To keep in the know, find out whats going on and to make sure they are doing what older people in this borough expect them to be doing (providing the right services and activities). Be in the right place at the right time if there is work to be done.
The thing that may hold us back at times is not being invited until too late

One of the main reasons has to be that there is some mutual benefit, whether that is financial benefit or to ensure a quality or service or some other form of benefit to one or both sides.
Barriers to engagement can be vocabulary people use different "speak", exclusion by other member orgs i.e this is work we do keep out, simply not knowing where to look so maybe communication is a barrier and also we must recognise that for some it is simply not important for them to engage at that given time and they have the choice not to engage

Engageing- PSA's- -to be kept informed, aware of what changes are due, and strategic plans to incorporate, implement, or reject. To ensure the Community advised accordingly arranging meetings and discussions where necessary with the appropriate body.

The Energy, Waste & Pollution group is a disparate group of individual residents of Dudley borough and representatives from Dudley organisations. We have in common an interest in those topics reflected in our name. We regularly gather information from and pass information, suggestions and ideas to Dudley MBC. The format allows a flow of information, opinion and ideas between the people of Dudley and those who run the Borough on our behalf. The collective nature of the group gives a louder voice to those who may otherwise go unheard.

Why we engage:
It is imperative that my group engages with both the Public and Private sectors because we all come from grass root backgrounds, we live and are elected to represent the areas the government and councils want to improve. We need to participate in the consultation and delivery of improvements making sure it is what the community want not what somebody wants to impose on us to meet some government target. Dudley Federation of Tenant & Residents Associations over the years has helped create a positive partnership working relationship with Dudley Council and other organisations which has resulted in many areas of benefit to the community.
What things hold us back:
There are a few departments that are still top heavy and try to impose their ideas into neighbourhoods with the attitude that they know best, these people are usually parachuted in have never lived or worked in the neighbourhoods and just go their own way believing they have the support of the community. This just leads to resentment, dead-end projects which fizzle out due to lack of local support and interest. Public sector departments with this kind of attitude we would have problems engaging with.

I belong to a voluntary organisation but it has International objectives as well as local ones. Although we got involved in Agenda 21 issues as these were compatable with our organisation's aims we have not tried joint projects with the Public Sector.