1. Assembling Participation Infrastructure Chapter 9 Presentation Tina Nabatchi & Matt Leighninger

2. Assembling Participation Infrastructure  More productive forms of participation are seldom incorporated into the official settings for participation in education, health, land use, and other issues.  We should embrace the holistic, democratic, citizen-centered view that has emerged in the early 21 st Century.  How do the pieces of a stronger infrastructure fit together?  What additional structures and supports can connect participation on issues?  How can people better envision a participation infrastructure?  What should be the guiding principles for infrastructure planning?

3. Connecting the Building Blocks for Participation  There are 6 main building blocks for participation infrastructure: 1. Disseminating information 2. Gathering input and data 3. Discussing and connecting 4. Enabling smaller ‐ scale decision making 5. Enabling larger ‐ scale decision making 6. Encouraging public work  Many communities have some settings and processes that support these building blocks  Communities should take stock of their assets, decide what is working well, what needs to be upgraded, and where there are gaps

4. Connecting the Building Blocks for Participation  Some “universal pieces” that can support and connect participation infrastructures:  Hyperlocal and Local Online Networks  Buildings that are Physical Hubs for Participation  Youth Councils  Participation Commissions (or Advisory Boards)  Can advise on the design, implementation, and evaluation of specific participation tactics and on building and embedding a sustainable participation infrastructure

5. Systemic Supports for Participation  Three additional supports that can buttress participation by helping people develop their skills  Local Participation Ordinances  Most laws governing participation are at least 30 years old  Working Group on Legal Frameworks for Participation has created new tools and a model local ordinance  Citizen’s Academies and Participation Training Programs  Can be used to inform citizens about the importance of participation, issues for participation, and skills for practice  Online Participation Dashboards  Can be used to track data on turnout, demographics, and participation satisfaction and measure overall quality of efforts

6. Envisioning Stronger Participation Infrastructure  Make it clear that participation is a cross- sector priority  Use plainer, more compelling language  Encourage both progressive and conservative visions  Use visual aids, like charts and maps  Encourage artistic expressions of democracy See Box 9.1 for a discussion of “Civic Utopia” See Figure 9.1 for an artistic expression of “The Architecture of Participation Infrastructure” See Figure 9.2 for an artistic expression of “A Map of Online Communities”

7. Small ‘d’ democratic Planning for Small ‘d’ democratic Infrastructure  Perhaps instead of a grand plan for participation infrastructure, we need a series of smaller plans that are united through common principles and practices:  Cross silos within government and between experts  Understand and articulate the broader context and reasons why people might want to participate  Find out and tap into where citizens are already assembled  Assemble people in new settings  Map everything in ways that are transparent and responsive  Build databases on the community and its residents  Facilitate accountability as much as possible  Measure participation

8. Small ‘d’ democratic Planning for Small ‘d’ democratic Infrastructure  A participation infrastructure can be built in many ways, but it must work for the individuals it serves and the institutions it encompasses  Builders of a participation infrastructure must periodically ask, answer, benchmark, and measure:  Why will people care about this?  How will it serve our needs as citizens?  Why will people participate?  How will this make the work of public officials, public employees, and other stakeholders easier, more effective, and more gratifying?

9. Small ‘d’ democratic Planning for Small ‘d’ democratic Infrastructure  Above all, the local infrastructure for participation must reflect the needs and goals of ordinary people.  Generating broader understanding and ownership is important – and maybe even necessary  More participatory forms of governance are best constructed in participatory ways