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Guide: How to Write a Great Statement for Polis

See What is Polis

A Polis poll might have one statement for everyone to vote on. Or it might have a number of statements added by the poll creators for everyone to vote on.

The poll may include the option for you to add your own statements, for everyone else to vote on. Creating a statement on an issue that you feel strongly about, stimulates discussion and allows for personal responses. Please note: Each statement cannot be more than 140 characters.

If you have the option of adding your own statements, how do you create them?

Step 1: How to frame your statements

What’s the purpose of the poll and who’s participating?

The framing of the statement for discussion is important. Is the purpose of the poll to get a yes or no response, or to expand thinking, or to find a solution for a specific issue? Is the poll for rebels or a wider community?

Examples:
  • The poll is on a XR movement-wide issue and rebels will participate.
  • The poll is on a regional issue and regional rebels and citizens will participate.
  • The poll is on a UK-wide issue and citizens will participate.

Step 2: Co-create your statements: Work collaboratively where possible.

Sense-checking with others will help you develop your statement.

  • It needs to be clearly understandable
  • As short a sentence as possible
  • Be broad enough to allow for free discussion, but not so broad that a structured conversation around it is difficult. Parameters are useful, e.g. geographical locality or time-based limits.
Examples:
  • Broad = How might we... How can we...
  • Narrow = Should we do X or Y? Do you agree with this or that?

Step 3: Create Your Statement

  • A good deliberation statement inspires, fires imaginations and invites all involved to participate in a spirit of hope, trust, openness, inclusion, creativity and empowerment.
  • There are no wrong and right answers to designing your statement, but it is important to be clear about your ultimate goal first, then refining and distilling the topic to serve that purpose. Think about what will inspire feeling as well as ideas, because that will generate real enthusiasm for the process and can help generate energy for putting in place ideas generated!
Examples of generic open statements with some analysis of approach

Open statements open up discussions by inviting all voices to join in.

How can [locality: local, regional, national] do something about climate change together within the next year?
Being a broad statement, it will involve a longer poll, with many more statements to vote on. However, Polis will automatically show which statements gain the most popularity to help prioritisation and point to possible connected issues.

How might we reduce our energy bills collectively?
This too could be broad-ranging in terms of possible recommendations. However, it may suggest the necessity for further polling topics.

How can we nurture nature in (community / village / town, etc.) across the seasons?
This statement sets a geographical limit, which will suggest solutions that can be implemented locally and offer a breakdown of recommendations based on different times of year. It may also suggest where there is a need for possible actions at a national or even international level.

How can (name of locality / town / county) make sure that everyone in our community can access healthy, affordable food for the long term?
Food resilience is a massive topic, with many threads, all of which could be addressed by expert or enthusiast groups coming together on specialist areas.

How might we rely less on fossil fuels in (named area)?
There are no timelines in this statement, which broadens the scope. The locality may offer some limits to statements to vote on. This is potentially a huge topic, which will generate need for further deliberation.

What might we do to ensure that our community is represented well by our politicians?
This is another great statement, which could be as narrow or broad as necessary.

Further Examples of Open and Closed Statements

If you have any questions or need support - contact the UK Assemblies Team

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