Public participation

Tailored consulting for the design of participatory projects

The involvement of local actors or citizens in the development of public policies generates much hope and expectation. In the context of a crisis in representative democracy, public participation processes offer a way to (re)empower those who struggle to have their voices heard, as well as to integrate their practical expertise into project development.

While these new approaches have demonstrated their effectiveness, they are also subject to criticism. Poorly designed and managed, or without impact on the final decision, they can create frustration and distrust, widening the gap with the very people they aimed to engage. Therefore, a public participation process cannot be improvised; it requires a strategy.

We provide consulting to organizations working on high-impact projects for their territory, on topics that may be controversial or sensitive for some actors.

We rely on our experience and a contextual analysis to anticipate difficulties and develop an effective, ethical, and tailored public participation strategy.

Specifically, we define the scope of the participation process, identify the actors to engage, and outline the steps to follow. Finally, for each workshop, we select the most relevant participatory methods and tools.