Public Engagement Projects (PEP) works with organisations to build architectures of listening to balance architectures of speaking. Architectures of listening enable organisations to listen to large numbers of stakeholders and the public. The benefits of listening well include enhanced reputation, increased trust, better decisions, improved internal and external relationships, more motivated and engaged staff, and improved customer satisfaction.PEP uses a number of approaches… Show more Public Engagement Projects (PEP) works with organisations to build architectures of listening to balance architectures of speaking. Architectures of listening enable organisations to listen to large numbers of stakeholders and the public. The benefits of listening well include enhanced reputation, increased trust, better decisions, improved internal and external relationships, more motivated and engaged staff, and improved customer satisfaction.PEP uses a number of approaches and tools from the social sciences, decision making, collaboration, public engagement, youth development and online participation to help your organisation build ‘architectures of listening’. These include:* small- and large-scale dialogue and deliberation in face-to-face and online contexts* the use of advanced survey tools that combine quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g. Polis) John Pennington and I are the founding partners of PEP. Our record includes:* NZ's first national policy dialogue processes with the NZ public* NZ's first national public deliberation process with the NZ public* The NZ government's first public online policy forums* The first use of the advance survey tool, Polis, to enable a new model media engagement * An IAP2 award which recognised the quality of our 'deep' online engagement processes.Our expertise was developed while running award-winning national public dialogue and deliberation processes for Toi te Taiao: the Bioethics Council and, more recently, working with Scoop Independent Media using online participation tools to enable its readers to engage with each other and experts on policy issues. I have served on the Board of the International Association for Public Participation (Australasia) and am still an active member. I am also a member of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation, which is based in the United States. Show less

Developed a 2-day, executive development course called ‘Engaging the Public Effectively Using Social Media’ with Prof Miriam Lips and Laura Sommer. Offered twice annually through Victoria Professional Executive DevelopmentDeveloped and co-teach the Masters-level course EGOV 503: Managing ICT-enabled Forms of Public Engagement in 2015 with Prof Miriam Lips

Town Belt Legislative and Policy Review project 2009-2014. Engagement included deliberative workshops. Received special recognition for Project of the Year 2014 in Core Values Awards, IAP2 (Australasia)Stage 2, Island Bay to City cycleway options, 8-week deliberative Citizens’ Advisory Panel process, 2014.Assessment of structural proposals for Zealandia, deliberative workshop, 2012 Applied deliberative principles to transform the Wellington City Youth Council (2011-15)… Show more Town Belt Legislative and Policy Review project 2009-2014. Engagement included deliberative workshops. Received special recognition for Project of the Year 2014 in Core Values Awards, IAP2 (Australasia)Stage 2, Island Bay to City cycleway options, 8-week deliberative Citizens’ Advisory Panel process, 2014.Assessment of structural proposals for Zealandia, deliberative workshop, 2012 Applied deliberative principles to transform the Wellington City Youth Council (2011-15) and other advisory groups. Achievements included deliberative workshop for Alcohol Management Strategy in collaboration with another youth organisation, 2013. Received ‘Love ya work’ award from Youth Work Wellington, 2014 Show less

Policy advice on the cultural, ethical and spiritual dimensions of biotechnology by promoting and participating in dialogue with New Zealanders.‘Who gets born? Pre-birth testing’ project: a national, face-to-face and online, deliberative process, 2007-08. Received international recognition from IAP22-day deliberative workshop on nanotechnology for 60 diverse participants, 2009