Leading Engagement. Three days of learning and exploration
Leading Engagement was born out of conversations among Becky Atkinson, Tim Merry and Peter Bigelow. Based on our experiences working together on public engagement projects and events, we realized there was a desire among many people to learn more about the worldview and application of authentic public engagement.
A compelling and productive partnership formed among the three of us and our respective organizations and networks. Leading Engagement dates were set and invitations sent out. We reached maximum registration with 60 people, which we felt was a sure sign we were hitting on real need.
Local projects have begun to set a new bar for engagement. The Halifax Central Library, Cole Harbour Basin Open Space Plan, the Halifax Stadium, the Strategic Urban Partnership and Nova Scotia Public Health provincial stakeholder engagement have all helped to create a new playing field for citizen engagement in Nova Scotia.
Underneath this success is a worldview which demands we let go of control and begin to trust in the wisdom of our citizens and communities. The methodologies and mental models we learned about, and which are on this website, are just symptoms of this subtle and complex way of seeing the world.
There is no turning back now, in fact, we are leading the way.
We are all leaders in the experiment of how to evolve our democracy to become fully participatory so that it meets the needs of people and the times we live in. We are all on the forefront of healing the fragmentation and distrust that has become typical of citizen and decision maker relationships. Whether those decision makers are governmental, corporate or societal leaders, we believe the re-bridging of this gap and unblocking of the information and knowledge flow is a key leverage point for the successful evolution of our societies.
There can be no more waiting. The risk of not being participatory can be seen all over the world through the global Occupy movement, citizen uprising in the middle east and southern Europe, riots in the UK and list goes on. People are organizing everywhere, the illusion of control is dissolving in front of our eyes. We have no choice but to go along with it or get left behind.
Let’s go.
There’s no time to waste. There is a future to build for our children and grandchildren.
