Ask people nicely to participate
Large-scale deliberative event organiser AmericaSpeaks and online engagement service provider Ascentum are collaborating to serve the Obama Administration’s pledge to open the US government to more public participation. Their joint venture is called Open Government Directions.
A couple of weeks ago they put out useful guide entitled Eight Principles of Public Outreach. It suggests ways to overcome typical public reluctance to participate.
I can vouch that we followed most of these prescriptions in the Australian Citizens’ Parliament, which resulted in better than 30% response rate on random invitations.
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