Engaging more people in the process
We’re asking professionals who deal in public participation what they see as the issues, trends, and helpful techniques.
This response comes from Joan Isaacson, an EDAW senior associate and coordinator of the EDAW Public Participation Collaborative.
What are some issues you’re encountering in your current projects?
Joan Isaacson: Reaching people who typically are not engaged in public dialogue, which accounts for the majority of people. We typically only hear from people representing more polarized positions. I’ve been working to make use of existing community structures—community groups, service organizations, organized athletics, PTAs, umbrella organizations representing religious institutions, environmental justice, labor, etc.—for disseminating information and collecting input. These exisiting community structures already have established membership and communication channels that can be incorporated into a public participation program. Not only can we reach more people, but we also build stronger relationships and partnerships in the process. This generates trust, a key to any consensus-building process.