What flags have to do with continuous engagement

When public sector bodies think about community engagement, the focus naturally falls on the mechanisms they can directly control: events, workshops, stalls, surveys, visits to community groups, and so on. Occasionally—though not as often as they should—they also consider the messages already coming through their official channels: comments on social media, formal complaints, and feedback passed on by councillors, MPs, governors or GP surgeries.

This controlled approach means organisations tend to gather feedback on the topics that matter most to them, from the groups they feel most comfortable approaching. The result is often an echo chamber: plenty of information, but limited breadth.

What is frequently missed is the feedback from communities who don’t naturally come forward—whether due to trust issues, busy or chaotic lives, cultural or language barriers, or simply a lack of connection. These groups are often labelled “hard to reach”, a phrase that is both unhelpful and inaccurate, but that’s a discussion for another day. In this piece we explore the topic of flags and continuous engagement.

Organisations also overlook the feedback they never actively sought or that doesn’t arrive through official “engagement” routes. Yet this feedback exists, and it often reveals what matters most to the community rather than the organisation. That distinction sits at the heart of continuous engagement and meaningful listening.

Flags and continuous engagement

Flags—whether we like it or not—are a recent example of communities speaking.

Flag flying makes me uneasy unless there is a clear reason, particularly when it comes to the St George’s flag. During international football tournaments, fine. Royal events, fair enough. But general, everyday flag flying feels unusual. If I see a flag outside a house, I tend to assume a military connection; otherwise, it feels culturally unfamiliar.

Perhaps that discomfort stems from the way flags have been used by far‑right groups in recent years. Perhaps it’s simply that we’re not used to seeing them. Whatever the reason, the reaction to the current wave of flag flying suggests many people feel the same.

But discomfort is not a reason to look away. It doesn’t mean there is nothing of value being expressed.

Beneath the loud, often unpleasant rhetoric around immigration and border control—amplified by a minority online—sits a deeper message. It’s the same message that surfaced repeatedly in quieter, person‑to‑person conversations during the Brexit years, and it is visible again in discussions around flag flying and Reform voting.

This message is not rooted in hate. It is rooted in frustration and desperation. People feeling unheard. People feeling forgotten. People feeling that their lives and concerns do not matter to decision makers.

Many speak of “reclaiming” the flag and reclaiming national pride. For them, the flag symbolises a desire for a better country: an NHS they can be proud of, good educational and employment opportunities, decent housing, reliable and humane care for older people. Their concerns about immigration are tied to a belief—reinforced by various political narratives—that restricting it will free up resources for the services they value.

These are issues the public sector cares about too. The people flying flags, supporting the movement, and discussing it across social media and the news are participating in a debate about how to improve services. They are simply doing so outside the structured formats the public sector is used to—and often struggles to respond to.

Flag flying, like all forms of protest, should be seen as a signal: an opportunity to listen to people who are unlikely to attend workshops or events, or engage with traditional, organisation‑led conversations. Making the most of that opportunity is challenging. It requires careful handling, skilled communication, and a willingness to enter difficult territory. But it is essential if we want to rebuild trust, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful change that reflects what truly matters to people.

To make the most of these moments, we must be prepared—and we must be brave.

Open Voice Lab

At Open Voice Lab, we believe that continuous, inclusive engagement is essential to rebuilding trust in health and care services. Sustainable change begins with listening well and acting consistently. Reach out and see how we can help you build continuous engagement loops that work so you are ready to make the most of opportunities as they arrive.