Table of Contents >
Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources >
Section 3. Conducting Public Forums and Listening Sessions >
Conducting Public Forums and Listening Sessions |
Tools & Checklists | Contributed by Vince Francisco and Jerry Schultz Edited by Bill Berkowitz |
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| Checklist
Here, you'll find checklists that summarize the major points contained in the text.
You understand that public forums:
____ give people of diverse backgrounds a chance to express their views
____ are a first step toward understanding the community's needs and resources
You have gathered the following things you need to conduct a public forum:
____ meeting place
____ community members
____ easel/newsprint /markers
____ facilitator
____ recorder
____ willingness to listen carefully
Issues and Concerns
You have asked yourself the following questions:
____ What are the problems?
____ What are the consequences?
____ Who is affected?
____ How are they affected?
____ Are there related issues of concern?
____ Are these issues of widespread concern?
Barriers
You have asked yourself the following questions:
____ Who or what might oppose efforts to prevent or solve the problem?
____ Can they be involved effectively?
____ What are the other limits on effective prevention/treatment?
____ How can the barriers and resistance be overcome?
Resources for Change
You have asked yourself the following questions:
____ What resources are needed?
____ What local people or groups could contribute?
____ What monies and materials are needed?
____ Where might they be obtained?
Alternatives and Solutions
You have asked yourself the following question:
____ What are alternatives for addressing the problem, given the anticipated barriers?
Organizing a public forum
You have taken the following steps:
____ Holding meetings at different sites to get real representation.
____ Scheduling the forum at an easy-to-find, public location which is accessible and comfortable
____ If possible, holding the forum in the evening to avoid time conflicts with work and school.
____ Publicized the forum as widely possible.
____ Personally recruited community leaders and diverse community members to attend the meetings, and asked them to recruit others as well.
____ Provided transportation to the meeting if necessary.
____ Served light refreshments if possible.
Conducting a public forum
You have taken the following steps:
____ Designated a discussion leader or group facilitator
____ Introduced the leader of the community initiative and the discussion leader, and, if time and group size allowed, let all participants introduce themselves.
____ Agreed upon an ending time, and kept to it.
____ Kept working groups to smaller than 30-40 participants, or, if over that number, divided into smaller groups.
____ Designated a recorder for each group.
____ Provided information about your own organization, if appropriate.
____ Considered allowing some time for addressing such topics as issues and concerns; barriers and resistance to addressing the issues and concerns; community resources for change; recommended alternatives and solutions.
____ Used newsprint to record the discussion on each of the topics.
____ Concluded with a summary of what was achieved and a preliminary plan of action.
____ Announced the next meeting if possible.
____ Prepared a written summary of brainstorming ideas and mail to all participants, with thanks, and with mention of opportunities for further involvement.