Organize Stakeholder Groups

Organize stakeholder groups

One way agencies can begin organizing for participation is by establishing a core participation group that can help them develop a participation plan and begin the process. Collaborative stakeholder involvement is a very sophisticated form of participation and requires significant preparation, care in selection of participants, use of a trained facilitator, and time and patience.

	A collaborative group has these basic features:
	a sponsoring agency committed to the process;
	a broad range of representative interests;
	emphasis on resolving an assigned issue through consensus;
	detailed presentations of material and technical assistance for complete understanding of context and subject matter; and
	serial meetings to understand and deliberate the issues.

Several different types of collaborative groups are possible. Each differs with regard to its composition, responsibility, authority and lifespan.

Advisory committee

An advisory committee is a representative group of stakeholders that meets regularly over a long period to discuss issues of common concern. Often called "citizen advisory committees (CAC)," these groups may also include representatives of relevant agencies. The committee provides a forum for hearing people's ideas, helps to mold participants into working groups, and demonstrates the planning agency's commitment to participation. An Advisory Committee has these basic features:

	interest groups from throughout the community or region are represented;
	meetings are held regularly;
	comments and points of view of participants are recorded;
	consensus on issues is sought but not required; and
	the committee is assigned an important role in decisionmaking.

Members may be appointed by staff or elected officials, or may be selected by existing members of the committee, and membership often changes over time. Diversity of perspectives and representativeness are important criteria when selecting members. Generally the committee elects its own leadership.

Task force

Task forces are similar to advisory committees, but with a specific "charge" and limited lifespan.

Policy board

Citizen policy boards are standing committees of citizens appointed by government officials that are established by statute, regulation or administrative decision. While advisory committees simply provide advice and recommendations, policy boards have more authority, although it will depend on the power granted to them by the governmental body.

Study circle

A study circle is a group of typically 8 to 12 people who meet regularly over a period of weeks or months to address a critical public issue in a democratic, collaborative way. Participants examine the issue from many points of view and identify areas of common ground. They emerge with recommendations for action that will benefit the community. People find study circles valuable because:

	The discussions begin with people talking about their own experiences.
	Study circles don't deal with problems in the abstract -- they deal with real problems that real people experience every day.
	The small groups help people of different backgrounds talk about difficult issues in a safe, respectful way. Large groups can be intimidating; but many people who are uncomfortable in a large group will open up more easily to a smaller one.
	People know that they are part of a larger effort, and they feel good about that.
	The study circle program as a whole empowers community residents. It helps people solve problems and take action in their own neighborhoods and communities.

Study circles hold a series of meetings to discuss critical issues. Members are assigned readings and other tasks between meetings. The process is very structured, often using study guides and discussion questions developed by an agency or a steering committee. Participants discuss each facet of the issue in detail. The same group meets periodically to investigate and debate the issue. Participants can be appointed or self-selected.

Focus group

A focus group is a tool borrowed from the marketing and advertising industry. It is a way to identify the concerns, needs, wants, and expectations of a sample group of citizens, and can inform planners of the attitudes and values that citizens hold. It can help drive development of policies, programs, and services and the allocation of resources.

Participants are selected in two ways: random selection is used to assure representation of all segments of society; non-random selection helps elicit a particular position or point of view.

	A focus group has these basic features:
	a carefully-crafted agenda, with five or six major questions at most;
	emphasis on gathering perspectives, insights, and opinions of participants through conversation and interaction;
	identification of major points of agreement and divergence of opinion;
	minimal presentation of material to set context and subject;
	gleaning, not shaping, of opinions or perspectives;
	eight to twelve participants.

A focus group leader explores attitudes in depth through follow-up questions. Informality encourages full participation. The small size of the group lowers barriers to speaking out. Spontaneity in responding produces fresh information. Participants are not required to prepare for the discussion. A focus group can be tailored for otherwise underrepresented individuals; a specific area, such as a neighborhood; or a group of experts. Focus group information supplements but does not replace other community input.

References & Links:

Community Toolbox: Bringing Solutions to Light University of Kansas Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development in Lawrence, KS, and AHEC/Community Partners in Amherst, Massachusetts

Relationships among Organizations: Promoting Networking, Coordination, Cooperative Agreements and Collaborative Arrangements
Developing Multisector Collaboration
Coalition building
Organizing Study Circles
Focus Groups

Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision Making
Federal Highway Administration, September 1996

Collaborative task forces
Civic advisory committees
Citizen policy boards
Focus Groups

The Citizens Handbook: A Guide to Building Community in Vancouver
Vancouver Citizens Committee

Group Structure

Civic Practices Network