Participation level:

  • Low (Information only)

Innovation level:

  • Low (Traditional)

Facilitator skill level, and other support required:

  • Medium (Computer & other expertise)

Can be used for:

  • Showcase product, plan, policy
  • Communicate an issue


Public meetings are held to engage a wide audience in information sharing and discussion.



Public meetings increase awareness of an issue or proposal, and can be a starting point for, or an ongoing means of, engaging further public involvement.


 

  • Allows the involvement and input of a wide range of people.
  • Can develop consensus for action on complex issues that affect the broad community.
  • Disseminates detailed information and decisions throughout the community.
  • Provides opportunities for exploring alternative strategies and building consensus.

  • Unless well facilitated, those perceived as having power within the community, or those who are most articulate and domineering in their verbal style can dominate the meeting.
  • Participants may not come from a broad enough range to represent the entire community.
  • Organisers must be aware of potential conflicts.
  • Community members may not be willing to work together.
  • May not achieve consensus.
  • Can be time and labour intensive.

 

Organizing Public Meeting

How many people to organize?

  • Medium (2-12 people)

Time required:

  • Medium (6 weeks-6 months)
  • Short (< 6 weeks)

Cost:

  • Medium (AUD$1,000-AUD$10,000)
  • Low (< AUD$1,000)

  • Establish why you need to consult the community; do not hold a public meeting or consult unnecessarily; this wastes people's time, and may create disinterest for the future.
  • Consider the circumstances of the community and the issues.
  • Schedule a series of meetings. A suggested series follows:
Meeting 1
  • Introduce project and key personnel
  • Supply project information
  • Allow the community to ask questions and identify issues of concern
  • Provide contact pointsIdentify groups with specific concerns for targeted consultation
Meeting 2
  • Break between meetings allows participants to consider views and concerns
  • Reintroduce project
  • Activate good listening skills
  • Clarification and expansion of issues
Meeting 3
  • Information and feedback on how issues and concerns are being met
  • Presentation at the conclusion of a project or make recommendations for the community's consideration
  • Discuss ongoing participation in the process
  • Publicise and advertise the meeting
  • Advertise weekly in local media
  • Book a venue and arrange catering with flexibility as to numbers as attendance is difficult to predict
  • Venue should be neutral territory
  • Provide no alcohol.
  • Provide refreshments at the conclusion of the meeting
  • Timing: Conduct the meeting at a time where the largest number of participants can attend
  • Inform participants of Chairperson, Facilitator, Guest speakers
Determine the conduct of the meeting:
  • Work closely with the chair
  • General format is presentation followed by question time
  • Present agenda
  • Field questions
  • Record comments

Considerations


  • Widely advise the ways feedback from the community is being incorporated into the projectAvoid allowing the meeting to be taken over by a vocal community
  • Be prepared to change tack during the meeting
  • Cater for people with disabilities or from non-english speaking backgrounds
  • Never lose your temper
  • Set up early (Source: Sarkissian, W et al, 1999 & Ontario Guide to Public Participation)

 

References

 

Description

A Public Meeting is a coming together of people for a specific purpose. The meeting can involve a large number of people, or a smaller number of people (under 10) who focus on a specific problem or purpose. Public meetings generally have a facilitator who encourages two-way communication, and a recorder who records suggestions and issues that are revealed at the meeting.


Public meetings provide a good focal point for media interest in an event, and photos can provide a visual indicator or levels of interest and the range of people who attended. Public meetings are often the springboard for a movement or for the establishment of a common-interest group which will continue to act on the issues raised and suggestions made.


Public meetings are familiar, established ways for people to come together to express their opinions, hear a public speaker, or plan a strategy. They can build a feeling of community and attendance levels provide an indicator of the level of interest within a community on a particular issue.


Smaller focus group meetings can be made up of people with common concerns who may not feel confident speaking up in a larger public gathering (for example, women, those who speak English as a second language, Indigenous groups). In a separate venue, these people can speak comfortably together, share common issues and a common purpose. The findings from focus group meetings can be presented to larger group meetings, giving a 'voice' to those in the community who are unable to speak up in a larger meeting. (See also Focus Group) FAO Informal Working Group on Participatory Approaches & Methods (http://www.fao.org/Participation/ft_more.jsp?ID=640)


This page originally copied with permission from the Citizens Science Toolbox


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see http://p2pfoundation.net/Category:Facilitation where we are also listing similar practices

  --Michel Bauwens (Not signed in).....Sun Jan 31 00:53:33 -0800 2010


The Bohm Dialogue, especially Collective Reflection has significance for me in terms of artistic critique and dialogue.

If one wanted to connect this to Jungian thought I'd relate to that.

  --Srule Brachman (Not signed in).....Mon May 21 17:09:16 +0000 2012

 

 

 

 

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