---
title: Community Feedback and Participation Policy
---

## 1. Foundation and Democratic Principles

### 1.1. Introduction and Purpose

This Community Feedback and Participation Policy (hereinafter referred to as "the Policy") establishes our comprehensive framework for meaningful community member engagement in governance, policy development, and community improvement processes. This Policy embodies our commitment to participatory governance, ensuring that community members have multiple accessible pathways to influence decisions that affect their community experience and contribute to the continuous improvement of our shared environment.

### 1.2. Core Democratic Principles

Our community feedback and participation approach is founded upon:

**(a)** **Participatory Governance**: Community members have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions affecting them;

**(b)** **Transparent Decision-Making**: Clear communication about how community input influences policy and governance decisions;

**(c)** **Inclusive Participation**: Multiple accessible pathways for engagement that accommodate diverse needs and preferences;

**(d)** **Responsive Leadership**: Leadership commitment to actively seeking, considering, and responding to community input;

**(e)** **Continuous Improvement**: Regular assessment and enhancement of community feedback systems and participation opportunities;

**(f)** **Democratic Accountability**: Mechanisms ensuring leadership remains accountable to the community they serve.

### 1.3. Participation Philosophy

We believe that community members are the ultimate experts on their own experience and needs, and our governance systems should reflect this expertise by:
- Actively seeking diverse community perspectives on policies and decisions
- Creating multiple pathways for participation that accommodate different preferences and circumstances
- Ensuring that community input meaningfully influences policy development and implementation
- Building community ownership and investment in shared governance and improvement processes
- Fostering a culture of collaborative decision-making and mutual responsibility

### 1.4. Legal Framework Integration

This Policy operates within our comprehensive legal and policy framework, incorporating our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Community Code of Conduct, Community Leadership and Governance Policy, and all applicable legal protections by reference.

## 2. Feedback Channels and Communication Systems

### 2.1. Regular Feedback Opportunities

#### 2.1.1. Daily and Ongoing Feedback Channels

**Open Communication Channels:**
- Dedicated feedback forum categories accessible to all community members for ongoing input and suggestions
  - Community: [Community Feedback](https://support.nhcarrigan.com/c/community-feedback/8) category on our support forum
  - Products: [Bug Reports](https://support.nhcarrigan.com/c/bug-reports/6) or [Feature Requests](https://support.nhcarrigan.com/c/feature-requests/7) categories on our support forum
  - Policies: [Policy Ideation](https://support.nhcarrigan.com/c/policy-ideation/9) category on our support forum
- Direct messaging opportunities with community leadership for individual concerns and suggestions
- Public discussion forums for community-wide conversation about policies and improvements

**Structured Feedback Systems:**
- Regular feedback forms targeting specific community areas and improvement opportunities
- Suggestion box systems for ongoing community enhancement ideas and proposals
- Incident reporting systems for policy effectiveness assessment and improvement identification
- Accessibility feedback channels specifically designed to identify and address inclusion barriers
  - `#accessibility` on Discord.

#### 2.1.2. Scheduled Feedback Collection

:::tip[Heads Up!]{icon=pen}
The policy or policies in this section are still a work in progress. We have not yet implemented the necessary infrastructure to comply with this section.

We are working very hard to get them in place as soon as possible. If you would like to help, consider [applying to join our team!](https://forms.nhcarrigan.com/o/docs/forms/mCxDu3snk9TzFiDjrT4Vc8/4)
:::

**Monthly Community Input Sessions:**
- Structured community meetings focused on specific policy areas or community improvements
- Rotating focus areas ensuring comprehensive coverage of community operations and policies
- Multiple participation formats (live discussion, written input, asynchronous participation) to accommodate diverse preferences
- Clear agendas and preparation materials enabling meaningful community participation

**Quarterly Community Assessments:**
- Comprehensive community satisfaction surveys covering all aspects of community experience
- Policy effectiveness assessments gathering detailed feedback on existing policies and procedures
- Community needs assessments identifying emerging priorities and improvement opportunities
- Leadership performance evaluations providing community input on governance effectiveness

### 2.2. Accessible Participation Methods

#### 2.2.1. Universal Design in Feedback Systems

**Multiple Communication Formats:**
- Written feedback forms available in multiple languages and accessible formats
- Audio and video feedback submission options for members with different communication preferences
- Visual feedback tools including graphics, diagrams, and interactive elements for diverse learning styles
- Real-time and asynchronous participation options accommodating different time zones and availability patterns

**Accessibility Accommodations:**
- Screen reader compatible feedback systems for members using assistive technology
- Large print and high contrast options for members with visual accessibility needs
- Simple language versions of feedback requests and policy summaries for improved comprehension
- Alternative format materials and documentation available upon request

#### 2.2.2. Cultural and Linguistic Inclusion

**Culturally Responsive Feedback Collection:**
- Feedback systems designed with cultural sensitivity and diverse communication style accommodation
- Translation services available for feedback submission in languages other than English
- Cultural liaison positions to facilitate feedback collection from diverse community groups
- Recognition and accommodation of cultural differences in feedback expression and participation preferences

**Inclusive Participation Support:**
- Mentorship and support systems helping new or less experienced community members engage in feedback processes
- Education about feedback systems and participation opportunities for members unfamiliar with democratic participation
- Peer support networks connecting members interested in collaborative participation and governance engagement
- Special outreach to ensure participation from underrepresented community groups and perspectives

## 3. Policy Development and Change Processes

### 3.1. Community Consultation Requirements

#### 3.1.1. Mandatory Consultation Procedures

**Significant Policy Changes:**
All significant policy changes must include:
- **Minimum 30-day public comment period** with multiple opportunities for community input and feedback
- **Community impact assessment** analysing how proposed changes will affect different community groups and members
- **Alternative proposal consideration** including community-suggested modifications and improvements
- **Transparent rationale communication** explaining the need for changes and how community input influenced final decisions

**New Policy Development:**
- **Community needs assessment** identifying the necessity and community support for new policies
- **Draft policy review period** allowing community input on proposed policy language and implementation plans
- **Stakeholder consultation** ensuring input from community members who would be most affected by new policies
- **Implementation planning** involving community input on effective policy rollout and communication strategies

#### 3.1.2. Community Input Integration Process

**Systematic Input Analysis:**
- **Comprehensive review** of all community feedback and input received during consultation periods
- **Thematic analysis** identifying common concerns, suggestions, and priorities expressed by community members
- **Response development** addressing each significant concern or suggestion raised during consultation processes
- **Policy modification** incorporating feasible community suggestions and addressing identified concerns

**Transparent Decision Communication:**
- **Detailed summaries** of community input received and how it influenced policy decisions
- **Clear explanations** of why certain community suggestions were or were not incorporated into final policies
- **Implementation timelines** and community preparation information for policy changes
- **Ongoing evaluation commitments** outlining how policy effectiveness will be assessed with community input

### 3.2. Emergency and Urgent Change Procedures

#### 3.2.1. Emergency Policy Modifications

**Crisis Response Policy Changes:**
When immediate policy changes are necessary for community safety:
- **Immediate implementation** with clear communication about emergency nature of changes
- **Retroactive community consultation** conducted as soon as practically possible after emergency implementation
- **Community input integration** for permanent policy changes following emergency measures
- **Transparent review process** evaluating emergency decisions and incorporating community feedback for future improvements

#### 3.2.2. Urgent Community Need Response

**Expedited Change Procedures:**
- **Accelerated consultation timelines** with intensive community outreach and input collection
- **Community priority assessment** ensuring urgent changes address genuine community needs and priorities
- **Rapid response implementation** with continuous community feedback collection and policy adjustment
- **Follow-up evaluation** assessing urgent change effectiveness and incorporating lessons learned

## 4. Transparency and Decision-Making Communication

### 4.1. Open Governance Practices

#### 4.1.1. Decision-Making Transparency

**Public Decision Records:**
- **Meeting minutes and records** available to all community members for transparency and accountability
- **Decision rationales** clearly documented and communicated to explain leadership reasoning and community input consideration
- **Policy change logs** tracking all modifications and their justifications for comprehensive transparency
- **Community impact tracking** documenting how decisions affect different community groups and members

**Leadership Accessibility:**
- **Regular office hours** where community members can directly engage with leadership about governance and policy matters
- **Public Q&A sessions** addressing community concerns and providing transparent answers about decision-making processes
- **Leadership communication channels** accessible to all community members for ongoing dialogue and feedback
- **Community liaison programmes** facilitating communication between leadership and diverse community groups

#### 4.1.2. Information Accessibility and Sharing

**Comprehensive Information Access:**
- **Policy documentation** available in multiple formats and accessible language for broad community understanding
- **Decision-making process guides** helping community members understand how to participate effectively in governance
- **Historical records** of community decisions and their outcomes available for transparency and learning
- **Resource libraries** providing educational materials about community governance and participation opportunities

**Proactive Communication:**
- **Regular community updates** about governance activities, policy development, and decision-making processes
- **Advance notice** of upcoming decisions, consultation opportunities, and participation deadlines
- **Multiple communication channels** ensuring information reaches community members through their preferred methods
- **Follow-up communication** about decision outcomes and implementation progress

### 4.2. Community Accountability Mechanisms

#### 4.2.1. Leadership Accountability Systems

**Performance Monitoring and Evaluation:**
- **Regular community confidence surveys** assessing leadership effectiveness and community satisfaction
- **360-degree feedback systems** incorporating input from community members, peers, and external partners
- **Public performance reporting** sharing leadership evaluation outcomes and improvement commitments with the community
- **Community review processes** enabling community members to formally evaluate leadership performance and effectiveness

**Response and Improvement Commitments:**
- **Public commitments** to address community concerns and feedback identified through accountability processes
- **Improvement timelines** with specific milestones and progress reporting to demonstrate leadership responsiveness
- **Community follow-up** ensuring leadership commitments are fulfilled and community concerns are adequately addressed
- **Continuous improvement integration** incorporating accountability feedback into leadership development and governance enhancement

#### 4.2.2. Policy Effectiveness Assessment

**Community-Centred Evaluation:**
- **Regular policy effectiveness surveys** gathering community input on how well policies are meeting their intended objectives
- **Community impact assessment** evaluating policy effects on different community groups and addressing unintended consequences
- **Policy modification processes** incorporating community feedback and assessment results into ongoing policy improvement
- **Community success metrics** developed collaboratively to measure progress towards shared community goals and values

## 5. Special Consultation and Participation Programs

### 5.1. Demographic and Identity-Based Consultation

#### 5.1.1. Targeted Community Outreach

**Underrepresented Group Engagement:**
- **Specific consultation programmes** ensuring input from community members who may not participate in general feedback processes
- **Identity-affirming participation opportunities** creating safe spaces for marginalised community members to provide honest feedback
- **Cultural competency** in consultation design and facilitation to encourage authentic participation from diverse community members
- **Language and accessibility support** removing barriers to participation for community members with diverse needs

**Specialised Advisory Groups:**
- **Rotating advisory panels** including community members from diverse backgrounds and experience levels
- **Issue-specific consultation groups** bringing together community members with relevant expertise or lived experience
- **Accessibility advisory groups** providing ongoing input on inclusion and accommodation needs and improvements
- **Community youth and senior advisory panels** ensuring intergenerational perspectives in community governance

#### 5.1.2. Community-Driven Initiative Support

**Grassroots Proposal Development:**
- **Community member proposal processes** enabling members to suggest and develop new community initiatives and improvements
- **Collaborative development support** providing resources and assistance for community members developing improvement proposals
- **Peer review and community refinement** processes helping improve community-driven proposals through collaborative development
- **Implementation support** for community-approved initiatives including resource allocation and ongoing assistance

**Community Organising and Advocacy:**
- **Community organising support** for members who want to advocate for specific changes or improvements
- **Coalition building assistance** helping community members with shared interests collaborate effectively on improvement initiatives
- **Advocacy training and resources** empowering community members to effectively participate in governance and change processes
- **Community campaign support** for democratic initiatives that build broad community support for positive changes

#### 5.1.3. Demographic Self-Identification

**Voluntary Self-Identification Process:**
- **Anonymous demographic self-identification form** enabling community members to voluntarily share demographic information to help us understand community diversity and identify participation barriers
- **New member onboarding requirement** all new community members are encouraged to complete the self-identification form when joining the community
- **Annual demographic update** all community members are encouraged to complete the self-identification form at the start of each calendar year to measure demographic trends and changes over time
- **Complete anonymity** all responses are completely anonymous and aggregated for statistical analysis only; individual responses cannot be linked to specific community members

**Purpose and Use:**
- **Demographic diversity assessment** understanding the diversity of our community across various dimensions including age, geographic location, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, disability status, neurodivergence, and socioeconomic background
- **Participation barrier identification** identifying barriers to engagement affecting different demographic groups
- **Feedback system evaluation** ensuring feedback systems and participation opportunities effectively reach and engage diverse community members
- **Accessibility improvement** measuring progress toward inclusive representation and identifying areas where accessibility and accommodation efforts need enhancement
- **Trend measurement** tracking demographic changes and trends over time to understand community evolution

**Privacy and Confidentiality:**
- **Complete anonymity** no identifying information is collected; responses cannot be linked to individual community members
- **Aggregated analysis only** all data is used only in aggregate form for statistical analysis and community improvement purposes
- **Voluntary participation** participation is completely voluntary; all questions include a "Prefer not to answer" option
- **Secure data handling** all demographic data is stored securely and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws

**Self-Identification Form:**
Community members can complete the anonymous self-identification form at: https://forms.nhcarrigan.com/o/docs/forms/p7fkz5yJN9GKrQjw5zhX6U/4

**Completion Requirements:**
- **New members:** All new community members are encouraged to complete the self-identification form as part of the onboarding process
- **Annual updates:** All community members are encouraged to complete the self-identification form at the start of each calendar year (January) to help us measure demographic trends and changes over time
- **Voluntary nature:** While completion is encouraged, participation remains completely voluntary and anonymous

### 5.2. Crisis and Emergency Community Consultation

#### 5.2.1. Emergency Response Input

**Crisis Communication and Consultation:**
- **Emergency communication protocols** ensuring community members receive timely information about crisis decisions affecting them
- **Rapid consultation processes** gathering essential community input even during emergency situations
- **Community safety prioritisation** balancing community input with immediate safety and security requirements
- **Post-crisis evaluation** involving comprehensive community consultation on emergency response effectiveness and improvements

#### 5.2.2. Community Healing and Recovery Participation

**Collective Recovery Planning:**
- **Community-wide healing initiatives** developed with broad community input and participation
- **Recovery goal setting** involving community members in establishing priorities and metrics for post-crisis improvement
- **Community resilience building** through collaborative planning and resource development
- **Trauma-informed consultation** ensuring crisis consultation processes are sensitive to community member well-being and recovery needs

## 6. Feedback Response and Follow-Up Systems

### 6.1. Comprehensive Response Protocols

#### 6.1.1. Individual Feedback Acknowledgment

**Personal Response Commitments:**
- **Acknowledgment within 7-10 business days** for all individual feedback submissions and policy input
- **Detailed responses within 14 days** addressing specific concerns, suggestions, and questions raised by community members
- **Follow-up communication** ensuring community members feel heard and providing updates on how their input is being considered
- **Personal consultation opportunities** for community members who need additional discussion or clarification about their feedback

**Resolution and Implementation Tracking:**
- **Issue tracking systems** following feedback items from submission through resolution and implementation
- **Progress updates** provided to feedback submitters about how their input is being addressed and implemented
- **Outcome communication** sharing results and impacts of changes made in response to community feedback
- **Satisfaction follow-up** ensuring community members are satisfied with how their feedback was handled and addressed

#### 6.1.2. Community-Wide Response Communication

:::tip[Heads Up!]{icon=pen}
The policy or policies in this section are still a work in progress. We have not yet implemented the necessary infrastructure to comply with this section.

We are working very hard to get them in place as soon as possible. If you would like to help, consider [applying to join our team!](https://forms.nhcarrigan.com/o/docs/forms/mCxDu3snk9TzFiDjrT4Vc8/4)
:::

**Public Feedback Summaries:**
- **Monthly summary reports** highlighting community feedback themes, concerns, and suggestions received
- **Response action reports** detailing how community feedback has influenced policies, decisions, and community improvements
- **Implementation progress updates** showing community members how their collective input is creating positive changes
- **Appreciation and recognition** of community members who provide valuable feedback and participate in governance processes

**Community Learning and Improvement:**
- **Best practice sharing** about effective feedback integration and community input utilisation
- **Process improvement updates** showing how community feedback systems themselves are being enhanced based on member input
- **Success story communication** celebrating positive changes that resulted from community feedback and participation
- **Challenge identification** and collaborative problem-solving when feedback systems need improvement or enhancement

### 6.2. Continuous Feedback System Enhancement

#### 6.2.1. Meta-Feedback and System Improvement

**Feedback System Effectiveness Assessment:**
- **Annual evaluation** of community feedback systems and their effectiveness in enabling meaningful participation
- **Community satisfaction surveys** specifically assessing feedback and participation system accessibility and responsiveness
- **Process improvement recommendations** developed collaboratively with community members who use feedback systems regularly
- **Innovation and enhancement implementation** continuously improving feedback systems based on community needs and technological advances

**Community Participation Analytics:**
- **Participation pattern analysis** identifying barriers to engagement and opportunities for increased community involvement
- **Demographic participation assessment** ensuring feedback systems are effectively reaching and engaging diverse community members
- **Response quality evaluation** assessing whether community input is receiving appropriate attention and consideration
- **Impact measurement** documenting how community feedback creates positive changes in community policies and experience

## 7. Training and Support for Community Participation

### 7.1. Civic Engagement Education

#### 7.1.1. Participation Skills Development

**Democratic Participation Training:**
- **Civic engagement workshops** teaching community members effective advocacy, communication, and participation skills
- **Policy analysis training** helping community members understand policy implications and provide more informed feedback
- **Meeting facilitation and participation skills** empowering community members to lead and contribute effectively to governance processes
- **Conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making** training supporting constructive participation in community debates and discussions

**Communication and Advocacy Skills:**
- **Public speaking and presentation training** for community members interested in more active governance participation
- **Written communication skills** development for effective policy feedback and proposal development
- **Research and analysis training** helping community members gather information and develop evidence-based suggestions
- **Coalition building and organising skills** for community members interested in leading community improvement initiatives

#### 7.1.2. Community Governance Education

**Governance Literacy Programs:**
- **Community governance orientation** for new members explaining how community decision-making works and how to participate
- **Policy development process education** teaching community members how policies are created, modified, and implemented
- **Leadership and governance roles education** explaining different governance positions and how community members can become involved
- **Community history and values education** helping members understand the context and principles guiding community governance

### 7.2. Participation Support and Mentorship

#### 7.2.1. New Member Integration

**Participation Mentorship Programmes:**
- **Governance mentorship** pairing experienced community members with newcomers interested in participation and feedback
- **Peer support networks** connecting community members with similar interests in governance and community improvement
- **Guided participation experiences** providing supported opportunities for new members to engage in feedback and governance processes
- **Community leadership pipeline development** identifying and supporting community members interested in greater governance involvement

#### 7.2.2. Ongoing Participation Support

**Sustained Engagement Assistance:**
- **Resource libraries** providing ongoing access to materials, tools, and information supporting effective community participation
- **Consultation and guidance services** offering individualized support for community members developing proposals or providing complex feedback
- **Peer collaboration platforms** facilitating community member connections and collaborative work on governance and improvement initiatives
- **Recognition and appreciation systems** acknowledging and celebrating community members who contribute consistently to governance and feedback processes

## 8. Policy Implementation and Continuous Improvement

### 8.1. Policy Effectiveness Evaluation

#### 8.1.1. Regular Assessment and Enhancement

**Quarterly System Review:**
- **Participation metrics assessment** analysing community engagement levels and identifying areas for improvement
- **Feedback quality evaluation** ensuring community input is meaningful, comprehensive, and effectively integrated into decision-making
- **Response effectiveness assessment** measuring how well feedback systems serve community needs and promote positive change
- **Accessibility and inclusion evaluation** ensuring feedback systems effectively reach and engage all community members

**Annual Comprehensive Evaluation:**
- **Community satisfaction with governance** assessment including feedback system effectiveness and responsiveness
- **Democratic participation impact** measuring how community feedback creates positive changes in policies and community experience
- **Community capacity building** evaluation assessing how participation systems support community member skill development and engagement
- **System innovation and improvement** planning for enhanced feedback systems and participation opportunities

### 8.2. Community-Driven Policy Evolution

#### 8.2.1. Responsive Policy Development

**Community-Initiated Policy Changes:**
- **Community proposal processes** enabling members to suggest policy modifications and improvements through structured democratic processes
- **Community prioritisation systems** allowing members to identify which policy areas most need attention and improvement
- **Collaborative policy development** involving community members in drafting, reviewing, and refining policy changes
- **Democratic approval processes** ensuring community input and consent for significant policy modifications and new policy development

**Continuous Improvement Integration:**
- **Policy effectiveness monitoring** with regular community feedback integration and responsive improvement implementation
- **Best practice adoption** incorporating lessons learned from community governance experience and external research
- **Innovation in participation** continuously developing new and improved methods for community engagement and democratic participation
- **Community ownership development** building community members' sense of agency and investment in shared governance and community improvement

---

## Democratic Commitment to Community Voice

This Community Feedback and Participation Policy represents our fundamental commitment to democratic governance and community self-determination. We believe that community members are the ultimate authorities on their own needs and experiences, and our governance systems must reflect this reality through meaningful participation opportunities and responsive leadership.

Through this Policy, we pledge to maintain transparent, accessible, and effective systems for community input, ensure that community feedback meaningfully influences decision-making, and continuously improve our democratic processes to better serve our community's evolving needs and priorities.

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*This Community Feedback and Participation Policy provides comprehensive information about community participation opportunities. For questions about community participation opportunities or to provide feedback on this Policy, please contact our Community Leaders through the designated channels outlined in our Community Code of Conduct.*
