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‘Best night I’ve had in a long time’ - Participant, Worthing Community Involvement Group about Democs on waste management
‘I liked the structure of the conversation and the information given to others to understand the topic and not speak out in ignorance’ - Jameel, undergraduate student
‘Everyone could speak and it was structured well’ - - Remi, youth worker
‘
Enables discussion to flow without facilitator having to know about the subject’ - - Teacher
‘Students welcomed the opportunity to discuss the topic and passions were raised! There are growing opportunities to use this approach as the Key Stage 4 curriculum changes in 2006’ - - Teacher
‘We touched on issues that we personally as a group wouldn't have discussed. I heard and expressed opinions that wouldn't have been shared’ Young person
‘
It made me think, I want to do more.
’ - Young person
‘Instead of you up there and me down here, we’re level. And looking back at all the times I’ve been homeless, that what I’ve ever wanted’ - - A homeless person talking to a local authority officer, after playing the Democs kit on Homelessness
For organisers democs provides a way of holding a consultation on what may be a complex and technical topic in a way that is:
- Flexible
- Informal
- Can involve hard to reach groups
- Accessible - anyone who wants to can join in
- Inexpensive
For participants, it:
- Provides time and space to think
- Builds relationships
- Helps to find out what others think
- Is not too time consuming
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