CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Workshop: How to Make Citizen Participation Relevant in European Regions

Stuttgart, Baden-Wuerttemberg, GermanyDecember 5, 2012

THE DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY CONSORTIUM

THE CONTEXT: HOW HAVE CITIZENS*

CHANGED?

More educated More skeptical – different

attitudes toward authority Have less time to spare Better able to find resources,

allies, information

* “citizens” = residents, people

THREE MINUTES AT THE MICROPHONE

Retrieved from Cincinnati.com, July 27, 2012

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: ENCOURAGING CITIZEN ACTION

SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: ONLINE TOOLS

Particularly good for: Providing background information Data gathering by citizens Generating and

ranking ideas Helping people

visualize options Maintaining

connections over time

STRENGTHS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Making policy decisions, plans, budgets Catalyzing citizen action Building trust, fostering new leadership Connections = disaster preparedness Attachment = economic vitality

LIMITATIONS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (AS WE PRACTICE IT TODAY)

Lots of work for temporary gain Inefficient – every organization on its own Community moves back to ‘politics as usual’ ‘Engagers’ set the agenda, not the ‘engaged’ Limited impact on equity Laws on participation out

of step with practices

WHAT IS CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE?

The regular opportunities, activities, and arenas that allow people to connect with each other, solve problems, make decisions, and be part of a community.

NEW MODEL ORDINANCE ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Available at www.deliberative-democracy.netDeveloped as a collaboration of:

“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

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN BRAZILIAN CITIES

Commitment from gov’t to adopt budget;

Wide range of ways to be involved;

A carnival atmosphere;

Started small, now huge – 60,000+ people

SLIDES AVAILABLE AT:WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/MATTLEIGHNINGER

GUIDES:HTTP://BIT.LY/M1PVMP HTTP://BIT.LY/IWJGQN

RESOURCES

www.participedia.netwww.deliberative-democracy.netwww.soulofthecommunity.org www.everydaydemocracy.orgwww.publicagenda.orgwww.kettering.org

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

1. Make engagement easier, more efficient2. Build trust3. Give residents more control of the agenda4. Better address inequities 5. Increase community attachment and

economic growth6. Increase residents’ sense of legitimacy and

“public happiness”

Why build stronger civic infrastructure?