PUBLIC MEETING PLANNING GUIDELINES

An outline of methods to develop, manage and run an effective public meeting

 

 

A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.
- Sir Barnett Cocks

 

 

Detailed description of issues

Public meetings are places to exchange information and work on problems. They are interactive to allow everyone to participate. They can be either informal or formal.  There is a general record of events.

Tailor communication methods to what you are trying to do.  Decide if a meeting is appropriate.  Do you want to:

• Get information or advice?
• Get participants involved in solving a problem?
• Broadcast and explain information?
• Clarify an issue?
• Address several groups?

If so, a meeting might be an effective tool.  Meetings are not appropriate when:

• The decision has already been made (Announce decisions in news releases or press conferences--not public meetings. Hearings may be required to get comments on a decision for the record.)
• You don't have enough information to provide participants with an understanding of the problem
• There isn't enough time to deal with comments
• Emotions and conflict are too high

Public meetings are most effective when held early in the process to get input and to communicate to a wide variety of people.  Be honest about timeframes--if it will take a few months or years, explain why. 

 

 

PLANNING

Pre-meeting planning is vital to ensuring that the meeting gets things done. It is often wise to:

• Include some of the participants in your pre-meeting planning.
• Have a local host

Choose a place that is accessible and convenient. When you meet with groups, make it easy for them to participate. Consider providing transportation, interpreters for non-English speakers and Deaf people, and other special accommodations if needed.  Holding meetings when it is convenient for most participants will increase participation, gain credibility and build consent.

 

 

FORMAT OF MEETING

To determine what kind of meeting and what to do, ask yourself:

·        Why hold it?

Identify your place in the process.  Briefly list what you want out of the meeting and what it will be used for.

·        Who will be involved?

Target your audience. Who will come? What are their background and attitudes? Are all sides of the issue and all groups affected by the issue represented? Who are the decision makers--and will they be there?

·        What do you want?

To get input?

Develop options?

Get reactions to a plan??

 

Decide which format will best meet your audience and purpose.

 

Meeting formats include:

·                    Workshops

·                    Open houses

·                    One-on-one informal meetings

·                    Small group break outs

·                    Panel discussions

·                    Question/Answer sessions

·                    Presentations and discussions

·                    Focus groups

 

 

Holding the Meeting

In large meetings, facilitators can help ensure that people have a chance to speak without monopolizing the meeting. 

 

Independent facilitators may be useful when tensions are high or the issues are complex

When you require discussion in large meetings, break the meeting participants into small groups or “breakout groups”; (members may be grouped by specific sub-issue, or randomised).  Provide opportunity for breakout groups to feed back to the main meeting.

 

THINGS TO DO:

 

1. Deciding on a Venue
Go and see the venue first. Take along a checklist:

• Is the room too dark or shabby?
• Is the room large enough?
• Are there enough seats?
• Are there enough electrical outlets?   Do they work?
• Is the room accessible to people with disabilities?
• Is there adequate parking?
• Is the building in a safe and centrally located area of town?
• How is the sound system and/or acoustics? (Check it out in advance.)

It’s better to have a room that’s a little too small. A crowded room will make the meeting seem more successful than a large, half-empty room, but if you don’t know how many people will  attend-  play it safe.

2.      Booking your meeting:

·        Know the name of your meeting. If the meeting doesn't have a name, give it one.

·         Make sure the reservation person records this name in the reservation book. It's okay to give your name but make sure the reservation person writes down.

·        If the reservation person doesn't ask for a meeting name, offer one.  Sometimes reservations are taken by people who are not skilled in public relations.

This identical meeting name should be used from this point on regarding this meeting: in your agency newsletter, on posters or flyers, and on the restaurant/hotel marquee or meeting board.

 

3.                  Publicising Your Meeting
You can use:

·        The public notices of local daily newspapers, 

·        Community noticeboards, newspaper giveaways and

·        Community noticeboards of local radio stations   (You’ll have to call each radio station to find out its policy and time limit (usually 20 seconds) for these announcements; they may require a typewritten notice up to a month in advance).

·        Fax media releases to local newspapers and radio stations, (follow up with a phone call)

·        Local TV stations are also worth checking for free announcements.

·        Distribute fliers or posters via the participants you are specifically inviting

If your speaker is willing, try to schedule TV or newspaper interviews while he or she is in town.

 

4.                  Organise a date and a time to suit most people.

Pick an appropriate day and time for the meeting. You may want to avoid late afternoon because energy levels may be low. You may also want to avoid days right before or after a three-day weekend, over school holidays etc.

 

5.                  Contact key groups for support and involvement;

Contact people first by phone, and then by letter to confirm the arrangements.  Use a memo or E-mail to announce the date, time, location, and agenda of the meeting.  Do this well in advance of the meeting..

State the purpose of the meeting and what you hope to accomplish. Include the agenda and how much time you expect to spend on each topic.

 

6.            Registration process

When planning for a large meeting, or a meeting where you are uncertain of attendance numbers, it may be useful to use a pre-registration process, consisting of the following elements:

a. Registration or RSVP form that is to be filled out in advance and mailed in.

b. A database consisting of key contact information of all registrants.

c. Computer-generated name badges drawn from the information in the registration database.

 

The registration arrangement should allow participants to flow smoothly through the process with a minimum of writing and minimum lines waiting to register. If you have asked participants to pre-reregister, you should use your registration database to create an list of expected participants in alphabetical order   A registration process could include these three steps:

1. Place a tick beside your name on a list.
2. Pick up your name tag 
3. Pick up the agenda and other needed materials. (background notes or documents, pen, pad etc)

 

7.            Organise a facilitator/chairperson for the meeting

Choose a faciliatator who:

·        knows the issue you are presenting well

·        who is well respected in that community of interest

·        has excellent communication and moderation skills

 

8.            Organise supplies for meeting, including;

• butcher’s (large print) paper
• white board
• tape/blue-tac or clips
• note pads
• markers
• pens/pencils
• name tags and pens
• overhead projector and screen plus extension cord
• attendance sheet with attached clipboard and pen
• sufficient supplies of background material for all participants to take away
• refreshments for meeting (tea, coffee, juice, water, biscuits etc)

 

 

AGENDA

Determine your agenda. How will you reach your goals? Create a mental checklist: What absolutely needs to be covered in the meeting? Use this as part of your agenda and go back over it with everyone before the meeting ends to ensure everything was covered. A written agenda should cover:

• Welcome/intro
• Purpose for process
• Short background
• Purpose and end goals for this meeting (clearly separate this from the purpose of the project or process.)
• Procedures for input
• Items to discuss
• Where to from here?
• Conclusion

This agenda sets up the ground rules and gives you a back-up if discussions get off track. Setting up ground rules at the beginning of the meeting will also help ensure the meeting accomplishes the goals.

Plan your presentations. What points do you need to cover?

 

PREPARING FOR THE DAY

Most of us are nervous on the day we’re doing something special or new. While you may not be able to avoid being anxious, you can eliminate some worry (and maybe avert some misery) if you are well prepared.

 

A few days before the meeting:

·         Call your speaker to confirm the date and time he or she is expected.

·         Find out how the speaker would like to be introduced

·         Write down and practice the introduction.

·         Confirm your room rental.

·         Make sure your OHP or datashow projector is reserved and that you have adequate extension cords to connect the equipment.

·         Find out where toilets are

 

Arrive at the meeting’s location early enough to make sure the door is open, the temperature is comfortable, there are enough chairs, the audio visual equipment is working, and anything else to make sure there are no impediments.

 

Arranging Seating

When you have an opportunity to control the seating arrangements, follow these guidelines:

1. If interactive discussion of a fairly small group will be the primary activity of the meeting, place the chairs in a circle. If numbers are small

Use a semicircle if a projection device, chalkboard, or flip chart will be used.

2. If a larger group of participants will be seated in movable [stacking or folding] chairs, have the front of the room be along a long wall, the left/right of the room be along the short walls.

3.If the participants will be seated at tables, follow Rule 2 above but have the tables in a horseshoe, with the open side toward the front of the room.

If interactive discussion of will be the primary activity of the meeting, place the tables in a hollow square or rectangle, with a small opening for the chairperson to enter.

When tables are used and there is a good chance that participants will not know each other's names, it's a good idea to provide name tags

 

 

The day of your meeting:

·         Lay out supporting documentation on a table in the back of the room

• Bring extra copies of the agenda for those who arrive without their copy.
• Be at the door to greet people.  Make introductions as people arrive and do what you can to break the ice.
• Circulate a clipboard sheet with attached pen with columns for name. Organisation, address, phone/fax or email etc

 

 

• Start on time.  Waiting for late-comers encourages tardiness. Acknowledge late-comers by telling them you’ll fill them in later on what they missed.
• Introduce the speaker(s) to start the meeting
• State what you hope to achieve in the meeting and how long you’ve estimated each agenda item will take.

·         Stick to the agenda. It may be necessary to restate the meeting’s purpose to keep the discussion from drifting off course. Keep checking back with the agenda to cover all points and ensure you have enough time

·         Open the discussion of each item with a brief background and a summary of what is the group is being asked to do with this item (decide, approve or just listen). Ensure that everyone has a chance to participate equally to the discussion and that the meeting stays on topic.

·         To end the discussion of a topic, the facilitator should summarize the decision made or action to be taken and do a final check for the group's approval.

• Use open ended questions to encourage comments from all present. Another way to get feedback from everyone is to go around the table and ask each person for their ideas.
• Discourage anyone from dominating the discussion
• Takea break during long sessions to give everyone a chance to stretch their legs, go to the toilet, refresh themselves and to make phone calls.
• Close the meeting by summarizing what has been accomplished.  Referring to the agenda with its written objectives will help summarize and foster a sense of accomplishment and common ground.

·         Ask people if they’ve added their names to the sign-up sheet.

• Encourage each participant to state what they are going to do and when. This helps generate commitment.

·         Thank those who attended. Give special recognition to those who made presentations. Don’t forget to give credit to those who may have assisted in arranging the meeting.

·         Don't let participants go away empty-handed!

 

Before people start for the door, ensure that everyone agrees on:

·                     What will be done as a result of the meeting

·                     When and by whom

·                     How participants will be kept informed

·                     What steps remain in the overall process

·                     What elements are outside the participants' control - including your own control?

·                     How this input will be used?

·                     Who will make the decision and what they will consider?

·                     When the decision will be made

·                     Leave time for networking..

(In some cases the networking before and after the meeting may be the most valuable outcome for you and the participants).

Record Taking

The minute taker should write down the date, time, venue, name of meeting, staff attending, number of participants and where appropriate a list of those attending (personal privacy and confidentiality issues need to be respected)

Notes of the discussion should be as comprehensive as possible, including where possible some verbatim comments from individuals

The minutes need to note what decisions or responses to the issues were made, and who was to action those decisions.

The minutes should be circulated after the meeting so people are reminded about tasks they've agreed to, and issues clarified

 

After the meeting:

·         A few days later, write a short thank-you to your speaker; you may want to invite him or her again.

·         Mail a follow-up letter suggesting specific actions to people who attended the meeting, and be sure to add any new names to your mailing list.

• If there is to be a follow up meeting, decide on its agenda.
• Check back with those who are working on tasks to be completed before the next meeting. If they are having difficulties, offer assistance or alternatives so deadlines will be met.
• Distribute minutes as soon as practical.
• Consider how to improve the meeting process next  time.

 

Disability Issues For Public Meetings

While public meetings may be an efficient way of collecting community views and concerns quickly, they can present difficulties for people with disabilities.

The following factors should be considered when organising a public meeting that is likely to be attended by people with disabilities:

the time of the meeting
• some people with disabilities may need assistance to attend, and may find early morning meetings difficult;

the timing of agenda items
• enough time should be allocated for each person to speak, including those who may need more time to express their view, such as people who have difficulty speaking, have an intellectual disability or an acquired brain injury, or who use non-verbal communication methods such as word boards or computers;

one-to-one interviews
• these may be an alternative to public meetings to collect the views of people who need more time to express themselves;

the standard of physical access at the venue
• it should accommodate people in such a way that it improves their ability to concentrate and remain physically comfortable, for example, front door access by ramp with rails and ready access to a disabled persons toilet;

whether you need to engage a Deaf interpreter (available on contract from the local Deaf Association) so that Deaf people can participate in the proceedings.  Check with the local  Deaf Assn whether Deaf people are likely to attend.
• if so, you will need to ensure that those people relying on the interpreter are seated in a position where they can easily see him/her;  Speakers will need to regular breaks to  give the Deaf signer a  rest (or provide two Interpreters)

whether you need to install a hearing loop or book a venue that has one installed
• to assist people with hearing aids;

whether you need interpreters
• to be available for people with disabilities who may also have English as a second language;

whether you need information available in accessible formats:  eg large print, Braille, simple language, audiotape
• so that blind and vision impaired people or people with an intellectual disability can access the information prior to and during the meeting; and

whether the venue is accessible by public transport
• the absence of public transport restricts people's ability to participate. If there is no other suitable venue, you may need to consider whether you need to provide financial assistance for specialised transport or personal carers

Public meetings may disadvantage people with disabilities as they tend to:

• be threatening to those people with disabilities who find it difficult to interact with large groups of people, or express views in front of an audience; particularly in front of providers of their support services
• favour well organised groups and not reach those who are less articulate, most isolated and vulnerable; and
• be time consuming, so that people who need care or who are carers may be unable to attend or may have to leave before the meeting has covered all the issues that interest them.

Public meetings may be the first opportunity for people with disabilities to express their views and it is possible that information about unrelated issues may arise during the meeting. Some people may also not be aware of the different levels or functions of government bodies.

If issues that relate to other areas of a service or agency's responsibilities are raised, the participants' comments and ideas can be noted and passed on to the relevant areas for information and action. This form of indirect consultation is an important feedback mechanism for policy developers that should not be overlooked.

 

BRIEF CHECKLIST:  MEETING ARRANGEMENTS

(Adapted from New Zealand Ministry of Health Draft Ministry of Health Consultation Guidelines)

 

Making the venue reservation: Check: ·         How many people will the room comfortably hold? ·         Is there an OHP, screen, whiteboard, microphone etc? ·          Is it accessible for people with disabilities?- ramps, lifts,  accessible toilets etc ·         That advertising at venue is correct ·         Who provides refreshments?
Staff attending: List staff attending, and roles: Facilitator? Note taker? Presenter(s)/ Refreshment coordinator?   External resource people:     Participants:
Date and time of meeting:	Length of meeting:
Venue address:	Capacity:   Booked:   Cost:
Venue: · Is venue near public transport and good parking? ·Are there likely to be distractions during your meeting? –eg  strong sunlight coming directly into the room, building noise, rush hour traffic outside, other meetings or loud activities in a nearby room? ·Do you have a key? Is there someone you can call if you have problems getting in? · What is the room’s capacity? · Do you have enough chairs and can you arrange them in different ways?(are there more chairs or other rooms available for breakouts?) · Can the room be set up to accommodate a Powhiri?, i.e. chairs placed strategically? · Heating/Ventilation okay? (not too hot/cold?) · Has the room a positive ambience and good acoustics? · Are there whiteboards? · Can you stick anything on the walls? · Is there a sound system? · Are there ramps (no stairs)? · Accessible toilets? · Hearing loop? · Deaf interpreter booked? (via Deaf Assn.) · Good parking/disability parks?
Notification of meeting · Does the time suit those attending? · Invitation only? (RSVP?) · General invitations to organisations? · Which media to use/notices to send out? Public notices, posters, radio bulletin boards, media releases, interviews etc · Information sent out prior to meeting to participants and/or available on the day of the meeting? · Does everyone know how to get there? · Is there a contact for apologies or questions?
Running the meeting: · Posters or board indicating room/date/time at venue · Chair/facilitator (independent?) · Agenda · Name tags for staff and participants if appropriate · Butchers paper and pens · Microphone for speaker and roving mike for speakers from floor; (large venue) · Note-taker (positioned to hear comments from the floor) · Additional information available at table by door · Refreshments (tea/coffee /water/juice/food?– type and who supplies? · Equipment – OHP, screen, flipchart paper, felt pens, extension cords? Do you need to book this equipment in advance?

 

Bibliography

The Perfect Meeting by David Sharman, Random House, London, 1993..

 

P. Hodgeson, Effective Meetings, Century Business, London, 1992.

 

How to Run a Good meeting: A Guide for New Leaders, Centre for Community Change, Washington

 

Kevin Paul ,Chairing a Meeting with Confidence: An easy guide to rules and procedures, Self-Counsel Press, Vancouver, 1992.. 

 

The Decision-Making Process

http://www.usbr.gov/Decision-Process/process.htm

 

Public meetings-How to hold a good one!

www.netc.net.au/enviro/grpskills/2/pg13.html

 

Organizing a Public Meeting

www.peta-online.org/cmp/actguide8.html

 

Decison Process Handbook

www.usbr.gov/Decision-Process/meetings.htm

 

Designing Your Meeting

www.wvda.com/cctk/lively.html