MODERATING DELIBERATIVE FORUMS—AN INTRODUCTION Winter/Spring, 2016

 Getting Started  Background  Moderating Forums  Q&A  Next Steps TODAY’S PRESENTATION

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL ISSUES FORUMS AND WHO’S INVOLVED? A nationwide network that promotes deliberation on tough public issues. Non-partisan, non-profit Libraries, schools, colleges and universities, community organizations, senior centers, book clubs, and more National Issues Forums Institute publishes issue guides, reports forum results, and connects the people and organizations that convene and moderate forums.

Partnership with The Kettering Foundation, a nonprofit operating foundation rooted in the American tradition of cooperative research.

KETTERING FOUNDATION The Foundation trades insights from its research with this broad network of institutions, organizations, and individuals from over 80 countries.

WHAT WE’LL COVER TODAY How moderators can plan and structure a forum Key responsibilities of the moderator Some strategies to help encourage a respectful, open exchange of ideas Sample questions moderators can use in each segment of a deliberative forum Frequently asked questions

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “DELIBERATION” (AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT)?  NOT a debate or simply a discussion  Looks at different options for addressing a problem  Considers advantages AND trade-offs for each option  Asks people to recognize that every action will have a down side and urges people to realistically consider which of these trade-offs they are willing to accept  Asks participants to think about priorities and what matters most to themselves, their families, their communities, and our country as a whole

WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS DO IN A DELIBERATIVE FORUM? Look at different ways of thinking about a problem Exchange views with others Weigh benefit and trade-offs of different approaches Listen and reconsider in a safe environment

WHAT ARE MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES? Encourage an exchange of views Press participants to focus on tradeoffs Stay Neutral Bring in points- of-view that may be missing Keep conversation respectful and on-task

WHO ARE THE KEY PLAYERS? A CONVENER Someone who brings people together to talk PARTICIPANTS The real drivers of deliberative forums A MODERATOR Responsible for getting people to weigh choices and listen to each other A RECORDER Records key themes, concerns, and questions

WHAT MATERIALS CAN I USE? NIF issue guides are the basis for the deliberation. These lay out 3 or 4 different options for participants to consider. See all the guides at Many guides can be downloaded free of charge. Print copies can be ordered at very reasonable cost Participant questionnaires Moderator response forms PowerPoint handouts, other presentational aids Find the materials you need at

HOW SHOULD I USE THE TIME? Most moderators divide forums into specific segments. Generally, forums run about 2 hours. INTRO: A basic introduction—who you are, what will happen in the forum. Introduce the ground rules. (10 min) PERSONAL STAKE: A short discussion of how the issue affects people individually and/or the community as a whole (10 min.) EXAMINING THE OPTIONS: Discussion of each of the 3 or 4 options in the book. (20 min each, or a total of 1 hour) REFLECTIONS—where we tend to agree, where we’re still divided, where we still undecided, what questions we have. 20 min. QUESTIONNAIRE: There are participant questionnaires for many issues These can be completed and returned to NIF. We use these to report on what citizens are saying in the forums across the country.

WHAT GROUND RULES SHOULD I SET FOR MY FORUM?  Listen to other voices. Listening is as important as speaking.  We'll consider each approach fairly, looking at its benefits and its trade-offs  Everyone is encouraged to participate. No one or two individuals will dominate.  It’s ok to disagree, but do so with curiosity, not hostility. Learning more about how others think is one of the most interesting parts of a forum.  Others you might want to consider?

HOW CAN I OPEN THE FORUM AND GET PEOPLE TALKING?  Why did you come out today?  What interests you about this issue?  How has this issue affected you, your family?  When we think about this issue, what concerns us? What’s valuable to us?  How is this affecting our community? Other ideas for opening a forum?

HOW CAN I HELP PEOPLE WEIGH THE OPTIONS DELIBERATIVELY? Moderators sometimes use questions like these:  Tell me something you like AND something that worries you about this option?  How might people from other walks of life might see this option?  [When people like an option] Are there any ways this idea could go wrong or be taken too far?  Whether you like this option or not, do you think it would make a major difference in addressing the problem?  Do you see any gray areas?

WHEN IS IT TIME TO PLAY THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE? In forums with a lots of like-minded folks, it’s up to the moderator to fill in the missing voices. What to look for: Everyone quickly rejects one option Everyone quickly agrees on one option People look at an option and say “no one feels that way” Is it time to argue for an option that’s being dismissed out-of-hand? Is it time to point to the cost, trade-offs, and difficulties of an idea everyone seems to like? Is it time to speak for people who may not be in the room?

HOW DO I KNOW IF THIS IS GOING WELL? Moderators often look for signs like these: People acknowledge the difficulty of solving the problem Participants consider a range of views People talk about what really matters to them—rather than quoting what they’ve read or heard on TV People talk about consequences—they acknowledge the cost and risks of the ideas they support Disagreements are aired but in the spirit of looking for understanding and common ground Other signs of deliberation?

HOW CAN I WRAP UP? SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER After hearing everyone talk, are there a couple of things that the people in this room might agree on? How does this deliberation affect our thinking re: what the community should do? How does this deliberation affect our thinking re: what we want our elected official in Washington to do? How does this deliberation affect my thinking re: what I should do myself? What questions do we have now? What more do we need to know and think about?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Can people combine the options? What if people want more facts? How can I localize the issue?

CAN PEOPLE COMBINE THE OPTIONS? In most deliberations, people tend to like some elements from each of the options, and mixing and matching is often a mark of a good exchange of ideas and looking for common ground. HOWEVER → YOU MAY WANT TO ASK:  How realistic is it to think we can do all these things?  Can we afford to do all these things?  Are there conflicts or tensions if we try to do all these things?  If we don’t have the money or time to do all of these things, which are the most important to you?

WHAT IF PEOPLE WANT MORE FACTS? Sometimes people want more information, and having people leave the forum with questions about the issue is a good sign of deliberation. HOWEVER → YOU MAY WANT TO ASK:  Why is this piece of information important to you?  How would your views change depending on what you find out?  Suppose the information is not available or it’s disputed, how would that change your thinking?

HOW CAN I LOCALIZE THE ISSUE? Nearly all issues have both local and national implications, and considering both is an important part of deliberation. So → YOU MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT: Would it be helpful to find a few local statistics prior to the forum? Are there people in the room who can talk about how the issue is emerging locally? Are there people in the room who have lived in other communities who can provide important comparisons?

DOES THIS SEEM LIKE A LOT? Get a co-moderator (or two!) One person can handle logistics, timekeeping, turn-taking; the other can handle the content and flow of the conversation! Many forums have different moderators for different segments— one takes the introduction and wrap-up, while one or two others focus on helping the group weigh the options.

AND WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, HERE’S WHAT MATTERS MOST Reach out to invite a diverse group. This bring different experiences and life stories into the discussion. Take time to prepare yourself to present the options fairly. If you feel confident you understand the values and tensions of each option, you’ll be able to present each with its best foot forward Set a tone where participants are encouraged to work through tensions and tradeoffs. Playing the devil’s advocate is probably the most challenging part of moderating, but honestly facing up to tough questions is what makes a forum rewarding.

Organize a forum Review and order materials Complete participant questionnaires online Learn to moderate an online forum Participate in an online forum— Common Ground for Action  WHAT’S NEXT?

FOR MORE INFORMATION! Kettering Foundation National Issues Forums