Evaluating citizen engagement in policy making

More recently, attention has also been focussed on the contextual factors that can mitigate the effectiveness of a particular citizen engagement initiative,5 and the outcomes of the exercise – whether in terms of policy, the decision-makers, or the participants.6 A few academics have also looked at the people involved in the engagement initiative and the extent to which they are representative of [...] With the benefit of hindsight following the referendum, the public views expressed during the consultations were not representative of the views of the general electorate, the majority of whom were opposed to electoral reform. [...] Institute On Governance influence on the decision about how to vote, although knowledge of MMP and the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly was low and remained low throughout the referendum campaign.19 3.5 Outcome Evaluation The proposed criteria to evaluate the outcome of a public participation exercise are: better decisions, better citizens, public acceptance of the output and outcome, and relevance. [...] The benefits cited included personal growth, broadened horizons, increased self-confidence, and better citizenship.20 3.5.2 Better Decisions, Public Acceptance of the Output, and Relevance In terms of the quality of the decision, the recommendation of the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly was well thought through and detailed. [...] According to their public opinion polling, knowledge and awareness of the referendum, the current electoral system, the proposed alternative, and the differences between the two systems increased substantially over the electoral period.