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Public policy consensus building involves assisting leaders and citizens in the difficult issues of public policy from local or national or international levels. The consensus approach to public policy is unique as initiatives have also worked with a transboundary and inter-sector focus.
It may provide new opportunities in visioning for a divided community, a new way of framing issues that come back time and time again, providing options for services when faced with declining or rapidly increasing populations or addressing issues that cross traditional jurisdictions. |
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| Seven Attributes of Public Policy Consensus Processes (Adapted from www.policyconsensus.org): |
| Legitimacy |
The process is made legitimate by ensuring that all necessary interests are represented or at least supportive of the discussions. |
| Representation |
Participants represent stakeholder groups or interests, not only as themselves. |
| Joint Ownership |
Participants share responsibility for setting the ground rules for the process and for creating an outcome acceptable to all parties. |
| Flexibility |
Participants can design a process and address the issues in a manner that best fits their situation. |
| Facilitation |
An impartial facilitator, accountable to all participants, manages the process and maintains a safe atmosphere for communication. |
| Consensus-Decision-Making |
The intent is to make decisions through consensus rather than by voting. |
| Commitment to Implementation |
The sponsoring agency and/or all stakeholder groups commit to implementing the agreement that they mutually create. |
Here are some past examples of The Consensus Council's Policy Consensus Work:
U.S. Consensus Council
2/25/2005
In 2002, The Consensus Council partnered with Search for Common Ground of Washington, DC, to organize the United States Consensus Council to provide consensus services to leaders of Congress and the White House on difficult issues of national pubic policy. This national effort was based on the model developed by The Consensus Council, Inc., in North Dakota, with technical assistance from The Council colleagues and others. Please see www.usconsensuscouncil.org.
Working Group on Human Needs and Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Phase I
5/9/2003
At the request of Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa) and with the cooperation of Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn), the Consensus Council and a colleague organization, Search for Common Ground of Washington DC, formed the Working Group to build agreements to encourage religious organizations to provide services to people in need in a manner consistent with constitutional protections of religious freedom. Gathering national leaders of the religious community and civil liberties organizations, the agreements were released for consideration by congressional leaders. Review and download the final report, Finding Common Ground here. Visit www.working-group.org to learn more. For more progress in this area, review and download phase II report of the consensus process, Harnessing Civic and Faith-Based Power to Fight Poverty.
View File
International Flood Mitigation Initiative
4/5/2003
The International Flood Mitiagation Initiative was an innagural effort among stakeholders in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Manitoba resulting in 12 flood mitigation activies. The Consensus Council provided design, facilitation, research, implementation and documentation services. IFMI grew into many significant projects such a coordinated public policy effort among all jurisdictions at the Legislators Forum, the Greenway on the Red Trust, Inc. producing the second longest greenway in the world, Red River Basin Institute among three area universities and a partnership with Prairie Public television to produce "RiverWatch."
View File
Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment Decision Making
3/12/2003
The Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment Decision Making Consultation responded to repeated conflicts before the legislature. The Consultation included the medical and legal leaders, advocacy groups, hospice organizations and religious communities to build agreement on how decisions are made about administration of water and food for persons who are dying. The living will agreement provided a staturtory procedure for the important decision by the dying person, their family or their physicians in that order of priority. The ND Legislative Assembly approved this agreement.
Maple River Cultural Properties Protection
3/12/2003
The Maple River Cultural Properties Protection consensus process involved five tribal communities, water officials and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Consensus Council provided facilitation for the process.
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