CAN’T MAKE THE MEETING? NO PROBLEM! Technological Assets in Participatory Democracy Larry Schooler Joseph Thormley Nicole Cabral

Where’s Larry??

How often have you used technology to participate in a civic conversation? https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/3lKJhi9GGOZCwGO

DIRECT ENGAGEMENT • Conventional Engagement: Top down, relatively transparent • Thick Engagement: Informed, deliberative, emotional, full of choices for groups to make • Thin Engagement: Fast, easy, full of choices for individuals to make Direct Engagement Thick Engagement Thin Engagement Conventional Engagement

Conventional engagement: The parent-child dynamic

Thick Engagement: 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

Thick Engagement: 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

Thin Participation Processes • Gathering Data • Generating Ideas • Coordinating work by citizens • Facilitating conversations

Text, Talk, Act • Created in 2013 • Part of President Obama’s National Dialogue on Mental Health • More than 200 conversations mainly comprised of young adults • Use deliberative democracy principles • Eliminate misconceptions behind mental health problems and identify priorities for community action •

Text, Talk, Engage Adapted from the Text, Talk, Act Initiative for community college faculty to incorporate faculty voices in important reforms • Gather 3-4 people • Text “League” to 89800 • Talk with your group using text-enable questions • Be apart of the change by connecting with a national conversation •

The National Issues Forums • The National Issues Forums (NIF) is a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums for consideration on public policy issues. • Hundreds of forums are organized around the country each year in community centers, college campuses, and churches

Common Ground for Action • Online forums • Utilize deliberative democracy principles • Visually view participants reaching common ground

Common Ground for Action

Expanding Opportunity for All • Augmenting the ongoing face-to-face forums across the country with online forums • Anonymity • Collect data on faculty perspectives

Questions?

Six steps to enable increased online participation Joseph Thornley @thornley

Why Technology? Most Americans are already online at home and elsewhere – libraries, smart phones, etc. – or have easy access to a phone An online/text message/telephone-based engagement opportunity gives an outlet to those who: Have limited time Feel uncomfortable speaking publicly Lack the means or resources to meet-in-person

70% of Americans have high-speed home internet → 3% have dial-up Varies significantly among ethnicity, age, education, income >25% have no internet access at home 90% of American adults have a cell phone 58% of American adults have a smartphone 29% of cell phone owners say a cell is “something they can’t live without” Facilitating Civic Dialogue and Consensus

Reaching a Greater Audience: TV, Telephone, and Text Overview videos shown at community forum, social media, TV Televised community conversations, with SMS, social media, and telephone technology

Crisis Communication

Senior Fellow, National Civic League Larry Schooler, Senior Fellow, National Civic League 512.387.4876 Larry@p3partners.net www.annettestrauss.org @AStraussInst