How to support participants to continue exercising agency after the assembly? How to enable potential alliances with social movements, NGOs or other supporters?
RelatedEncourage Self-OrganisationCollectively LearningEngaging with Communities of InterestFuture VisioningAmplify Minoritised VoicesPolyphonic Decision-Making
To be transformative, CCAs should not only focus on producing results but also help build societal agency beyond the assembly. Meaningful participation does not only relate to immediate impact on decision-making and policies, but also to the experience of participation. This is key to addressing participation fatigue, as CCA outcomes are often taken as advisory.
Ideally, participants leave assemblies as agents and multipliers of change. They reach out to their families, friends, and colleagues. They can continue to collaborate with other transformation-engaged actors, such as NGOs and social movements. Organised groups can then nourish broader political activation, much needed in times of fatalism, escapism, and the rise of authoritarian forces. Eventually, organised political pressure can push for the implementation of the envisioned changes beyond the CCA boundaries.
Collective activation can be initiated during and after the assembly. Assemblies can be opportunities to make contact with potential partners, such as invited individuals engaged in institutions or movements. Some of these practices can be simple triggers for activation, such as supporting participants in accessing other participants’ contact information, considering personal preferences, and complying with data privacy regulations.
Facilitate self-empowerment to expand small-scale experiences to broader action by enabling participants to campaign for their recommendations. In Austria, participants formed an association due to the discrepancy between the empowering assembly experience and limited political uptake Verein des österreichischen Klimarats der Bürger
Activate youth participation as in the Klimabürgerrat South Tyrol, where some of the youngest participants joined the climate ambassadors action of the local climate justice movement and developed skills in using connecting technologies to coordinate initiatives, share ideas, and organize events.
Provide sustained Follow-up to Climate Assemblies (KNOCA Guidance) to maintain momentum and support participant-led initiatives through organizing workshops, and continued engagement (follow-up assemblies etc.). The Global Citizens’ Assembly, initiated follow-up activities exploring small grants and partnerships to support participants led local climate actions.
Review political uptake to ensure impact by establishing mechanisms for citizens to track how recommendations are implemented. At the Camden Climate Assembly participants proposed a follow-up panel to ensure structured accountability in the political process (Involve UK).