Dialogue and Deliberation for civic engagement in chicago

Dialogue and Deliberation for Civic Engagement in Chicago December 5th 2012

What we did • Use of dialogue & deliberation – Residents – Chicago area – Community issues – Public policy • Broad outlines – Not exhaustive!

D&D: Guiding definitions• Dialogue… is a process that allows people, usually in small groups, to share their perspectives and experiences with one another...(it) can and often does lead to personal and collaborative action.• Deliberation… is a closely related process…that emphasizes the importance of examining options and trade-offs to make better decisions. Source: National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD)

Methods Charrettes Restorative Circles Community Visioning Workshop Participatory Budgeting Online Forums World Cafe Study Circles Civic Reflection Appreciative Inquiry Open Space Technology Race Dialogues21st Century Town Hall Meetings™ Conversation Cafe Citizens Jury Future Search Participatory Appraisal Deliberative Polling™

How we did it • Qualitative research – Secondary source review – Focus group 10 experts – 38 individual interviews • Written report

Work in progress…to be completed by YOUToday Later

Key LearningWhat we expected What we found

Understanding the Field

Exploration • Learn about selves, community, issue • Foundational – Develops skills – Builds social capital – Models good processProject on Civic Reflection Exploration

Core Support = HumanitiesProgramming, funding, Process expertise, materials,facilities (Cultural Center) trainingCafé Society at Ron’s Barber Shop Exploration

Cultural and HistoricalMuseums and Centers Cambodian American Heritage Museum Dialogue photo: Rebeccah Sanders, CCA Exploration

Local Arts Community Neighborhood Writing Alliance Exploration

MediaWBEZ discussion on race & sexual orientation,photo: Bill Healy Exploration

LibrariesCPL, Harold Washington Library Center Exploration

Entrepreneurial Initiatives, Issue Groups Across the Table Exploration

Decision-Making • Influence public decisions & policy • Improve public knowledge • Deliberative = reach consensus recommendationTown Hall Meeting in Cretephoto: Chicago Tribune Decision-Making

Innovation at a Small Scale • City Wards – 1970s Neighborhood Governance – Participatory Budgeting – Master Plans, Council, Participatory Town Halls • Suburbs – Evanston 150Participatory Budgeting in Ward 49 – DuPage County – Elgin budget Decision-Making

Planners and Technical Experts CHICAGO COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION TOOLKITResidents “playing” Transopoly (from CNT)photo: CMAP Decision-Making

Civic EducationMikva Challenge Decision-Making

City and County Government • New Mayor + County Board President – “engaged residents” • City Departments – Chicago Cultural Plan • Education & CrimeTown Hall Meeting on City Budget, – 80s/90s: LSCs & CAPSKennedy-King College, 2011 – CPS: FACE = CACsphoto: The Gate – CPD: ? Decision-Making

Collaborative Action • Empower groups and individuals to solve complex problems – Identify shared needs + desires – Idea generationImagine Chicago – Action plans Collaborative Action

CBOs as Gateways to Residents • CBOs as partners for public consultations – Pro: efficient, effective – Con: can limit diversity of opinions • Interest in alternatives – New topics, people, methods (online)Little Village Environmental JusticeOrganization, park consultationphoto: Jay Dunn Collaborative Action

Work of Community Organizers • Use D&D, but limit – 1-on-1=commitment – Priority: mobilization for action • Ambivalence – Action vs. Dialogue – Resident-government collaborationLISC Chicago community visioning sessionphoto: Martha Brock Photography Collaborative Action

Integrating D&D into organizing • New models = collaborative thinking • Community wisdom + government powerCOFI: Community Organizing and Family Issues Collaborative Action

Conflict Transformation • Resolve conflicts • Foster personal healing • Improve relationships between groupsMarae Encounters, Field Museumphoto: Christopher J. Philipp Conflict Transformation

Dialogue Across Difference • Race, ethnicity, income, faith – Barriers to policy-makingYWCA Community Conversations on Racephoto: YWCA Evanston/North Shore Conflict Transformation

Restorative Justice • Community-owned processes – From courts to schools, public housing, churchesPrecious Blood Ministry Peace Circle,Back of the Yardsphoto: Allison Clark/Medill Conflict Transformation

Civil DiscourseChicago Tea Party coordinator at TownHall in Oak Lawn, 2009photo: Southtown Star Conflict Transformation

Supports

Skills – Training, Process ConsultingIllinois Art of Hosting Training Supports

Technology • City government – Crowdsourcing, open data, practical apps • Neighborhood forums – EveryBlock, blogs, list- serves, Facebook • Planning tools Supports

Funders • McCormick and Spencer Foundations – Civic Education, PACE • Limited awareness & understanding • Outside traditionalDonor’s Forum Engage to the Nth Degree funding modelsconvening 2012 – Evaluation, effectiveness Supports

Research • Many local academics with D&D expertise • Promising partnerships – UIC’s Great Cities Institute/IPCE & Participatory Budgeting – Adler School & Restorative JusticeParticipatory Budgeting Press Conference 2012photo: UIC, Great Cities Institute Supports

Communities of Practice (CoP) • No local CoP for civic engagement • Related – Art of Hosting Illinois – IAF Chicago (facilitators) – Cook County Restorative Justice Committee – Open Government, Planners, OD, etc. • NationalNCDD 2012 Conference – NCDDphoto: C.W. Lee – IAP2 (Midwest Chapter) Supports

OpportunitiesHow to go from this to this?

Exploration • Plenty of space to grow – Topics – Geographies – Demographic groups – Methods • Foundational – Model good process – Promote civil discourseRe-Thinking Soup at Jane Addams HullHouse Museum Opportunities

Decision-Making • Greatest need and opportunity – Complex problems – Reconsider roles – New leadership – Participatory Budgeting • Better processes + skillsChicago Cultural Plan 2012 Consultation, • Legal frameworksBridgeportphoto: Chicagoist/Chuck Soto • Be open to unexpected champions! Opportunities

Collaborative Action • Unique opportunity – Strengths of community organizing + D&D • Dialogue to action • Community wisdom for new solutionsBAAWG: Building Academic AchievementWithin This Generation, Bolingbrookphoto: Linda Ozbolt Opportunities

Conflict Transformation • Restorative justice = embedding D&D in communities – Spread, connect • Dialogue on race & inequality – Remove barriers toMy Evanston, My Neighbors race dialogue decision-makingphoto: North Shore United Way Opportunities

Supports -- Skills & TechnologySkills Technology• Widespread skills training • Barely scratched surface! – Affordable & appropriate – Open data + dialogue• Process generalists – Mix online and face-to-face – Serious games• Process innovators Opportunities

Supports -- Funders & ResearchFunders Research• Expand awareness & • Thought leaders improve understanding – Build case: how works, why• Incorporate D&D into important projects • How to define & measure – Legacy in civic infrastructure success • New models Opportunities

Supports -- Community of Practice • Building a civic infrastructure is a big job = work together – Collaborate across “streams” and fields – Share learning – Common supports – Open new pathsNCDD 2012 Conference – Leave something behindphoto: Nancy White Opportunities

Now, to you….

Questions? Report content: Janice Thomson janice.kay.thomson@gmail.comReport additions, next steps, and IPCE: Norma Ramos neramos@uic.edu

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Dialogue and Deliberation for civic engagement in chicago

by Sudhir Noel on Dec 18, 2012

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