Dilemmas discussed

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: POOR TOPIC CHOICE

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: POOR TOPIC CHOICE

What are you asking your participants to help you with? Topic choice and how you craft the question, challenge or remit you put to your community is critical to a successful process. In this deliberation disaster, we explore the most common mistake we see made. Plus, there are free tips for selecting and communicating a topic that will result in better response rates, a more meaningful experience for participants and more useful outputs for decision makers.

WHAT IF WE COULD ANSWER THESE TOUGH QUESTIONS?

WHAT IF WE COULD ANSWER THESE TOUGH QUESTIONS?

We need to find a way forward. We’re seeing increasing trust divides between government and their citizens. You only have to see or hear a few news headlines to know that humans are facing really big problems that decision-makers are getting stuck on. From housing affordability and gender equality through to water security, climate change and the energy transition, there are tough issues before us that we simply have to solve. What if there was a way to tackle these ‘wicked problems’, answer the big questions and collectively agree on a way forward that was in the best interest of the many not the few? Here’s an insight into what that might look like - some inspiration, possibility and hope amongst the despair.

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: INFORMATION INPUTS

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: INFORMATION INPUTS

Deliberation – what can go wrong? The short answer is lots! In our second article in this new series, we tackle ‘information inputs’. We’re talking about information you feed into a deliberative process to support the deliberating group’s discussion. It’s super important to get this right and the quality of what you put in will affect the quality of what you get out. So, we’re helping you avoid potential pitfalls and learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before you. Learn what to do (and what not to) inside …  

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: RECRUITMENT

WHEN DELIBERATION GOES WRONG: RECRUITMENT

Deliberation – what can go wrong? The short answer is lots! A new series to help your organisation avoid possible future pain and learn from the mistakes of those who have deliberated before you. In our first article, we’re exploring the complex, specialised world of recruitment. It’s a critical part of the deliberation puzzle and one of the biggest tripping hazards organisations face. Get it wrong, and it can undo everything you’re trying to achieve. Discover how to avoid disaster inside …

#MONTHLYMYTH: ACCESSIBILITY IS EASIER IN-PERSON THAN ONLINE

#MONTHLYMYTH: ACCESSIBILITY IS EASIER IN-PERSON THAN ONLINE

Making processes accessible for everyone is something we all strive for in the engagement sector. Most people naturally think that this accessibility is most easily achieved in face-to-face sessions where you can see or hear the interpreters. However, in this blog Q&A, we hear directly from two interpreters and two participants about the many accessibility advantages (and some disadvantages) to online workshops that are worth considering.

HOW TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANGRY COMMUNITIES

HOW TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANGRY COMMUNITIES

Are you trying to engage with people that are highly emotional or resistant to participating and collaborating? Many of us are experiencing fear and anxiety. We’re living in a world where communities are facing change, uncertainty, natural disasters and more. Engaging around any issue can be challenging. This post prepares you for hard conversations, giving you tips that will help you work with outrage, prepare communities for big events and help them to process and recover from previous trauma.

DILEMMA DISCUSSED: GETTING INTERNAL BUY-IN FOR ENGAGEMENT

DILEMMA DISCUSSED: GETTING INTERNAL BUY-IN FOR ENGAGEMENT

Today we’re responding to one of the most common engagement challenges nominated by the subscribers to our newsletter The Discussion. How to get internal buy-in and embed quality engagement across an organisation? We’ve got free resources, learnings-based tips and training courses to help you dial down this dilemma.

HOW TO HAVE MEANINGFUL, EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS AROUND DISTRESSING EVENTS

HOW TO HAVE MEANINGFUL, EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS AROUND DISTRESSING EVENTS

Fires, floods, a pandemic, wars and economic stress – humans everywhere are living through or witnessing a multitude of distressing events at once. It’s a time to connect with and support each other, even if we fear emotionally charged topics or feel uncertain how to approach them. Here are nine skills you can use in everyday conversations with family, friends and colleagues to help you and them process these events, bear heavy emotions and move forward together.

DOMINANT VOICES IN DELIBERATION

DOMINANT VOICES IN DELIBERATION

Effective engagement is inclusive of a diverse range of perspectives. In deliberative processes, this is critical, as deliberation is underpinned by representativeness. When one or a few voices dominate the conversation, this becomes difficult to achieve. In this article we consider some ways to navigate this common issue.

DELIBERATIVE PRACTICES FOR COUNCILS - WHERE TO START

DELIBERATIVE PRACTICES FOR COUNCILS - WHERE TO START

As Victorian local councils face a local government election on October 24th and the induction of a new Council they are also implementing a new Local Government Act. Amongst the myriad of changes in the 2020 Act are new provisions for community engagement. This is a major step change in seeking to put communities at the centre of local government decision making.

Many councils would be wondering what they need to do meet these requirements, particularly the one about deliberative practices.