Shared Vision
home about us reports partners events professional servicesYouth Civic Engagement




overview
board
professional service
staff
results
opinion
 
Townhall
Workshops
Focus Groups

The principal activity of Shared Vision over the last ten years has been to organize town halls and forums bringing together hundreds of people at each event. These events develop civic capacity by facilitating interaction and consensus among policymakers, the business community, civic organizations, neighborhood groups, environmental advocates, and the general public. The events are balanced and non-partisan, offering a proven approach to community dialogue.

Shared Vision town halls explore virtually any issue of public interest that builds our community. Town halls have been held on: quality growth, economic vitality, cultural diversity, education performance standards, and water resources. Events receive publicity through newspaper coverage, special background pieces, radio talk shows, and other media.

Over thirty elected officials have chaired Shared Vision town halls and forums. The town halls seek to counter the trend toward "sound bite" media education and provide opportunities for the community to engage in dialogue on issues that impact social and economic well-being and quality of life into the future. The town halls provide an alternative to reactive government, instead actively looking at where we want to be at a future time and how to get there. Town halls are geared to meeting the public involvement needs of implementing agencies.

Typically one-day events, town halls typically combine both EDUCATION and DIALOGUE.

EDUCATION - The morning sessions feature presentations and panel discussions with leading authorities, often nationally-recognized, interacting with community leaders and experts on the topic. Panel discussions balance differing views so the audience has the opportunity to hear and learn about all sides of an issue. Through questions and answers, interested citizens and knowledgeable speakers learn from each other.

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE - In the afternoon, attendees participate in smaller interactive break-out sessions. These sessions are professionally facilitated and designed to allow people to talk through issues following a discussion outline. The exchanges among different views are the heart of the process, and efforts are made to have balanced community representation of different interests in each break-out group. Often participants' views change in the course of interactive dialogue, and new ideas emerge. Each group reports out their results in a plenary session so that groups can share their conclusions.



Shared Vision compiles the results of the discussion based on recorders' and facilitators' notes and tapes. The results of each event are summarized in a high quality published report that synthesizes diverse views into a coherent presentation. The report is mailed to all participants and elected officials.

The report gives a lasting voice to the community. It expresses the consensus of the town hall and becomes the basis for moving forward, communicating the will of the community to policy makers for implementation. It defines and extends the public voice emerging from the event so that it is communicated and available to a broader audience.

Town Halls and Forums take 4-6 months lead time to organize. Ideally, they should be timed to provide community input that is useful at a key decision point by government or other institutional partner.


Back to top