Creates a bounded, moderated online space where residents can exchange evidence and experience on a defined local question, producing a neutral synthesis and owned next steps.
Where this idea came from
Playbook entry
M-T1-DA-14 · Digital Community Forum
Theme
Theme 1: Attraction & Visibility · Subtheme DA: Digital Attraction
Source material
Existing checked Theme 1 guide
Linked playbook entry
M-T1-DA-14 · Digital Community Forum
Why a club might use this
More people can contribute at suitable times and through accessible formats while the discussion remains structured, safe and connected to action.
Use it when
Residents, subject contributors, service organisations and civic stakeholders unable or unwilling to join an in-person forum. Use when a clearly scoped community question benefits from deliberation over several days or weeks.
Before the club starts
A civic-neutrality charter, scope, participation rules, moderation matrix and escalation pathway.
An accessible secure platform with privacy settings, pseudonym policy, export, retention and abuse controls.
A balanced evidence brief and a published route from contributions to synthesis, referral or decision.
Capacity guide
Likely cost
$$
Lead time
6-10 weeks
People
5-8 facilitators, moderators and technical owners
How to put it into practice
Detailed implementation steps for Digital Community Forum
Step
Action
Suggested owner
1
Define the question, authority boundary and participant mix with relevant community stakeholders.
Forum Sponsor
2
Prepare neutral prompts, evidence sources, access support and moderation examples.
Lead Facilitator
3
Configure privacy, security, user roles, consent, retention and incident settings and run a simulation.
Platform and Safety Lead
4
Open the forum in stages, moderate consistently and invite missing perspectives through trusted channels.
Moderation Team
5
Publish a neutral synthesis separating evidence, perspectives, options, actions and unresolved questions.
Synthesis Lead
Controls and safeguards
Do not promise anonymity the platform cannot technically provide; explain visibility, logging, quotation and deletion boundaries before participation.
Remove threats, doxxing, unlawful content and targeted harassment promptly while preserving viewpoint-neutral moderation records.
HIGH - harassment, re-identification, partisan capture, inaccessible participation and unclear influence can damage community trust.
What to measure
Participation across intended community perspectives
Follow-up: Give participants the accessible synthesis and action register, answer data or moderation requests within the stated timeframe and close or archive the forum under the published rule.
Membership HubLegendary Clubs PackageM-T1-DA-14