Lately I've been questioning myself about whether Create Change Chesterfield is still on the right track. I'm about to announce the next community event here in Chesterfield and I'm really excited about what we've brought together. It meets the needs identified at the People's Assembly and brings in the creative touches that are key to Create Change Chesterfield. It's going to be a great day. But still I'm questioning myself!
I set myself a task to make sure that this project will embody participatory principles. The participants control the direction of this project. There is a feedback-led model so that the community can set the agenda for future events. The events are steered by the priorities of the Create Change community. I also organise the events to include participatory activities. The reason for this is to deliver the experience of being involved in a deliberative democracy experience. It will take a long time for each of us to be called upon to be part of a citizen's assembly or similar. I believe the experience of these activities could help participants understand the value and see the potential of deliberative democracy.
I recently described it like this
Problem to address: Introducing the concept of deliberative democracy to a wider audience. We need to allow the benefits of this new vision for our democracy to be brought to a wider, diverse audience across our country. To achieve changes to the democratic system it is crucial to spread this deliberative culture.
I see a lot of energy in the academic and professional world of deliberative democracy (#delibwave) but will real change come from wider public understanding the value of these activities? Not only understanding but then advocating for this new vision for our democracy.
So although I'm pleased that the events are embodying the principles of deliberative democracy I'm left wondering if I'm doing enough to explain my ideas about how we could really create change by including these in our democracy?
Should the topic being discussed be democracy itself- although the community have raised this as a lower priority than the climate emergency which we are currently working on? I've even been warned off using the word 'Democracy' at all! This really made me realise the challenge that I faced. I found people passionate about building a community of changemakers who are able to stand up and take action on the problems they see BUT they did not see democracy as an avenue to create that change. And even saw it as a toxic topic. It was as it they felt they had lost faith in the ability for democracy to build a better future.
For now I am thrilled to be able to deliver what the community see as useful to them, whilst adding opportunities to think about the effectiveness of the participatory techniques and how they could be used in a wider way through democratic practices.
The next stepping stone, I think, is to I'll find a creative way to talk about these ideas directly. Can we talk about democracy without scaring people away?
(If you know of any projects that are working in this area I'd love to hear about them)
I set myself a task to make sure that this project will embody participatory principles. The participants control the direction of this project. There is a feedback-led model so that the community can set the agenda for future events. The events are steered by the priorities of the Create Change community. I also organise the events to include participatory activities. The reason for this is to deliver the experience of being involved in a deliberative democracy experience. It will take a long time for each of us to be called upon to be part of a citizen's assembly or similar. I believe the experience of these activities could help participants understand the value and see the potential of deliberative democracy.
I recently described it like this
Problem to address: Introducing the concept of deliberative democracy to a wider audience. We need to allow the benefits of this new vision for our democracy to be brought to a wider, diverse audience across our country. To achieve changes to the democratic system it is crucial to spread this deliberative culture.
I see a lot of energy in the academic and professional world of deliberative democracy (#delibwave) but will real change come from wider public understanding the value of these activities? Not only understanding but then advocating for this new vision for our democracy.
So although I'm pleased that the events are embodying the principles of deliberative democracy I'm left wondering if I'm doing enough to explain my ideas about how we could really create change by including these in our democracy?
Should the topic being discussed be democracy itself- although the community have raised this as a lower priority than the climate emergency which we are currently working on? I've even been warned off using the word 'Democracy' at all! This really made me realise the challenge that I faced. I found people passionate about building a community of changemakers who are able to stand up and take action on the problems they see BUT they did not see democracy as an avenue to create that change. And even saw it as a toxic topic. It was as it they felt they had lost faith in the ability for democracy to build a better future.
For now I am thrilled to be able to deliver what the community see as useful to them, whilst adding opportunities to think about the effectiveness of the participatory techniques and how they could be used in a wider way through democratic practices.
The next stepping stone, I think, is to I'll find a creative way to talk about these ideas directly. Can we talk about democracy without scaring people away?
(If you know of any projects that are working in this area I'd love to hear about them)
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