National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

Search for Common Ground is one of the members of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation.

The Coalition of organizations and individuals who worked together to make the first National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation happen in October 2002 has decided to continue working together as the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD). The conference brought together practitioners and theorists from across the spectrum of D&D practice for the first time, and we are committed to continuing to foster collaboration and building understanding and cohesion in the field.

Click here for a list of the current members of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation.

Click here to view the current members of NCDD?s Steering Committee and Advisory Board, which are still
being developed.

An Invitation to Join the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

Do you believe in the power of dialogue, of conversation, of listening, of speaking from the heart? Do you believe that diverse groups of citizens can make better decisions than politicians and special interest groups? Do you believe that the processes of dialogue and deliberation have a vital role to play in the survival, healing and transformation of human societies? And have such beliefs shaped your life, your actions, your work?

Whether you are a dialogue facilitator, a deliberation researcher, an activist working for increased citizen engagement, an artist whose work inspires people to talk about important issues, or the director of an organization that fosters dialogue, we encourage you to join the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation.

What do individuals and organizations gain from joining the Coalition?

? Coalition members will have access to a dynamic network of practitioners and theorists working throughout the dialogue & deliberation community. This network can be accessed to share resources, get input on ideas, publicize events, obtain advice from seasoned colleagues, establish collaborative efforts, etc.).

? Coalition members will be working with their colleagues to strengthen and unite the dialogue & deliberation field.

? Coalition members will be aware of opportunities, events and resources that can help them in their work.

? Coalition members will be listed on the NCDD website (with contact info).

? Coalition members will be listed on all NCDD publications (newsletters, reports on the conference, etc.).

What is required of NCDD members?

Individuals, organizations and networks that join the Coalition are pledging their commitment to strengthening and uniting the dialogue and deliberation field:

? by helping to develop the mission, vision and activities of NCDD

? by helping to ensure that the initiatives and networks that emerged out of the conference (as well as new initiatives that emerge) receive support and encouragement to continue their work

? by helping to make the NCDD website a dynamic hub for the D&D community, and a top-notch resource for practitioners

Before joining the Coalition, think about what you and/or your organization are able to do to follow through on this commitment.

? Can you or your staff serve actively on one or more of the Action Groups?

? Are you motivated to start a new discussion on the NCDD Online Community in an attempt to tackle an important issue or problem in our field?

? Do you have special skills in advanced web design or creating online communities?

? Can you provide some administrative support for the Coalition?

? Can you make a small financial contribution to the Coalition?

? Can you provide material for the NCDD site (for the Resources section or the Dialogue Community pages)?

? Do you have special skills or knowledge that can help a newly-forming organization get off its feet?

All Coalition members will be asked to do the following:

? Inform your networks about what NCDD is doing and how they can join our efforts.

? Provide a prominent link to NCDD on your website.

? Pledge something concrete to the Coalition ? be creative! ? and follow through on your pledge.

Can Organizations or Individuals From Outside of the U.S. Join the Coalition?

People who are based outside of the U.S. are encouraged to join the Coalition. We will consider you to be ?international partners? of the Coalition, and your membership will be no different from the U.S.-based members of NCDD.

Some people have expressed concern that we are limiting ourselves ? and leaving out important practitioners, organizations, scholars and activists ? by calling ourselves a ?national? coalition. We share this concern, but feel that it is important for us to establish ourselves within the U.S. first, before striving to be ? or claiming to be ? an international organization.

We value and welcome international partners, and hope that we will change our name and our scope in the future.

How to Join NCDD

If you are interested in joining NCDD, please complete the following form. You may also email NCDD?s Convener, Sandy Heierbacher ([email protected]) with this information.

Are you interested in joining NCDD as an individual or organization? There is no difference in membership ? this is just a matter of whether you are representing yourself or an organization. Individual Organization
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Your Name:
Organization:
Title:
Mailing Address (line 1):
Mailing Address (line 2):
City:
State:
Country:
Zip Code:
Primary Phone Number:
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Email Address:
Website Address:
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Is there any information above that you do NOT want posted on the NCDD website?? Or, is there additional contact info that you'd like us to have for our records?
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In a sentence or two, please describe your (or your organization?s) previous involvement with dialogue and/or deliberation.
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What do you envision yourself or your organization contributing to NCDD (see ideas above)?
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What do you hope to gain from becoming a part of NCDD?
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Thank you for your interest in becoming a part of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation, and for your commitment to strengthening the growing dialogue and deliberation community! Please click this button to submit:

Last Updated:? February 19, 2003.