University of Dayton
IN-26: Innovation C

In 2017, the University of Dayton's Hanley Sustainability Institute convened two pilot deliberative dialogues on Climate Solutions on campus and in the community. In this southwest Ohio region, climate change and discussion of mitigation and adaptation strategies is a polarizing issue. To begin to raise awareness of climate change, bridge the divides, create safe space for dialogue about the issue, and build trust and capacity for action, HSI adopted a model for deliberative participatory dialogues from the National Issues Forum Institute (NIFI.org). On campus, over 250 participants contributed from across the political and demographic spectrum – university students as part of courses, staff, faculty, and administration as well as Dayton community members. Over 60 students were trained as small group facilitors with deliberative dialogue techniques. In small group deliberations, individual participants weighed solutions and trade-offs in answer to the question “how should we meet the challenges of a warming planet?” The success of this initial convening in reaching across ideological divides, developing shared values, and generating capacity for action was evident in the participant feedback following the forum. “I never before sat down to listen to other's concerns” is one comment that illustrates the value of structured and deliberative civic engagement in addressing complex, polarized societal problems. "I didn't realize what an urgent issue climate change was until this forum" is another example of the impact of the conversations. Ten percent of the participants volunteered to take part in follow-up conversations. HSI piloted a second Forum in the community, convening over 70 members of a church congregration. Again, UD students facilitated the small group deliberations reflecting participants' values and concerns about addressing climate change. The participants had similar responses and sense of relief at being able to talk with fellow church community members across the polarized divide. approximately two-thirds of the participants volunteered to contribute in follow-up action teams. The parish is now convening additional conversations and planning activities to raise up local solutions.

https://udayton.edu/artssciences/initiatives/vote-everywhere/events.php https://udayton.edu/blogs/internationalud/17-03-30-stander.php