Empowering Voices: Citizens' Assemblies for Purpose-led organisations

Citizens' Assemblies are a proven approach to democratic decision-making. These assemblies serve as dynamic platforms where individuals can come together to deliberate on complex social issues, offering a fresh perspective through a diagonal demographic slice of the population.  

The Purpose Coalition is leading the way in championing the integration of Citizens' Assemblies into business decision making.  

We already have a Student Citizens' Assembly which is engaging young people in the purpose agenda. Our citizens' assembly with 40 students from across our Purpose Coalition Universities involves a series of assembly sessions where students learn about one of the 14 barriers to opportunity followed by structured discussions.  

The aim of the session is to encourage consensus-building around potential solutions and create a space for respectful dialogue, enabling students to deeply understand the issue, consider different viewpoints, and collaboratively propose solutions, mirroring the process and objectives of a traditional citizens' assembly. 

The concept of Citizens' Assemblies is rooted in the belief that informed and deliberative discussions can produce constructive solutions to the most pressing challenges facing society. These forums provide a level playing field where diverse voices, irrespective of socioeconomic status or political affiliation, come together to dissect issues, deliberate, and collectively formulate recommendations. Parliament's pioneering effort with the Citizens' Assembly on Social Care in 2018 marked a significant step towards embracing this inclusive approach to decision-making. 

Citizens' Assemblies were also introduced formally in Ireland in 2016 to give the public a greater voice over key constitutional and policy issues. The assemblies have been asked by ministers to explore key issues including abortion laws, fixed term parliaments, referendum rules, the ageing population, social care funding and climate change, leading to successful and transformative policy changes.  

Back in Britain, under the leadership of Cllr Georgia Gould, the London Borough of Camden has emerged as a trailblazer in implementing Citizens' Assemblies at a local level. Camden Council's proactive approach in engaging residents underpins the transformative potential of such assemblies in fostering community-led solutions. By empowering citizens to identify challenges and co-create strategies, Camden sets a powerful example for effective governance grounded in participatory democracy. 

The concept of Citizens' Assemblies finds resonance in the workings of our legal systems, where juries serve as small-scale versions of such assemblies. Juries, however, bear the immense responsibility of directly deciding the future of individuals' lives in criminal trials. In contrast, Citizens' Assemblies and initiatives like the Purpose Coalition's Student Voice Panel offer a broader platform for deliberation and recommendation, influencing policy decisions without bearing the weight of direct of final judgement. 

Looking ahead, the Purpose Coalition aims to expand the scope of Citizens' Assemblies to encompass businesses across the UK - ensuring robust employee engagement in breaking down the barriers to opportunity. Going forward this will involve businesses, universities, and healthcare institutions in tandem with governmental bodies, outlines the commitment of purpose-led organisations to forging enduring solutions rooted in broad-based consensus.  

The Purpose Coalition, as part of its wider work in this area, is holding a key upcoming roundtable in early May, chaired by Cllr Georgia Gould and Nick Forbes CBE former member of Kier Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet, which promises to explore in detail the potential of Citizens' Assemblies to shape impactful policy decisions. The discourse will explore avenues for harnessing this innovative model to address the wide-range of contemporary challenges facing communities and the wider country - laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and responsive governance framework.  

Labour's recent endorsement of Citizens' Assemblies, as articulated by Sue Gray, Keir Starmer's chief of staff, is part of a growing traction of this approach within mainstream political discourse. Proposals to leverage assemblies to inform on potential House of Lords reform, devolution, and housing initiatives, reflects a commitment to democratising decision-making and fostering public trust in the political process. 

By amplifying diverse voices, fostering dialogue, and co-creating solutions, Citizens’ Assemblies are offering a new way to ensure all voices are heard in purpose-led organisations.