Creative Community Consultation

This comprehensive program addresses the unique challenges of civic engagement through community consultation by leveraging the power of creative expression through LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) methodology with research-backed approaches to building trust and navigating difficult conversations drawing on the ground breaking popular work by Brené Brown.

Key Innovation Points:

🛠️ Breaks Traditional Consultation Barriers: LSP removes language, education, and confidence barriers that typically exclude diverse voices from civic engagement

📚 Creates Genuine Dialogue: Rather than extractive "tell us what you think" approaches, building collaborative understanding between community stakeholders

👥 Handles Conflict Constructively: Uses Brené's frameworks to navigate the inevitable disagreements in community consultation with curiosity rather than defensiveness

🎯 Produces Actionable Outcomes: Physical builds create tangible reference points that can guide ongoing community development and implementation

Brave work.

Tough conversations.

Whole hearts.

PROGRAM: Building our Future Together

Designed for organisations seeking authentic community engagement and stakeholder consultation.

The problem it solves?

✓ Traditionally low community participation rates

✓ Same voices dominating discussions

✓ Complex issues oversimplified in surveys

✓ Adversarial "us vs. them" dynamics

✓ Surface-level feedback without deeper understanding

✓ Consultation fatigue in communities

✓ Difficulty engaging diverse and marginalised voices

Our solution?

Using LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology’s creative and tactile expression combined with Brené's research on trust, belonging, and difficult conversations to create inclusive, meaningful dialogue between community stakeholders.

Through cultural ethnography, we use a series of prompts to guide creating and discussions, with the ability to dive deep quickly and inspire new ways of thinking and communicating about a topic. The results will wow you!

  • Removes language barriers through creative building

    Allows introverts and non-native speakers to participate fully

    Creates level playing field regardless of education or verbal skills

    Engages different learning styles and ways of thinking

  • Breaks down adversarial dynamics through collaborative creation

    Forces active listening as people explain their builds

    Creates tangible outcomes that can be referenced ongoing

    Builds empathy through understanding different perspectives

  • Allows complex issues to be explored creatively

    Helps people think beyond current constraints

    Facilitates "what if" scenarios and future visioning

    Makes abstract concepts concrete and discussible

BRAVING by Brené Brown

Building Trust (BRAVING):

  • Boundaries: Clear process expectations and safe participation guidelines

  • Reliability: Consistent follow-through on commitments made during consultation

  • Accountability: Taking ownership of decisions and explaining reasoning

  • Vault: Confidentiality agreements where appropriate

  • Integrity: Alignment between consultation outcomes and final decisions

  • Non-judgment: Creating space for all voices without dismissing concerns

  • Generosity: Assuming positive intent from all participants

Psychological Safety:

  • Ground rules that prevent personal attacks or dismissal

  • Multiple ways to participate (verbal, written, building, listening)

  • Acknowledgment that disagreement is expected and valuable

  • Protection for vulnerable community members

Difficult Conversations:

  • Framework for "rumbling with discomfort" when addressing contentious issues

  • Skills for staying curious rather than getting furious

  • Tools for finding shared values beneath conflicting positions works

Why work with Jenine?

Jenine is a cultural ethnographer who thrives on unlocking potential through important conversations. As a Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) methodology and trained in the SUPERCONNECT® method, Jenine leads with her Purposeful Play Framework which combines Purpose, Passion and Play - formalised for adult learning and problem solving in psychologically safe environments for participants.

Jenine’s approach to understanding humans and helping to bring their ideas and insights to life involves participants building 3D models with LEGO® bricks to represent their thoughts, ideas, and solutions to complex challenges.

What makes it "serious play" is the structured facilitation - participants don't just build freely, but respond to specific prompts, then share the stories and metaphors behind their creations with the group. It is an incredibly effective approach for adult learning, creativity, and problem-solving.

The LSP methodology has been used for team building and strategic planning to innovation workshops and conflict resolution. Organisations like NASA, Google, and many consulting firms have incorporated it into their processes.

The methodology is powerful, with deep insights and connections in a short time. It replaces the same same of whiteboards and sticky notes to bring ideas to life through show and tell - Jenine’s tried and tested approach to inspiring the group, including all voices at the table, and innovating with new creative ways of thinking.

Based on the research and methodologies from Brené Brown's "Dare to Lead." This program serves as an introduction to her work and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brené Brown or her organisations.

LEGO, SERIOUS PLAY, the Minifigure and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this website.