1 Welcome to Oklahoma Moderators and Recorders Academy Prepared by: Renée Daugherty, Ph.D. Oklahoma State University

2 At the OMRA, you will learn to… Deliberate rather than debate or just discuss important public issues Develop public understanding and knowledge about issues Create common ground for action

3 And, you will learn to… Convene forums Moderate deliberative forums Record comments at deliberative forums Report deliberative forum outcomes Connect with office holders Stimulate public action – commit to work together

4 Without the people’s will, the people won’t.” Harry West Coalition of the Willing Atlanta, GA

5 Role of Public in Policy... The people must be actively involved in making public judgments.... To preserve American democracy, there is something for everyone to do – average citizens, institutions, people in positions of leadership, experts, government officials, the media – all of us Yankelovich, 1991

6 The Public Decision-Making Process

Ways to Get Public Input on Public Problems/Issues Voting Polling Debate Letters to the editor Civil disobedience Demonstrations / protests Town Halls Boycotts... and... Public deliberation

8 Public Deliberation helps people weigh alternative policies to solve challenging public problems.

9 The Roots of Public Deliberation Tribal decision making New England town hall

Public Deliberation Methods Deliberative forums (NIF) Study circles (Everyday Democracy) Deliberative polling (Dr. James Fishkin, Stanford University) Citizen juries Conversation cafes World cafes Wisdom circles Appreciative inquiry Sustained dialogue Tetra... and many others Change Handbook (2007) 10

If the only tool you have in your toolkit is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail... If the only tool you have in your civic engagement toolkit is __________, then everything looks like __________. 11

12 Kettering Foundation Founded in 1927 American tradition of inventive research –Charles Kettering, 200 patents –Getting at “the problem behind the problem” Research objective: to learn what it takes to make democracy work as it should

13 National Issues Forums ( Non-partisan, non-advocacy Nation-wide network and international issue guides available –Current issues –Historic Decisions series (“Before it was history, it was a choice” Local deliberative forums

Everyday Democracy (formerly Study Circles Resource Center) Community study circles –Printed guides on several public issues –Meet 5-6 times for 2-3 hours –Community Action Report –Community committees Turning the Tide on Poverty –Poverty in Oklahoma leader lesson 14

15 Deliberative Forums A public problem –Complex, with no simple answers –There is time for deliberation; not an emergency Deliberative; go beyond debate or simply sharing ideas A structured dialogue / issue guide Public understanding about issues Learning the people’s concerns about an issue Tough choices about policy directions –Wrestling priorities out of complexities –Moving from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty

16 Deliberative Forums, cont’d A way of reasoning and talking together –Weighs the views of others –Considers consequences, costs and benefits –Challenges people to identify trade-offs –Respects the perspectives and values of others Requires that people: –Interact peacefully. –Share knowledge and perspectives on issues. –Organize to act publicly on these issues. A means to find common ground for action; secure commitment to work together

17 What Happens in a Deliberative Forum? people in a circle Diverse participants & perspectives Facilitated by a trained moderator and recorder Issue guide with 3-4 options 2 to 2 ½ hours: –Opening –Deliberation of approaches –Reflections/Closing Common ground Tradeoffs Understanding of others’ perspectives

18 Issue Book Issue guides Issue guides Non-partisan / non-advocacy Booklets, place-mats, on-line NIF creates 3-4 guides/year Life span of several years Format Introduction to the current state of the issue (25 %) 3-4 options to be deliberated (75%)

19 After the Forum Nationally through NIF –Moderators from multiple forums report outcomes to NIF –NIF prepares national reports (3 or 4 per year) –“A Public Voice” – one-hour PBS special –Presentation at National Press Club in Washington, DC –Presentation to Congress and/or staff

20 After the Forum In Oklahoma or locally: –Forum outcomes compiled into a final local report –Report is shared: –A community meeting –News releases –Printed materials, etc. Public action Connecting citizens & officeholders

21 Studies of Public Deliberation Deliberative Forum Participants: –Come from every part of society –Reconsider their own opinions and judgments –Approach issues more realistically considering costs, consequences and trade-offs associated with policy options –Define their self interests more broadly

22 Study Findings, cont’d –Reconsider & develop greater understanding for the views of others –Develop greater sense of confidence in what they can do politically –Become more interested in political and social issues

The Wetlands A Metaphor for Civic Engagement (Dr. David Mathews, Kettering Foundation) Natural coastal wetlands –Nurture wildlife –Minimize the impact of storms Communities as “political wetlands” –Authentic involvement of Oklahomans to minimize the impact of public problems –Build community capacity Informal gatherings as basis for community conversations and deliberative forums Ad hoc associations evolving into civic organizations 23

24 Developing an Oklahoma Habit of Public Deliberation

25 Oklahoma Partnership for Public Deliberation OKdeliberates.org

26 Oklahoma Partnership for Public Deliberation Trainings –Oklahoma Moderators and Recorders Academy –Framing Issues for Deliberation Workshop –Convening Workshop –Reporting Workshop Statewide forums & reports Issue framing –“Domestic Violence” –“Drawing Straws: Oklahoma’s Water Resources” –“Moving Toward Better Health in Stillwater”

Community Efforts Norman Area NIF Network Stillwater SPEAKS (Stillwater People Expressing Attitudes and Knowledge): ”In Search of Common Ground” Other possible sites: –Your community?

28 “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world; indeed that is the only thing that ever has.” --Margaret Mead

29 Questions?