Initial Results from Policy Improvement Teams

1. Initial Results from Policy Improvement Teams Steve Daniels Western Rural Development Center Gregg Walker Oregon State University Presented at Great Plains Population Symposium Bismarck, ND. October 17, 2001

2. A simple plan The method we used Alan Simpson’s “quilt” Emergent challenges Local expertise/preaching to the choir

3. Collaborative Learning (Daniels & Walker) • Designed specifically for public policy decision situations • Combines concepts from negotiation and mediation with systems thinking • Emphasizes active learning and systemic improvement

4. Collaborative Learning Encourages: • Dialogue and deliberation between diverse communities: technical, public, and administrative. • Integration of technical and public/local knowledge about the problem situation. • Understanding the situation systemically. • Increased rapport, respect, and trust among participants in the situation.

5. Collaborative Learning Builds Community From dialogue to deliberation to decisions. Actions as improvements rather than solutions. Improvements as desirable and feasible change: Desirable: What we want Feasible: What we can do

6. Policy Improvement Teams:“Layering” of effort Recommendations Improvements Concerns Principles

7. Alan Simpson’s Policy “Quilt”

8. Alan Simpson’s Policy “Quilt” National policy is like a quilt keeping the nation warm.

9. Alan Simpson’s Policy “Quilt” National policy is like a quilt keeping the nation warm. Wyoming is like the toes sticking out from under the quilt.

10. Alan Simpson’s Policy “Quilt” National policy is like a quilt keeping the nation warm. Wyoming is like the toes sticking out from under the quilt. The Senator understood his job as making sure the quilt covered Wyoming as well as the rest of the nation.

11. Emergent challenges facing the Great Plains Emergent properties are only apparent at the whole-systems level. No single organization or level of government addresses emergent challenges well. Every single PIT understood emergence because they constantly made connections between issues.

12. Local Expertise/Preaching to the Choir Summarize Drabenstott, Fluharty, Flora et al.?

13. Local Expertise/Preaching to the Choir Drabenstott, Fluharty, Flora et al.: Multi-sectoral place-based development of community capacity and sustainability through investment in diverse forms of capital in order to compete in a global economy and a national political sphere.

14. In other words… community is key

15. Preaching to the Choir Tremendously tied to place Rich social networks Beyond Potomocentric statutory fixes Our region, our future, our responsibility

16. Selected Principles Provide incentives, not constraints Promote democratic engagement in all its forms and levels Ensure a safe sufficient food system Timeliness is critical

17. Selected Concerns Youth exodus/aging population Communities on the brink • fragile health care • school consolidations Economic viability of agriculture Geographic isolation Not on the national radar screen (Other than these, things are fine.)

18. Selected Recommendations Build on REAP successes and lessons Engage students in community life through active “civics” opportunities Move beyond commodity agriculture (lose money on every unit, make it up on volume) Multi-state summit w/foundations on funding strategies

19. Selected Recommendations, p.2 Involve faith-based organizations and ad hoc groups in addressing the psychological impacts of terrorism Have a farm title in the Rural Bill rather than a rural title in the Farm Bill Information technology extension agents

20. Where does the process go from here? DSU will summarize and convey to Congressional delegations ASAHP Local/state symposium next spring A decentralized approach: anyone can run with an idea they are passionate about This workshop is a catalyst for regional discussion, not the conclusion.