The State of Vorarlberg on the Internet

The "Wisdom Council" is a method developed by Jim Rough (Seattle, USA) which enables groups to explore and find solutions to issues which are important to the group.*

In the Wisdom Council meets a group of randomly selected participants from a community (or a region, a neighbourhood or a company, etc.)  The random selection of participants from the population registry or the electoral roll is decisive. This guarantees that the group is made up of constituents and not representatives of particular interest groups or organisations. The participants, in this respect, represent a microcosm of the community.

The participants of the wisdom council are encouraged to discuss the topics and concerns of their own choice. Therefore, the participants usually meet each other over two consecutive days. On the first day, the moderator helps the council decide which topic is the most important for the group. The participants are given the opportunity to "sleep on it", and on the second day, the ideas and thoughts are exchanged. The core element of a wisdom council is the drafted collective statement. The statement should be presented at a public event and, therefore, open the discussion to a wider audience.

In the ideal case, the wisdom council instigates dialogue. The council is especially effective when it meets on a regular, periodic schedule, such as 2 – 3 times a year. A variety of people can take part and can improve on the results and statements and/or develop new suitable solutions.

The self-concept of a wisdom council creates a symbolic meaning. It is not about electing statistical representatives and filtering out constituents’ opinions. The wisdom council is much more a symbol for openness in the sense of giving voice to the citizens. It is also about involvement and not just about input.

For further information see: http://tobe.net/
 
You can watch a short video documentation on our regional wisdom council in Great Walser Valley here.
 
* refer to: Center for Wise Democracy (Hrsg.): Wisdom Council Toolkit. Version 6, July 2006.