The key actors in the National Dialogues are the participants and the organisers of the dialogues. To enable the dialogues and their effectiveness, an operative core group is needed to take care of the background arrangements and, amongst other things, to draw up the national summary. The users of the summary are also important for impact.

Dialogue Organisers

• Reserve a space or platform for the dialogue
• Invite participants
• Facilitate and take notes of the dialogue
• Send the notes to the operative core group
• Communicate about the dialogue
• Make use of notes and summaries
• Challenge others to participate as dialogue organisers

• The core group ensures that the dialogue organisers for each round represent a broad variety, so that the topic is addressed as widely and from as many perspectives as possible.
• The goal of the National Dialogues is that the understanding gained from the discussions is also useful for the organisers’ own work or organisations. We hope that the organisers get the experience of being part of a socially significant process.

Participants

• Take part in discussions organised by different dialogue organisers, bringing their own experiences into the discussion
• Can explore their own experiences constructively in the dialogue

Users of the summary

• Government utilises the insights and understanding born from the dialogues in the preparation of decision-making and policy measures, futures and foresight work, and in strengthening dialogue and cooperation between public administration and non-governmental organisations.
• Dialogue organisers, participants and other parties will use the summary according to their own needs.

Permanent Dialogue Organisers

• Permanent dialogue organisers are sought across the whole of Finland, aiming for a variety of actors who reach as widely as possible across different groups of people.
• A permanent organiser commits to organising dialogues at least twice a year
• Permanent organisers should have prior experience in facilitating and organising dialogues
• They can influence topic selection and are invited to join a peer network that meets a few times a year

Operative Core Group

• Launch, plan and coordinate the process
• Map and decide on the topic
• Invite, inspire, commit and thank the dialogue organisers
• Draw up the materials
• Plan and provide sparring
• Compile registrations and list of dialogues
• Analyses the notes and is responsible for drawing up a summary
• Publishes and shares the summary
• Shares and communicates
• Assesses and develops the model together with other actors

Contact Information

If you are planning a National Dialogue adaptation, want to register as a permanent dialogue organiser, or have other questions related to National Dialogues, you can contact us by sending an email to: kansallisetdialogit@gov.fi

You can also contact members of the operative core group directly:

• Ira Alanko – ira.alanko(at)gov.fi

• Risto Alatarvas – risto.alatarvas(at)gov.fi

• Kai Alhanen – kai.alhanen(at)dialogiakatemia.fi

• Katju Holkeri – katju.holkeri(at)gov.fi

• Tiina Kemppainen – tiina.kemppainen(at)forssa.fi

• Hannele Laaksolahti – hannele.laaksolahti(at)sitra.fi

• Marita Salo – marita.salo(at)opintokeskussivis.fi