Emily Physick

When I was twenty, I went to work in the travel industry, with dreams of cheap airfares to support my wanderlust. Whilst working in London, that came true on a few memorable occasions (hello Reykjavik!).

What I discovered I loved the most about those jobs was planning itineraries so that travellers could see and do everything they wanted to in the allotted time. Knowing which sites should be an all-day visit and which could be done in two hours and not feel rushed. How long it took to get from A to B, and when they should give themselves a break.

Planning a facilitation session or an engagement program is not dissimilar, and it brings just as much satisfaction when you get it right.

I also loved using the phonetic alphabet. It was like a secret world of talking in code. Hence our name, foxtrot & echo (F & E for facilitation & engagement).

Before branching out on my own in 2019, I spent over 12 years working in community engagement inside local government. As well as planning and running community engagement projects, I built the capacity and capability of those organisations to understand, deliver and effectively use community engagement. I was involved in everything from establishing processes and online platforms to staff and Councillor training. I loved asking both colleagues and community for input, listening to their lived experiences and then reporting back about how those experiences affected the decision making of Council.

Since then, I have been fortunate to assist a number of local governments with their projects as an external consultant–with everything from simple facilitation of information sessions to deliberative community panels. I’m experienced in designing and facilitating online and in-person workshops, survey design, online engagement webpages, analysis of results and report writing, and staff training. Every organisation and every community is unique, but the processes I use ensure a positive experience for everyone.

I’d love to have a chat about how I can help you with your project.