Save the Date: National Community Engagement Conference 2026

We are thrilled to announce that we will be returning to Hull for the National Community Engagement Conference 2026, taking place between 3rd–5th March.

Following the success of last year’s Neighbourhood Alert Development Board Summit and the 2023 National Community Engagement Conference, next year’s event promises to be even bigger and better. Join us for an inspiring three-day programme exploring the latest research, innovation, and case studies from across the UK in effective community engagement across policing and public safety.

Who Should Attend?

This conference is designed for professionals and organisations involved in all aspects of public safety, crime prevention, law enforcement, public communication and engagement, including:

  • Police officers (all ranks)
  • Police corporate communication teams
  • Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and their staff
  • Senior officers overseeing public confidence and engagement
  • HMICFRS PEEL inspection leads
  • Police ICT and DDaT leads
  • Community Safety Partnerships
  • Crime prevention and public safety charities
  • Criminal justice organisations
  • Local Resilience Forum leads
  • Emergency planning leads
  • Evidence-based policing leads
  • Police analysts and research associates

Key Themes & Topics

With a mix of national and local subject matter experts, the conference will cover a wide range of topics, including:

  • Building and maintaining public trust and confidence
  • Targeted neighbourhood policing
  • Crisis and incident management communication with the public, including COMAH sites
  • Identifying and engaging seldom-heard communities
  • Effectively mapping community assets and key individual networks (KINs)
  • Utilising the rich data set for problem-solving focused engagement campaigns e.g. Clear Hold Build.

The conference will demonstrate how the latest tools and platforms can:

  • Support frontline officers with operational tasks and priorities
  • Provide senior officers with strategic oversight
  • Enable corporate communication teams to run impactful campaigns and ensure a ‘single source of truth’ for the public
  • Help PCCs and safety partners better understand and respond to community needs

Agenda

Tuesday 3rd March – Day 1: A National Strategic Approach to Effective Community Engagement

10:00 - 17:00 National keynotes, strategic leadership and research updates (lunch and refreshments provided)

18:00 - 18:30 Drinks Reception – Hilton Doubletree, Hull

18:30 – late Formal Dinner & Entertainment – Hilton Doubletree, Hull

Wednesday 4th March – Day 2: Making the Most of the Toolkit

10:00 – 17:00 Sessions on toolkit developments, case studies, and best practice sharing (lunch and refreshments provided)

18:00 – 18:30 Drinks Reception – Hilton Doubletree, Hull

18:30 - late Informal Dinner & Entertainment – Hilton Doubletree, Hull

Thursday 5th March – Day 3: Focus on Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)

10:00 - 17:00 Insights into the latest tools supporting Control of Major Accident Hazards (lunch and refreshments provided)

16:30 – Conference Close & Departure

Important Information

We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting and valuable event. Please save the date and register your interest by completing this survey. Completing the survey registers your intention to attend however there is no obligation at this stage. Formal registration, along with the full event details will follow soon. The benefit of registering now ensures you will be among the first to receive all further updates about the event.

This event is complimentary for our clients and national partners. The only costs your organisation will need to cover are travel and accommodation. If you are not currently a client or national partner but would like to attend, please contact jo@visav.co.uk to discuss further.

PLEASE NOTE – You will need to book and pay for accommodation independently. Whether you book now or wait until formal registration is entirely your choice. We have secured a limited number of discounted delegate-rate rooms with the DoubleTree by Hilton Hull (details of the hotel location can be found here). This rate is available on a first-come first-served basis. The hotel is accessible and offers parking. To book accommodation at the Hilton please use this link.