It also covers pragmatic concerns such as choosing topics and inviting participants to ensure successful discussions. Citizen Dialogue A core challenge in any public engagement campaign is presenting issues in a way that citizens can relate to and come to understand the basic values, conflicts and practical tradeoffs that different solutions offer. Fostering civil discussion among diverse community members who rarely interact can be a daunting task, which often requires skilled moderators who can manage time, maintain a nonpartisan stance and help people find their own voices. This one-day training session will help local moderators learn and practice techniques, and is designed for communities in an advanced stage of planning for discussions. These research tools can be a powerful means for fine-tuning a public engagement initiative to meet a community's specific needs.
Focus groups offer an excellent way to test different approaches.
Focus groups can be conducted with general population groups or with targeted groups such as parents, teachers, students, senior citizens, business leaders, religious groups and various racial, ethnic or income groups. Opinion surveys , conducted either by telephone or mail, expand on focus group research to provide a more comprehensive look at public attitudes. Surveys can reach many people who would not likely attend a focus group or public forum and can also concentrate media attention on public opinion and the need for public engagement. Public Agenda is also available for long-term consulting.