Interactivity Foundation's "Who Are We The People? Who Belongs?" explores democratic inclusion through a structured three-part facilitation guide. Participants engage in round-robin discussions, open dialogue, and collaborative wrap-ups to examine which voices are heard in our democracy and which are excluded. By the end, participants gain insights into building more inclusive democratic systems and develop skills for constructive engagement across different perspectives. Feedback opportunities are available to continue improving this vital conversation. Read more in the post below.

​In today’s world of advanced technology and countless sources of information, distinguishing between truth, falsehoods, and misinformation can be challenging. The Interactivity Foundation’s “Truth & Democracy” is a three-part facilitation guide designed to spark discussions on the role of science and education in a democratic society and strategies for addressing media misinformation. Read more in the post below.

In a society driven by mass consumerism and production, it's easy to overlook the role of farmers and rural communities in making convenience accessible to many people. The Interactivity Foundation’s “What is the Future of Rural Life in America?” is a facilitation guide designed to encourage discussion about the current state of rural living, agricultural values, and potential directions for the future of rural communities. The guide features three discussion topics, each with a round-robin discussion, an open discussion, and a wrap-up section that fosters perspective sharing and collaboration. By the end of the forum, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of rural life and developed the skills to collaborate with diverse viewpoints in exploring sustainable approaches for rural living. A link is also provided where facilitators and participants can submit feedback on the resource. Read more in the post below.

Most people agree that comprehensive K-12 public education is important, but implementing policies and allocating resources to benefit all students equally can be challenging. The Interactivity Foundation’s “What is the Future of K-12 Education?” is a facilitation guide designed to foster discussion about current educational systems, who benefits from them, and potential directions for the future of K-12 education. The guide includes three discussion topics, each featuring a round-robin discussion, an open discussion, and a wrap-up section that encourages perspective sharing and collaboration. By the end of the forum, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of various educational systems and developed skills to collaborate with diverse viewpoints in imagining ways to reform K-12 education within realistic constraints. A link is also provided where facilitators and participants can submit feedback on the resource. Read more in the post below.​

The arts play an important role in society, but how can an environment be created for them to thrive? The Interactivity Foundation’s “What is the Future of Arts in Society?” is a three-part facilitation guide designed to encourage discussion about how art is defined, how the arts influence society, and who should support the arts. Each topic includes a round-robin discussion, an open discussion, and a wrap-up section that fosters perspective sharing and collaboration. By the end of the forum, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of how art has contributed to societal change and developed the skills to collaborate with diverse perspectives in exploring new approaches to arts education within realistic constraints. A link is also provided where facilitators and participants can submit feedback on the resource. Read more in the post below.​

The "Dialogue Across Generations Guide," developed by Essential Partners, provides organized approaches for fostering meaningful conversations across generational divides. In an era where Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z often engage with distinct perspectives, media, and social values, this guide offers practical tools to navigate these differences. Through structured dialogue prompts, communication agreements, and facilitation techniques, the guide helps individuals, workplaces, faith communities, and educational institutions break down stereotypes, build trust, and foster mutual understanding. By examining different applications across diverse settings and following guidelines for managing challenging conversations, participants can move beyond generation stereotypes and cultivate stronger relationships based on shared understanding. Read more in the post below.

The "Guide to Dialogues About Israel-Palestine" by Essential Partners provides a structured framework for facilitating difficult conversations around one of the most complex and emotionally charged conflicts in the world, the ongoing Israel and Palestinian conflict in the middle east. This guide is designed to help dialogue practitioners, educators, and community leaders create spaces where diverse perspectives can be shared with respect, understanding, and openness.

Aiming to foster trust and constructive engagement, the resource includes practical facilitation strategies, discussion prompts, and techniques for fostering trust and constructive engagement. From leading a campus discussion, facilitating community dialogue, to hosting an interfaith gathering, this guide offers essential tools to navigate sensitive topics and support meaningful conversations.​

The "Share Our Organization Toolkit" is a practical guide designed to help organizations foster meaningful change and create a culture of shared purpose through Reflective Structured Dialogue. Developed by Essential Partners  and driven by their What is Essential initiative, this 5-step guide provides tools to inspire engagement, build trust, and align teams toward a common vision. By focusing on storytelling, relationship-building, and strategic communication, the toolkit empowers organizations to spark conversations that drive transformation. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your internal culture, deepen collaboration, or amplify your mission, this resource offers actionable steps to initiate and sustain meaningful organizational change. Read more in the post below.

How can society create a world where sports play an integral role in bringing people together while also addressing the inequities that can drive people apart? The Interactivity Foundation’s "What is the Future of Sports & Fitness?" is a four-part facilitation guide designed to foster discussions on the role of community in sports, the importance of sports to human well-being, the equity of sports, and the future of sports.  Each topic includes a round-robin discussion, an open discussion, and a wrap-up section that encourages perspective-sharing and collaboration. By the end of the forum, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of fitness and developed the skills to engage with diverse perspectives in addressing fitness inequities.   A link is also available for facilitators and participants to provide feedback on the resource. Read more in the post below.

Recognizing the corrosive nature of partisan polarization, Essential Partners, a leader in fostering relationships across differences, has developed tools to help individuals navigate political conversations more effectively. Drawing on decades of research, a "Guide to Conversations Across the Partisan Divide" offers strategies to interrupt cycles of polarization, foster curiosity, and create meaningful dialogue across differences. This practical guide emphasizes setting clear expectations, using structured conversation techniques, and maintaining an open, respectful approach. It also includes tips for engaging in constructive discussions both in-person and online. Designed for anyone seeking to communicate across political divides without compromising their values, this resource empowers individuals to build trust, repair relationships, and engage more productively in civic life.

Every American is affected by the divisions and outrage that prevent us from making progress on urgent problems. The National Issues Forum Institute’s “A House Divided: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want?” is a guide on leading forums that encourage dialogue and deliberation while exploring the U.S. political system. The guide offers three options to combat division and outrage in America while recognizing that there are no perfect solutions to our political system. Participants will also discover the upsides and potential trade-offs of each proposed idea and deliberate on follow-up questions about how to approach each of the issues. Read more in the post below. 

Small group discussions are at the heart of a public deliberation. Participants sit at a table together, express their opinions, hear ideas from other participants, and wrestle together with the issue at hand. Table facilitators and note-takers play an essential supporting role to help each group’s conversation effectively inform and contribute to the deliberations of the whole group. Each table facilitator and note-taker therefore has a significant influence on the quality of the deliberation and its outcomes. Yet there is much variation in how these roles are performed. This paper explores causes of and responses to this variation in order to advance the practice of intermediate and expert practitioners and note-takers of deliberative dialogue. 

​There are many guides and tip sheets about how to facilitate and record an effective dialogue but most of this information is focused on discussions that aim to identify and create greater understanding about an issue and its dimensions. We focus here on the roles of table facilitator and note-taker working with participants who are tasked with making decisions together, with intent to influence next steps, particularly in the context of policy making and/ or research.
Authors: Mary Pat MacKinnon, Jacquie Dale, Susanna Haas Lyons, and Fiona Cavanagh.

About Alberta Climate Dialogue: 
Alberta Climate Dialogue (ABCD) is a community-university research alliance funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada from 2010-2015. Our team is exploring how innovative forms of citizen involvement and deliberation can enhance responses and potentially 
shift the politics of climate change in Alberta.
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By convening deliberations with partners and researching the process, we are able to test theories, better understand how to design citizen participation for maximum effect, and help create capacity-building tools for others. We seek to empower citizens to take action within their communities and give them the opportunity to make recommendations to municipal and provincial governments on climate change policy. For more information please visit us at AlbertaClimateDialogue.ca

For more than 30 years communities of all sizes have used the Civic Index to measure their civic capital – the formal and informal relationships, networks and capacities that enable communities to solve problems and thrive.

Building on decades of work in communities, the fourth edition updates the Civic Index with a specific focus on equity and engagement; key components for healthy, thriving communities.
Use the Civic Index with gatherings of community members, partner organizations or staff to spark conversation about community strengths and areas in need of improvement.
​Resource Link: www.nationalcivicleague.org/resources/civicindex/