensure they see how their ideas contribute to real change, things can be different. And perhaps most importantly, recognise that partnership is key: when communities and policymakers co-create solutions together, the results are more impactful, actionable, and trusted.
As the council continues to build on this work, establishing local engagement hubs and integrating community ideas into formal planning, they're demonstrating what's possible when you trust communities to lead the conversation about their own future. Climate action, it turns out, is most effective when it starts with what people love about where they live: and works outward from there.
You can read the full report here.