The Labour Party is preparing to embark on what it describes as its biggest-ever listening exercise, with plans to reach a staggering 350,000 voters across Malta and Gozo over two years.The initiative will run throughout 2027 and 2028, with 1,500 volunteers, 20 community hubs and a new digital platform forming part of the ambitious plan.The initiative, scheduled for 2027 and 2028, will see Labour strengthen its presence in local communities, recruit 1,500 volunteers and establish 20 community hubs as it seeks to hear directly from people about their everyday concerns and priorities.According to a presentation outlining the initiative, participation will be voluntary and open to people with different political views, suggesting that Labour intends to reach well beyond its traditional support base.A central pillar of the exercise will be Labour’s efforts to strengthen its grassroots structures.Under an initiative branded PL Involved, the party is targeting 1,500 volunteers and 20 community hubs, with local teams receiving training to engage with residents and listen to their concerns.The groundwork is expected to begin in 2026, when Labour plans to train teams, develop new tools and strengthen its local committees ahead of the wider rollout.The listening exercise will begin in 2027, with participation expanding further in 2028.The party also intends to build on existing local discussion formats, including Diskussjoni fil-Lokalità Tiegħek, while introducing more opportunities for doorstep conversations, telephone discussions and open sessions.Technology will also feature prominently in Labour’s plans.A proposed application, branded myPL, will allow people to access information and browse anonymously without having to register with the Labour Party.Those wishing to become more directly involved will have the option to register, share ideas, attend events or volunteer.The app forms part of a broader initiative known as PL Connect, designed to make it easier for people to stay in touch with the party and express their views.Labour also plans to develop digital tools to help local teams organise events and opportunities for public participation.Another component, branded PL Cares, will focus on understanding the everyday problems facing residents.The party says it wants to provide people with opportunities to explain their concerns, help them identify appropriate channels for information and enquiries, and identify recurring issues that could inform wider policy discussions.The exercise will centre around three questions: “What would you most like to see improve?”, “What should we preserve?” and “What would you like PL to understand?”According to the proposed framework, recurring concerns and suggestions will be collected and presented to policy teams, which will consider possible responses.Labour also intends to report back to participants, explaining what it has heard, what it proposes to do and which issues require further work.Beyond public engagement, the presentation outlines plans to strengthen the party’s internal operations.These include clearer responsibilities, an operating manual, more consistent financial and procurement procedures, and improved management of party property.Voluntary membership renewals and contributions are also being proposed to help sustain the party’s activities over the longer term.The party has identified three proposed measures for assessing the listening exercise: the number of distinct voters reached against the 350,000 target, the number of completed conversations and contributions, and whether issues raised by the public are considered and responses explained.However, the presentation does not specify the estimated cost of the exercise, how the 350,000-voter target was calculated, or how the party intends to ensure that feedback translates into concrete policy changes.It also does not provide a launch date for the myPL application or locations for the proposed community hubs.With preparations set to take place throughout 2026, Labour is presenting the initiative as an effort to put public feedback at the centre of its political work over the following two years.Its closing message sums up the ambition: “Preparing to listen. Ready to learn.”What do you make of Labour’s plan to reach 350,000 voters?•