Public Participation comes in many shapes and forms. At the foundation are different types of interaction and information flows between participants. These flows can range from simple to complex and include one-way, two-way or multiway interactions.
Interaction can take place in-person or online. The “public” in public participation should be seen as the different “publics” to be engaged. For some initiatives this may include targeted audiences and stakeholders. For others, the publics might include affected citizens, interested parties or even the general population.
At the heart of Ascentum’s public participation methodology is a deep appreciation for informed participation and the conviction that people must be at the centre of public participation process. Informed participation is an enriched knowledge gathering process. It taps into people’s collective experience, values, knowledge and common sense by providing them with an opportunity to consider multiple facets and implications of a given issue.
We value informed participation for its inclusiveness, its far-reaching applications, the quality of its results and, most importantly, for the sustainability it brings to our clients’ decisions.
Ascentum’s full range of public participation skills and services – in-person, online or social media or a combination of all these channels—can be integrated to provide a customized engagement approach that meets your specific needs. These include: