Activity and time |
Facilitator notes |
Set up (15-30 minutes before participants arrive) |
- Place signage (if necessary)
- Set up room to be comfortable for both plenary (all-audience) and breakout (smaller group) discussion
- Establish distinct areas for registration and/or refreshments (if applicable)
|
Arrival (15 minutes) |
- Greet participants as they arrive
- Ask participants to register (if applicable)
- Offer participants a name tag and/or relevant handouts and materials (if applicable)
|
Opening (15 minutes) |
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Icebreaker (10 minutes) |
- Ask participants to break into small groups (4-6 people)
- Each person has one minute to answer the question: Why have you decided to join us today?
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Discussion 1: General
(15-20 minutes) |
- Ask participants to form a new group of three and select one participant in their group to be the notetaker
- Each person has three minutes to answer the question: (Do you and/or the people you know usually vote in elections? Why or why not?)
- After 10 minutes, ask one person from each group to share with the rest of the participants a 30-second summary of what was discussed
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Discussion 2: Democratic principles and values
(15-20 minutes) |
- Ask participants to form a new group of three and select one participant in their group to be the notetaker
- Each person has three minutes to answer the question: (Are there certain groups that you feel are excluded from the current electoral system? If so, why do you feel that they are excluded? What do you think could be done to help make Canada’s electoral system more inclusive?)
- After 10 minutes, ask one person from each group to share with the rest of the participants a 30-second summary of what was discussed
|
Discussion 3: Canadian federal electoral reforms
(20-25 minutes) |
- Ask participants to form a new group of three and select one participant in their group to be the notetaker
- Each person has three minutes to answer the question: (How do you feel about electronic voting? Why?)
- After 10 minutes, ask one person from each group to share with the rest of the participants a 30-second summary of what was discussed
|
Reflection
(20 minutes) |
- Ask participants to return and form into a circle (if possible)
- Give participants one minute to think about one sentence that answers the question: What are you taking away from today’s dialogue on Canadian federal electoral reform?
- Starting with your own answer, go around the circle and ask each participant to give their one-sentence answer (no more than 30 seconds each)
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Closing
(10 minutes) |
- Thank participants
- Collect the discussion notes and/or provide instruction on where to submit the notes
- Encourage participants to keep the dialogue going beyond the event
- Explain what you are doing with the results
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