SNAPSHOT
Process: Community Panel (long form deliberative panel)
MosaicLab’s role: Design and facilitation
Client: Barwon Water
Participants: 60 selected, 52 attended Panel 1, 49 attended Panel 2
Timeframe: November 2019 - December 2021
Panel 1: October - November 2020 (Evening introductory session plus 3.5 days)
Panel 2: February - March 2021 (3.5 days)
Panel 3: December 2021 (1 day)
REMIT (THE CHALLENGE)
With less rain and a hotter climate, it’s time to think differently about how we use water and where it comes from.
How can we create a new water future that balances all our needs?
OVERVIEW
The work of Barwon Water’s community panel forms part of the broader Water for our Future program. This case study details the panel process, however it is worth noting an extensive wider engagement process has occurred to enhance deliberations by the community panel.
The wider community engagement phase comprised a range of activities. Barwon Water undertook many listening posts and drop-in sessions, and a broad scale survey and submissions (Ideas Lab) process was also undertaken. MosaicLab delivered community and regional leader workshops in two stages. All of these engagement activities had the aim to gather insights on what the community values about water, what a secure water future looks like, and ideas for how we might use and source water differently in the future.
The output from the panel to date includes:
A community vision. The panel was empowered to make the decision of a new water future vision for the next 50 years. Barwon Water are implementing and using the vision as decided by the panel.
Recommendations for criteria to assess ideas/options. Barwon Water used these recommendations - to the greatest extent possible - to undertake initial and more detailed assessments of options that are being used in Panel 2.
The outputs from Panel 2 will include recommendations on a short list of preferred options for inclusion in the draft Urban Water Strategy.
After Barwon Water prepares a draft Urban Water Strategy over 2021, a third and final session of the Panel (1 day only) will take place. The purpose of this final session will be to review the DRAFT Urban Water Strategy and provide feedback on how effectively the Panel’s recommendations have been applied and what recommendations they would make to have them feel more comfortable in the final Urban Water Strategy.
This long-form deliberative process has involved:
participants writing and developing their own reports (at each stage of the three stages of the process).
a super majority (80% or more panel ‘support’) for key decisions (the vision and criteria and final preferred options).
time for extensive dialogue and discussion amongst the panellists before making decisions.
a cross-section of residents to broadly represent the Barwon Water region in terms of age, gender, geography and user type (residential/business).
access to a broad range of information, including a report on community views (Wider Engagement Report), a background report prepared by Barwon Water, an externally prepared Community Preferences Report and expert/guest speakers. These ‘guest speakers’ included twelve selected by Barwon Water and twelve selected by the panel themselves. They heard directly from these guests in Panel 1 and they have formed a ‘Brains Trust’ for the panel throughout Panel 2.
In March, the panel will hand a report to Barwon Water, detailing which representative options are to be included, and under what conditions, in the Urban Water Strategy, and which should not be included and why.
In December, the panel will provide their final response to the DRAFT Urban Water Strategy.
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT PROVIDED
Technology used for the sessions included:
the use of the Zoom meeting platform
an online Portal (hosted by Barwon Water) for between session discussions and to house a library of panel documents
SurveyMonkey for between-session ratings of ideas
an online collaboration tool for collecting and collating ideas and feedback
Google Docs for recording ideas and writing the reports
To assist panel members, they were provided with:
IT resources – seven panel members did not have their own computers with a camera and microphone and/or sufficient internet. Barwon Water arranged laptops and internet access for panelists as required.
Pre-workshop support – a technical assistance workshop was offered to panel members that needed assistance to be trained in Zoom and the use of online tools. Four panel members attended.
In-session support – our facilitation team included a third support/technical person who was available throughout all the sessions to provide ‘in the moment’ IT support.
the participants’ experiences
Some of the feedback from the panel members included:
“It is a huge piece of work and everybody did so well to come up with some really inspirational ideas.
“Each person on the panel had a voice. I know that we are reflecting our community as a whole.
“I felt we did achieve a good outcome. I’m excited to see how it all pans out.
“Everyone is really passionate and it is so exciting to see. It just amazes me how, at the end, it all comes together.
“The online process has been fantastic. The diversity of information that we have got access to is amazing.
“I’ve really enjoyed hearing the aspirations of the people.
“Honestly, this is as good as it gets. I’m loving the opportunity for other people to say what they think.
“I just found this really fascinating, like something I’d never know about. I’m looking forward to hearing more.
“I don’t think I have ever had such a big expansion of knowledge in such a short amount of time.
“Every living creature depends on water in some way. I think it’s so important for us to be so proactive with this.
The facilitation team’s current reflections
Panelist well-being
Sessions were booked from 9am until 5pm. We structured the days to include significant break times and encouraged panelists to look after their wellbeing (e.g. to stretch and to move away from the computer screen). Some feedback noted that this encouragement for self-care was well-received. Our process design often included completion by 4pm given the tiring nature of the online environment for panelists.
Attrition
For such a long-term panel our recruitment process factored in the need for a larger initial panel of 60. A communications plan guided our contact with panelists during the break periods to help minimise attrition. With the changing conditions in Victoria throughout the panel process from lockdown to lesser restrictions people’s availability also shifted.
The final number of people who joined panel 1 was 52. Panel 2 began with 49. Attrition was mainly due to three key factors: change in work arrangements, changes in personal health and changes at home (e.g. a move or unwell family member).
Empowering a panel
We are grateful to work with some incredibly visionary organisations at MosaicLab. Through this project Barwon Water provided a leading example of a long form deliberation project with the community. The panel wrote the community vision for Barwon Water who had agreed to implement what the community decided. This is known as the engagement level of EMPOWER according to the community engagement spectrum created by the International Association of Public Participation.
Online or face-to-face
The project team regularly reviewed the potential for the panel to move to an in-person format. There were occasional requests from panelists to move to face-to-face, based on issues such as finding online work tiring, or difficulty with navigating between screens. Considerations for face-to-face included finding a venue large enough to enable physical distancing (that is also available), as well as the potential for a last minute return to online in case of a snap lockdown. The current plan is to host the final panel session in December 2021 face-to-face.
There were surprising benefits of being online. For example, it was much easier and less impact on the ‘expert speakers’ to attend and present in an online format enabling easier access to the expertise the panel requested.
Strong foundations
The importance of laying a strong foundation with participants early in the panel process was even greater for a 14 month panel. We allowed additional time at the first session (the Meet and Greet), to create working agreements with the group. We were able to refer back to these working agreements at times during the panel process to ensure all were aware of the behavioral expectations that would help provide a respectful and productive space for all.
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