The document discusses citizen participation in the U.S. and successful tactics for enhancing involvement in decision-making processes, such as proactive recruitment, small-group facilitation, and effective issue framing. It highlights the strengths and limitations of public participation, emphasizing the need for a stronger civic infrastructure to foster engagement and equity in communities. Examples of successful participatory efforts in various regions, including ongoing community projects and participatory budgeting in Brazil, are also presented.

1. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
IN THE UNITED STATES
Workshop: How to Make Citizen Participation
Relevant in European Regions
Stuttgart, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
December 5, 2012

2. THE DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY CONSORTIUM

3. 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, informati
on
* “citizens” =
residents, people

4. THREE MINUTES AT THE MICROPHONE
Retrieved from Cincinnati.com, July 27, 2012

5. 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!

6. 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.

7. 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

8. SUCCESSFUL TACTIC: ENCOURAGING CITIZEN ACTION

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. NEW MODEL ORDINANCE ON PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
Available at www.deliberative-democracy.net
Developed as a collaboration of:

17. “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

18. 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 change
in INS policy

19. 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

21. SLIDES AVAILABLE AT:
WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/MATTLEIGHNINGER
GUIDES:
HTTP://BIT.LY/M1PVMP
HTTP://BIT.LY/IWJGQN

22. RESOURCES
www.participedia.net
www.deliberative-democracy.net
www.soulofthecommunity.org
www.everydaydemocracy.org
www.publicagenda.org
www.kettering.org

23. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

24. Why build stronger civic
infrastructure?
1. Make engagement easier, more efficient
2. Build trust
3. Give residents more control of the agenda
4. Better address inequities
5. Increase community attachment and
economic growth
6. Increase residents’ sense of legitimacy and
“public happiness”