Approaches to Public Participation

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Approaches to Public Participation
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approaches to public participation

• passive
• active

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passive public participation techniques

• printed information
• information repositories
• technical reports
• advertisements
• inserts in newspapers

• bill stuffers
• press releases
• news conferences
• television spots
• web sites

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active public participation techniques

• briefings
• information hotlines
• technical assistance
• simulation games

• expert panels
• field trips
• open houses
• community fairs
• surveys

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active public participation techniques for small
groups

• focus groups
• advisory committees
• task forces
• panels
• public hearings
• games and role playing

• in person surveys
• coffee klatches and kitchen table meetings
• salons
• design charettes

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Information Hot Lines

• 1-800- XXX XXXX
• some automation possible
• one on one

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Coffee Klatches and Kitchen Tables

• small groups of people
• gather at someones house
• talk, listen and share ideas
• host encourages listening, asks questions,
  calms conflict, respects all ideas

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Talking Circle

• focus on listening
• uses a meaningful object (the talking stick)
• healing and cathartic
• person holding object is only one to speak
• talk about what is in your heart
• overlong talking is responded to by coughing
• speaking winds down

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Samoan Circle

• vague origin of name
• used by US Army Corps of Engineers
• organizes discussion within a group
• no chair or facilitator

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Samoan Circle

• two concentric circles
• the topic is introduced with all in outer circle
• the interested sit in the inner circle
• the less interested sit in outer circle
• each one asks a question or makes a comment
• closing involves gradual removal of chairs

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Design Charettes

• creative method
• architects and planners
• collaborative focus on a design problem
• not step by step or routine
• wide array of participants
• imaging a future
• developing strategies

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Citizen Juries

• a forum
• addressing a complex or contentious issue
• usually organized by a neutral, non-profit group
• a polling company identifies possible jurors
• jurors is chosen, representative of the community
• three or four days
• evidence is heard and a decision is made
• prior commitment that the decision will be
  honored
• expensive
• successful when well organized

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Salons

• small groups of people
• gathering for conversation
• setting composed
• participants selected (different backgrounds)
• not exactly conversation, but little speeches
• unofficial etiquette
• no leaders
• allow and address silence
• no dialogue
• no cross-talk
• no advice
• just I statements

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Computer-assisted meetings

• linked computers
• hundreds of participants
• ideas transmitted simultaneously

• to enhance participation
• to communicate
• to assist brainstorming
• to promote cohesive thinking

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Computer-assisted meetings
use groupware The Meeting Works GroupSystems
GroupSystem Resources agenda electronic
whiteboard opinion meters personal logs people
rosters handouts (electronic retrieval) briefcase
(utilities, such as a calculator) event monitor
(notification of new activities)
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Building capacity for involved participation
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ongoing participants
community groups representing a wide
cross-section of interests sectoral or single
interest groups

• watershed groups
• community groups
• economic networks
• agro-environmental clubs
• conservation organizations
• woodlot owners associations
• etc., etc

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goals of interest groups

• friendship
• recreation
• promotion of a particular set of values
• governance
• economic goals
• preservation of tradition

concern for general well-being of community
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Capacity

• knowledge
• expertise
• capability
• resources
• readiness to act

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ACAPAtlantic Coastal Action Program
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• One stop for business information, programs and
  serviceslocal Enterprise Agencies
• helping small- and medium-sized businesses
  succeed.
• by building on the strengths and successes in
  each community

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Department of Environment Outreach and Partnering
Program
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(No Transcript)
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The Outreach and Partnering Process
Categories of Preparedness for Watershed
Management
1 Forming
2 Evolving
3 Planning
4 Mentoring and Action
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Successful Community Groups
keep lean hire a great coordinator

• elected leadership
• regular meetings
• strategic process
• newsletters
• means of delegating responsibility and tasks
• training for new members
• social time together
• managing and rewarding volunteers
• working relationships with government and others

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Challenges for Citizens Groups

• resources (funding and time)
• burn-out
• low, competing or variable interest
• recruiting volunteers
• coordinator capability and turn-over
• succession planning
• lack of experience and knowledge
• personality, attitude, agenda
• conflict