A Toolkit for Community Dialogues

This toolkit provides basic steps for communities to engage in school governance and community participation processes through community dialogues. It encourages readers to consider their school community and think about what is happening that a dialogue - for example, a dialogue on budgets - could address.
It was published by the Community and Citizens' Empowerment Programme at the Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA) in collaboration with the United Kingdom's Department for International Development Right to Know, Right to Education Project. The Right to Know Project is working towards transparent and accountable governance in Africa by promoting children's rights to quality basic education through strategies including facilitating access to information and participatory rights-based budget processes.
According to the publication, a dialogue is a forum that draws participants from as many parts of the community as possible to exchange information face-to-face, share personal stories and experiences, honestly express perspectives, clarify viewpoints, and develop solutions to community concerns. Unlike debate, dialogue emphasises listening to deepen understanding. It is designed to develop common values and allows participants to express their own interests. In dialogue, participants can question and re-evaluate their assumptions as well as learn to work together to improve relations.
The toolkit includes of the following sections:

• 1. Community Dialogues
• 2. Issues for Discussion
• 3. The Role of the Host Partner in Dialogues
• 4. Getting Started: Steps in Organising Dialogues
• 5. Expected Country-Specific Outputs
• 6. Documenting
• 7. Effective Media Advocacy and Lobbying