Effective Public Participation

The Center often gets involved in community projects when they compliment the Center’s mission. When a play about child abuse came through, the Community Mediation Center helped to organize and provide facilitators for a round table discussion about the issues brought up by the play. The Center has also facilitated discussions regarding the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Currently I am working on a project called Effective Public Participation, a group that is working to increase the ability of individuals in the Hampton Roads community to get involved in the decision making process. Basing our work on the work of groups like America Speaks and Voices and Choices, our group has just finished developing its guiding principles and is looking for feedback.

For those who don’t know, Public Participation is a way of bringing together government leaders, individuals, and interest groups to have a discussion regarding important policy decisions. At every step, from discussion to the developing of a plan that incorporates people’s concerns, everyone is consulted to provide comments and critiques. Tools used by Public Participation groups include Town Hall Meetings, where small groups discuss the issue and present reports back to the larger group, Strategic Planning, where each group will be encouraged to explore their ideas in terms of the utility and practicality, and Citizen Engagement Consulting, where individuals are trained in public participation skills, facilitation, and ways of coaching others.

Our group is still in its infancy, but is working hard to develop a framework specifically tailored to the Hampton Roads community. If you are interested in learning more about this group and reading the principles, click here. After all, the more of the public that participates in this effort, the more effective it will be.

Nathan Eckstrand
Community Outreach Advocate