From June 4 to 6, 2025, Professor Paulina Pospieszna conducted workshops dedicated to the evaluation of citizens’ assemblies during the FIDE Spring School on Climate Citizens’ Assemblies, organized by FIDE – Europe in cooperation with Polish partners: the Shipyard Foundation and the Field of Dialogue Foundation. Both organizations have been collaborating with our team for years on research and implementation of citizens’ assemblies evaluation in Poland.
The workshops led by Paulina Pospieszna focused on the role of evaluation surveys in assessing the impact of citizens’ assemblies. Participants – representatives of non-governmental organizations, public administration, and academia – had the opportunity to reflect together on why and how to evaluate deliberations, what kind of data can be
collected through pre- and post-surveys, what their limitations are, and how to combine quantitative research with qualitative methods (e.g., participant observation, interviews, or media analysis). The workshops encouraged participants to reflect on how to adapt survey questions to different local contexts.
Additionally, Magni Szymaniak-Arnesen, also from the Democratic Innovations team, took part in a special one-day workshop module dedicated to youth assemblies. The workshop was led by Katie Reid and Lianne Minasian from the organization CRIN (Child Rights International Network), focusing on a child rights-based approach and inclusive design of deliberation involving young people.
The FIDE Spring School was a unique opportunity to gain practical skills in designing and implementing citizens’ assemblies. We are pleased that we were able to share our knowledge and at the same time learn from experienced practitioners and researchers from across Europe.
