THE NEXT FORM OF DEMOCRACY: HOW CITIZENS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND MOVING BEYOND ADVERSITY Matt Leighninger Deliberative Democracy Consortium Santa Rosa, CA September 25, 2014 Presented by Santa Rosa Together, in partnership with:
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THE NEXT FORM OF DEMOCRACY:
HOW CITIZENS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND MOVING
BEYOND ADVERSITY
Matt Leighninger
Deliberative Democracy Consortium
Santa Rosa, CA
September 25, 2014
Presented by Santa Rosa Together, in partnership with:
“What drove me to try planned, structured public engagement was my awful experience with unplanned, unstructured public engagement.”
─ John Nalbandian, former mayor, Lawrence, KS
TREATING CITIZENS LIKE ADULTS
Give them: Information Chance to tell their story Choices Legitimacy Chances to
take action Good process Food and fun!
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: PROACTIVE RECRUITMENT Map community networks;
Involve leaders of those networks;
‘Who is least likely to participate?’
Use online as well as f2f connections;
Follow up!
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: SMALL-GROUP PROCESSES
No more than 12 people per group;
Facilitator who is impartial (doesn’t give opinions);
Start with people describing their experiences;
Lay out options;
Help people plan for action.
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: FRAMING AN ISSUE
Give people the information they need, in ways they can use it
Lays out several options or views (including ones you don’t agree with!)
Trust them to make good decisions
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING
Money that citizens decide how to spend A structured process – citizens research and
develop proposals Citizens vote on proposals Builds support for gov’t,
elected officials
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: ONLINE TOOLS
Texting, Twitter, Facebook, Hootsuite, and beyond…
Particularly good for: Providing background information Data gathering by citizens Generating and
ranking ideas Helping people
visualize options Maintaining
connections over time
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: ENCOURAGING CITIZEN ACTION
“Sometimes you need a meeting that is also a party. Sometimes you need a party that is also a meeting.”
Gloria Rubio-Cortès, National Civic League
SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: FUN
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
HOW TO SUSTAIN ALL THIS? (AND WHY?)
Increases in: Trust Efficiency Equity Connectedness…which increases: Economic growth Public health
TWO ASSUMPTIONS TO RECONSIDER
1. Government is the only problem-solver
TWO ASSUMPTIONS TO RECONSIDER
2. It is the job of government, acting alone, to sustain engagement
The regular opportunities,
activities, and arenas that
allow people to connect with
each other, solve problems,
make decisions, and be
part of a community.
Civic Infrastructure
3. Democratic decision-making and problem-solving
Creating Spaces
for Citizens
Building
Skills &
Capacity
Improving
Public
Decision-
Making and
Problem-
Solving
Building Blocks
WORKING GROUP ON LEGAL FRAMEWORKS FOR PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
Definition of public participation
No mandates – model is ADR
Principles for successful public participation
Possible use of commission or other agency at local government level
Best use: to start a discussion about how you want participation to work in your municipality
Local public participation ordinance
“PORTSMOUTH LISTENS” PORTSMOUTH, NH
Ongoing process since 2000
Several hundred participants each time
Addressed a number of major policy decisions: bullying in schools, school redistricting, city’s master plan, balancing city budget, whether to build new middle school
JANE ADDAMS SCHOOL FOR DEMOCRACY WEST SIDE OF ST. PAUL, MN
50-200 people in “neighborhood learning circles” every month since 1998
Involves recent Hmong, Latino, Somali immigrants
Young people involved in circles and other activities
Cultural exchanges - food, crafts, storytelling Has resulted in new
projects, initiatives, festivals, and changein INS policy
“CREATE BUCKHANNON” BUCKHANNON, WV Ongoing process since 2009
Weekly lunch, using open space process, called “Meet and Eat”
Have created a park, a weekly summer music festival and market, a city plan, various downtown improvements and safe biking and walking routes
“DECATUR NEXT” DECATUR, GA
What online tools can do:
Help sustain community
connections
SLIDES AVAILABLE AT:WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/MATTLEIGHNINGER
GUIDES:PLANNING FOR STRONGER LOCAL DEMOCRACY – BIT.LY/PSLDNLC USING ONLINE TOOLS TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC– BIT.LY/IWJGQNMAKING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION LEGAL – BIT.LY/1F2MGAP