Our early research and our 10 years of experience tell us that not only do democratic processes improve public policy, they also:
1.
Social cohesion is the ‘glue’ that binds society together. It comprises several key elements, including:
Democratic processes help to build social cohesion by bringing diverse groups of people together with different values and perspectives to participate in political life and find common ground. In doing so the process helps to build trust in the convening institutions, improve feelings of inclusion and belonging as well as mutual understanding and respect of other perspectives.
We have started collecting data on a range of measures regarding social cohesion and democratic skills.
2.
Deliberative democratic processes help to build support for change by:
Building support, isn’t a transactional process, it is collaborative one – requiring ‘give and take’.
By meaningfully addressing the concerns communities may have with change whether it is policy or project delivery – governments or organisations can change the conversation from a combative one to a positive one.
We see real shifts in sentiment because of this approach. In a recent project in Gippsland, Victoria about Offshore Wind, we saw a 30% increase in support for offshore wind at the end of the process.
3.
Knowledge is central to our ability to make sound and evidence-based decisions. In a world where disinformation, misinformation and low levels of trust are persuasive – deliberative processes help to address and manage these issues by:
The result…? The information participants receive through a deliberative process is trusted AND most importantly it increases knowledge of complex issues. In the Gippsland Offshore wind project, we saw a 102% increase in participants identifying that they knew a lot about offshore wind developments and operations after the process.
4.
Deliberative democratic processes create respectful, constructive, and safe environments to support people to share their personal experiences. We design engagement methods and facilitation processes to meet the needs of different groups and individuals.
As a consequence, the work is very effective in helping our clients to get a rich understanding of the needs of groups that they are wanting to support.
In addition, deliberative democratic processes also help people to understand each other’s needs – building empathy and improving the willingness of people to compromise their own needs or wants for the needs of others.
“One of the most powerful things I have ever seen was a group of very financially vulnerable South Australians being willing to pay more for energy to ensure the reliability of the energy system for all South Australians”
Ultimately, our work offers a way to create sustainable solutions to complex problems.
Solutions that empower the community, connect the diverse interests of individuals and organisations, and give our clients real evidence-based solutions that improve people’s lives.
We hope you enjoy exploring some of the case studies and that they provide some tangible examples of how we can help you achieve your objectives. You can also read case studies detailing how we have been supporting Members of Parliament to represent their communities at The People’s House.
