People's Assemblies

A people’s assembly is on a very small scale. Perhaps a group of activists must decide whether to continue or change their protest. They hold a people’s assembly for everyone to discuss the pros and cons and make a joint decision. This takes 30 to 45 minutes. You might take part in a people's assembly when you join an XR activity or meeting.

Why Use People's Assemblies?

People’s assemblies are a structured way for a group of people to discuss issues or make decisions collectively, so that all voices are heard and valued equally, and no one person or group dominates the discussion.

Extinction Rebellion uses participatory democracy processes, such as people’s assemblies, in order to model participatory democracy within the movement, generate ideas, gather feedback and make decisions.

People’s assemblies have a very different purpose, structure and process to citizens’ assemblies which is the central idea in our third demand in the UK.

This grass roots method of self-organising and direct action is genuinely democratic has been used throughout history to instigate people-powered change. People’s Assemblies were at the centre of the Arab Revolt that spread from Tunisia to Egypt in 2011, as well as the Spanish 15M movement, the Occupy movement, and the Y En A Marre movement in Senegal, and they are central to the organisation of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.

The third XR demand - the use of citizens’ assemblies chosen by sortition - shows one way that our broken, political system can be made obsolete. Using citizens’ assemblies, we trust ordinary people, who are chosen at random and take part in a deliberative democratic process, to address the realities of the climate emergency in a way that those in power have failed to do and can never do. People’s assemblies and community assemblies offer other ways for us to transform our democracy, as they offer a way of seeing democracy in action out on the streets or in a community and help people to reclaim power.

Both citizens’, community and people’s assemblies are based on the ‘assembly’ process which enables people to share equally and openly within an environment that is non-judgemental and respectful - and facilitated to that effect.

As the world becomes more and more atomized, meeting with strangers and sharing your feelings is itself transformative. In the context of Extinction Rebellion, assemblies are constructed in a way where people are safe to share their experience, make decisions collectively and work together to problem solve, as well as share the grief and loss they feel for a world that is rapidly collapsing.

The assemblies hold that grief with respect, and allow people to work together to organise towards rebellion and a shift away from the system that has brought us to this crisis of all crises. Assemblies are not an alternative to non-violent direct action, they complement such action and can themselves be a form of direct action if they are being held in a space designed to be disruptive or during occupations.

Within Extinction Rebellion assemblies have specific uses which these pages will explain. Assemblies are not an alternative to non violent direct action but they will complement that process. We continue with peaceful civil disobedience at the centre of all we do. People’s Assemblies can be part of the deep adaptation that communities have to go through in order to face the growing impact of climate and biodiversity breakdown. As societal structures collapse, we are going to have to reclaim power for our communities and these forms of participatory democracy will become essential to the way we organise.

How can People's Assemblies be used?

Designing Questions for People's Assemblies

What to discuss ?

This will depend entirely on the setting and framing of the Assembly. Assembly organisers will often choose the subjects for assemblies which are most relevant to furthering the aims of the group.

An assembly agenda could be:

Proposals

If the assembly is focusing on a proposal, the facilitators go for a ‘temperature check’ where the proposal is read out again (after being discussed in the breakout groups) and the assembly use their hands to show agreement or not.

If only a few people are showing agreement then the proposal is taken back and can either be adjusted to fit the ideas that have emerged from the points made in the assembly or is dropped altogether if it has no support or no way of being adjusted to meet the collective vision of the assembly. For instance, a proposal for putting all the group’s time and resources into a local anti-fracking campaign may not be approved, but a popular point made from a breakout group that some of the time and resources be put into the local campaign could see the proposal returning with that adjustment.

Facilitators check with the assembly note taker that the exact wording of the proposal is noted.

Decision Making

When a temperature check is used to decide between two or more options and there is no clear decision, then the Assembly will need to decide how to proceed. It may be a case of taking an actual counted vote, or returning the options to the breakout groups to find a solution that can accommodate the points raised or the differing wishes.

Assemblies during direct action or occupations

Depending on the size, duration and police presence, these assemblies could potentially be:

Assemblies provide us with a process by which to move and act with immense flexibility as a large group during times of action or occupation. They allow for immediate changes and decisions to be made on the spot that enable us to act and react with speed and flexibility, whilst still being able to make those decisions collectively, and in large numbers.

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How to Run a People's Assembly - Step-by-Step

This is the basic framework for creating and running a People’s Assembly. This ‘Quick Start Guide’ is essentially all you need to run an assembly.

Roles

Each assembly needs:

Each breakout group needs:

Phases of a People's Assembly

There are three main phases of an Assembly: Setup, Deliberation and Integration (feeding back). Setup can be broken down further into Introduction and Input which can be of varying lengths depending on the purpose of the assembly.

Ideally the Setup phase should be no more than 30 mins in total. Unless it is an emergency assembly to make a rapid decision all assemblies should begin with something to unite all of those present.

Phase 1: Introduction & Setup (approx 30 mins)

Introduction

We value all voices equally in the assembly, as the aim is to hear the wisdom of the crowd gathered here and not to have the assembly dominated by individual voices or groups. We recognise that confident speakers are not always right and that those who are not confident speakers will often have the most useful ideas or opinions to put into the discussion. This is why we value all voices equally and we ask you to do the same. We do not tolerate any calling out, abuse or shaming. We welcome all people but not all behaviours.

Setup

This can be as simple as the Lead Facilitators framing the question for discussion and why the assembly has been convened, or asking the gathered crowd for suggestions as to what they would like to deliberate on (known as People’s Choice). Or it can involve a longer and more in depth Input section such as a live panel of experts, or video input.

Using People's Choice to Decide the Assembly Question(s)

Lead Facilitator asks for suggestions from the crowd on what they would like to discuss, and the Assembly Note taker records them. Ideally looking for three or four suggestions maximum or the process can be very long and drawn out! The crowd are then asked to vote using the ‘Temperature Check’ method. The Lead Facilitator reads them out one at a time and looks for the most ‘Wavy Hand’ signals to show the overall preference.

Inviting participants to share why they are there

Invite people to take the microphone for two minutes maximum and share their feelings about what has brought them to join the assembly or action that day, to share what is in their heart. In an open public assembly, this section can be drawn out as long as people volunteer to speak. It opens the space for people to connect emotionally, but shouldn’t be used as a ‘soap box’ on the issues about to be discussed. Ideally ask for a woman to speak first (it has been shown that this will greatly increase the level of engagement of female participants. The rate of engagement and uptake for males isn’t affected in the same way), and allow as much dead air as is necessary for people to build up the courage to come and talk. Be strict with timing but ensure that people speaking are supported and made completely safe in their sharing. Ideally work with two facilitators so that one facilitator ‘guards’ mic, whilst one sits in front of speaker with timer and gives ‘round up’ hand signal as they approach 2 mins.

Phase 2 : Deliberation (approx 40 mins)

5 mins intro, 25 mins deliberation, 10 mins note feedback

Introducting the topic

Breakout Groups

Phase 3: Intregration (approx 20 mins)

Finishing up (approx 10 mins)

Script for People's Assembly

Please note that this script is written in such a way as to ensure that those who are new to people’s assemblies are fully supported throughout. If you are an experienced PA facilitator and are working with those who understand how PAs work, understand their history and the hand signals, you may wish to skip over certain sections. In short, please adapt this script to the needs of your situation and your audience.

Input Phase

Facilitators can start by introducing themselves, perhaps say a little of your background and experience with PA’s and Community Organising or Projects - Brief but inspiring! If you want to bring people into the space, perhaps do a short visioning exercise, inviting people to imagine something or think about what brought them to the space.

Then begin by explaining that People’s Assemblies have three ‘phases’:

Input Phase
During the input phase, we explain the process and structure of the assembly, we introduce the hand signals, and frame the focus of the assembly, as well as what will happen with the outcomes from the assembly.

[If you are having more input here than just presenting the topic for discussion, such as speakers, video etc you can explain that here too.]

Deliberation Phase
During the Deliberation (discussion) phase, you will be placed in small groups for [insert chosen length of deliberation phase] minutes and discuss the question/topic of this assembly.

Intergration Phase At the end of the Deliberation phase, the groups will come back into the full assembly and feedback what was generated in their small discussion group.

Facilitator 2: Hand Signals

We use hand signals to facilitate a discussion in which all voices get heard, no one dominates and we don’t speak over each other. We will outline the hand signals you will need to take part today. Don’t worry if you can’t remember them as they will be repeated later in the session. [As you verbally outline the hand signals, physically show them to ensure people fully understand them].

  • Make a point: One index finger pointed upwards. The facilitator will stack, but they can choose to stack out of order to ensure radical inclusivity and ensure all voices are heard.
  • Agreement: Wavy hands for agreement. This is to help note taker, who can record the level of agreement, and to make sure people are not interrupting others.
  • Clarification: Create a c shape with one hand. This is to ensure all are able to fully participate. It is useful if people do not understand anything, particularly important if unfamiliar terms and acronyms are used.
  • Direct point: Two index fingers pointing upwards. This is not for responding, this is just for extra added information that is directly relevant to what is being said – people must be careful not to misuse this to jump ahead in the queue!
  • Technical point: Create a t-shape with your hands. This is used for technical information such as breaks or timings.
  • Round up: Create a circle with both hands. Do this after 2 minutes to make sure that those who are more comfortable speaking don’t go on and on.
  • Speak up: Move your hands upwards with their palms facing upwards.
  • Temperature check: Jiggle fingers at a level that corresponds with feelings i.e. upwards - support, horizontally - ambivalent, downwards - don’t support. This can be used to quickly check the feelings of the group.
  • FACILITATOR 1: Introduce the concept of a People’s Assembly

    What is a People’s Assembly?

    A people’s assembly is a structured way for a group of people to discuss issues, generate ideas and/or make decisions collectively in a manner in which all voices are heard and valued equally and no one person, or group, is able to dominate the process.

    People's assemblies are 'self selected' meaning that anyone can choose to take part. They are not to be confused with Citizens Assemblies which are randomly selected from the population by the process of Sortition, to make sure it is representative in terms of key characteristics such as gender, age, ethnicity, education level and geography. Citizens’ Assembly members would learn about critical thinking before they hear balanced information from experts and stakeholders. They would then spend time deliberating in small facilitated groups, similar to the break-out groups we’re going to use in this People’s Assembly.

    People’s Assemblies have been used throughout history and all over the world as a means to enable people to come together and achieve real social change:

    Inclusivity Statement

    Before we start a People’s Assembly, we like to read out this inclusivity statement

    We want to hear your voice, if you want to speak, no matter what. Whatever age you are, wherever you are from and whatever you do.

    The whole process will take about an hour and a half*, and we’d love you to stay for the whole of that, but feel free to go or come as you like or need.

    [*If you have the time, it’s good to do a TESTIFY at this point. It’ll add about 15-30 minutes to the overall length of the PA, but gets people talking about why they are at the PA before the main section of the assembly…]

    Testify

    Before we get into the section of the People’s Assembly where you will all be able to talk through our specific issue in a facilitated way, we first like to give anyone who would like an opportunity to talk about what has brought them here today.

    [Offer the floor to anyone who wants to speak. It can be good to ask for a woman to speak first as women tend to speak up less in these situations. Allow as much dead air as is necessary for people to build up the courage to come and talk!]

    [FACILITATOR 2 is timing and doing the ‘round up’ signal as necessary. After 15-30 minutes, move into the remainder of the PA.]

    FACILITATOR 2: The Three Pillars

    A people’s assembly differs from debate where one person is 'right' and the other is 'wrong' and from the typical discussion or conversation where people have a tendency to dominate with questions and interjections. The assembly allows each participant to be held with respect and full attention - and no judgement - whilst sharing from the heart and for each participant to get a turn.

    It's ok not to actively share too. Witnessing the sharing of others' feelings and experiences is as important as expressing one's own.

    In an assembly, the focus is on personal feelings and experiences. Each speaker is encouraged to say 'I' - rather than 'we' or 'they' whilst sharing with others.

    This can be encapsulated within the THREE PILLARS, which are:

    [Radical Inclusivity also means being aware of potential barriers to engagement and working with those affected to enable participation. Think about disabled access, sign language, whisper interpretation for those for whom English isn’t their first language and other possible means by which those barriers can be removed. Ask at the start of an assembly if there are any barriers to engagement that people need to identify and then request that the group work together to find ways to remove them.]

    FACILITATOR 1: Framing the Topic - What is the aim of THIS people’s assembly?

    Background

    [Frame your assembly here:

    Question(s)

    State your question or topic for discussion clearly here, and if possible write it up in the exact wording you use somewhere that will remain visible to all participants throughout the assembly.

    Always ask for any clarifications at this point, and be open to working to reword the question/topic if needed you can ask for a ‘temperature check’ here to make sure the assembly agrees with the proposed wording.

    A good question is worded in accessible language, not too long, and is broad enough to allow for free discussion, but not so broad that a structured conversation around it is difficult. Likewise a very specific question won’t generate a very diverse response.

    For example, if you would like to engage people around the topic of buying local produce, you might ask:


    Deliberation Phase


    FACILITATOR 2: How does a People’s Assembly work?

    You will discuss the PA question in breakout groups of 8-10, then feedback to the entire assembly.

    Each group needs a facilitator and a note taker:

    10 minutes before the end of your allocated time, the note-taker should summarise the group’s notes, then use temperature checks to identify the points that have the most support or acceptance.

    The group should then work together to reach agreement on the main points to feed back to the Assembly.

    [Decide how you want the feedback to happen- select the most appropriate option depending on size of group/time available:

    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    Discussion [25 mins or whatever your allocated time is]


    Integration/Output Phase

    FACILITATOR 1: Ending

    Feedback (15 minutes)

    Remember to get the names of the people giving feedback, and show appreciation.

    Thank everyone for participating. Then explain what will happen to the results of the assembly, including any possible ‘next steps’ that people could take, or plans for further assemblies.

    [At this point you can offer space for ‘shout outs’ - ‘Shout Outs’ are an invitation for those gathered to call out brief notifications such as upcoming meetings or events. These should be short and arranged with the facilitators beforehand if possible. This should take no more than 10 mins]

    Close the assembly and ideally let everyone know when the next assembly will be if appropriate.


    Tips for Dealing with Difficult Interactions

    A collection of thoughts and ideas on how to approach difficult interactions and behaviours. Remember that arguments can be won by the loudest voices, you are hear to ensure that everyone gets heard.


    Tips for Online Assemblies

    Before the Meeting: Setting up Zoom
    Under my meetings, click on the meeting you are facilitating. On the left you will see settings. Make sure the following are selected:

    Laptops are best for online Zooms, but it can be done on smartphones too. Facilitators need to be on Laptops. Ask people who have used Zoom before to sign in 5 minutes before the start time, and those who have not used Zoom before to sign in 10 minutes early and work out how to use the buttons on the screen.

    Online Deliberation
    For this phase online, the Technical Facilitator should be logged in as the Host. They can then select 'Breakout Rooms' on the control panel. Divide the number of participants in the assembly by number of people you would like in each group and Zoom will automatically assign them to groups. Get a few friends and give this a try before your People's Assembly!

    Once everyone is ready, the Technical Facilitator can go to 'manage participants' and unmute everyone in preparation for discussion, and then send them out into breakout groups.
    You can use 'Breakout Rooms- Broadcast' to give timing reminders to all groups during the discussion.
    When the discussion time is up, you can click 'close groups' and this will give breakout groups 1 minute before they are returned to the main group (you can change this in Breakout Room settings if you want to).


    Downloadable Script for People's Assembly