RE: A disinterested public

[Bruce Smith <blsmith@groupwork.ns.ca>]

I do a number of public involvement training workshops 
each year for government departments and university 
extension.  How to engage a seemingly disinterested public 
is without exception one of the top concerns expressed.

A number of the posts in this thread have mentioned 
reasons why the public might not be interested in 
participating, and there are many others.  In my opinion the 
first step in trying to turn this around has already been 
mentioned -- go into the community and talk to people.  We 
cannot expect to know why people seem disinterested 
unless we talk with them.  Do they have such a low level of 
trust that they feel participation will be a waste of time?  Are 
their other social and/or economic issues for this 
community which are simply a higher priority, such as 
employment?   Do they feel so bombarded with information 
that they have simply disengaged?  We won't know unless 
we ask.  

One of the things that I have found to be especially 
challenging are situations where we assume reasons for a 
somewhat disinterested public and continue on with the 
process, only to find that in the later stages of the process 
information is introduced or circumstances change and 
those who seemed disinterested are now wanting to 
engage with great energy.