7. Impartial Facilitation

So all voices are heard, not just the loudest or most powerful.

Links to Principles: Well-designed Deliberation

Core

The non-negotiable minimum

Impartial, skilled facilitation, with clear protocols for how facilitators, speakers and observers interact with participants. Facilitators actively probe for underlying values and concerns beyond participants’ initial positions, not only managing discussion flow, and support all voices to be heard through actively managing power dynamics. Design reviewed by an independent advisory group.

Desirable

Extra depth where resources allow

Delivery body independent of the commissioner. Facilitator teams are diverse – for example in age, gender, ethnicity and class.

Stretch

Context-specific, deeper power sharing, sustaining and embedding

Facilitators trained or supported by those with trauma-informed, power-aware practice.