November 2025 CoP Event
The overall objective of the workshop was to “develop the future direction of the ARISE Coastal Resilience Community of Practice”. Prompted conversations across six tables as part of the ‘Gameplan’ activity were captured and are summarised here.
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Event purpose
To use the “gameplan” activity to identify objectives for our Community of Practice.
What we did
Attendees worked together to set goals and brainstorm ideas for group objectives, looking at both the opportunities and the hurdles ahead through a mix of small- and large- group discussions. The event finished with participants indicating which objectives they would most like to be the focus of the group.
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Objective 1: Values and Practice
There’s a strong desire to use the group’s collective power to drive real change—whether that’s by influencing local policy or amplifying the voices of residents. We need to shift focus from what we do to how we do it.
Solution: The group needs to define its core values.
Next step: At the next in-person meeting (May 2026, University of Suffolk hosting), ARISE will facilitate an activity to identify group values.
Objective 2: Information Network
While many participants are already active in coastal areas, their efforts are currently fragmented, revealing a missed opportunity for the coordination needed to build a truly connected and resilient network.
Solution: Participants prioritised three key actions: launching a digital collaboration platform (specifically “not Facebook”) to share expertise, organising stakeholder “speed-dating” to bridge gaps between sectors, and forming sub-groups to lead local community engagement.
Next step: ARISE will support the group in mapping existing resources and hold feasibility discussions to determine the most accessible tools and structures for these initiatives. A form of professional “speed-dating” will open the May 2026 event.
Objective 3: Measuring Successes
The group noted that current resources and “easy” metrics are insufficient to support or measure the deep, inclusive, and long-term community impact they actually desire.
Solution: To ensure long-term sustainability, the group will track both “hard” data (such as member growth, diversity, and funding) and “soft” indicators that measure the quality of community engagement and real-world impact.
Next Step: Each new initiative will explicitly address overcoming resource gaps and ensuring that participation remains accessible and meaningful for everyone involved.
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Meeting on 14 May 2026, Ipswich
The day will open with a quick “speed-dating” session to refresh our acquaintances and get a good idea of the resources in the room. We will then undertake an activity to explore and identify a set of values for the group moving forward. After lunch, we’ll break into working groups to develop plans and ways of working in pursuit of further group goals and activities. Hard copies of the book produced in summer 2025 will be available to take with you!
Ongoing meetings
The 14 May meeting will be the third of our semi-annual in-person meetings. The next will be in autumn 2026, hosted by the University of Kent. In between, we’ll begin quarterly online meetings to hear from working groups.
Digital map of our coasts
Don’t forget to populate the map with your efforts, projects, memories, and activities!