The book consists of 13 chapters, illustrated by tailor-made illustrations and photographs from professional practice:
Chapter 1 Introduction: introduces the book and describes the book’s origin, aims and target readership.
Chapter 2 Why Manuals Are Important: explains the importance of manuals to address the prevalent ineffectiveness and inadequacy in community engagement processes. It includes lessons from past SpeakOuts.
Chapter 3 Introducing the SpeakOut: introduces the SpeakOut model by examining the need for this approach and offering a clear, step-by-step explanation of its features.
Chapter 4 Five Successful SpeakOut Stories: presents recent SpeakOut case studies in three countries, focusing largely on methods in very different contexts. The five cases are:
1 Bonnyrigg, Sydney, 2005
2 Talk Any Kine, Honolulu, 2006
3 Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, 2007
4 Townsville, Queensland, 2007
5 False Creek North, Vancouver, 2007.
Chapter 5 Designing a SpeakOut: details the essential components for preparing, designing and managing a SpeakOut, including the organizing structure of the ‘Outer Circuit’ and ‘Inner Circuit’.
Chapter 6 Interactive Exercises at SpeakOuts: offers a rich menu of innovative interactive activities piloted and refined at SpeakOuts over two decades.
Chapter 7 SpeakOuts for Children: introduces SpeakOuts for children and describes an innovative SpeakOut conducted in 2007 in Queensland.
Chapter 8 Vote with Your Hands: describes an exercise called Vote with Your Hands, a common and popular feature of SpeakOuts.
Chapter 9 Designing and Managing Community Workshops: explores requirements for a community workshop, building on Chapter 6.
Chapter 10 Staffing, Facilitation and Recording: outlines essential requirements to ensure effective staffing, facilitation and recording.
Chapter 11 Analysis of Materials Generated by a SpeakOut or a Workshop: the amount of work put into a SpeakOut by committed staff and participants does not automatically morph into a completed report. This important chapter briefly summarizes the steps for analysing materials to create a reliable record.
Chapter 12 Other Considerations: addresses other requirements for achieving a successful SpeakOut, including communication (technology, signs and badges), audio and visual recording, drawcards, models and aerial photographs, child and infant care, food, entertainment, interpreters, involvement of senior people, ‘greening’ and insurance.
Chapter 13 Evaluation: briefly summarizes some useful approaches for assessing and evaluating SpeakOut exercises.
The book concludes with Notes for all chapters and a comprehensive Bibliography. It also contains a detailed Glossary and two Appendices: a checklist for SpeakOuts and templates for some typical interactive activities (the Footscray Stall Prompts).