Helpful Points for Calling Wisdom Council Members

To be used when calling randomly selected list in the order names were drawn. Portions may be used to make follow calls once 12 have confirmed their participation – as recommended in the Wisdom Council Toolkit.

1.Hello, I'm [your name], a volunteer with Wise Democracy Victoria, which is convening the Victoria Wisdom Council. I would like to speak to [name of person randomly selected].

2. You may have heard about the Victoria Wisdom Council because we mailed a letter to you explaining what it is. Did you receive that letter?

If yes:
• Do you have any questions about what the Wisdom Council is or what it involves?
• Are you able to participate?

If no:
• [Explain what the Wisdom Council is.]
• Just like jury duty, the Wisdom Council involves JUST twelve randomly selected citizens of Victoria. You were chosen at random to be one of the twelve participants for the next Wisdom Council.

3. (... person’s response ...)

4. What's involved? You come to two meetings with the other eleven people who were selected.
• [Give dates and meeting times of next Wisdom Council]
• [Give location of meeting]

5. The meetings are fun and give you a great opportunity to tell people what you think. You just have to show up. You don't have to study anything, and there is no pre-planned agenda. A trained facilitator will help the group determine what issues are most important to you, and to try to agree on Statements about them. Right after the meeting, the Council will present these Statements at a public assembly, which will include local residents, the media and other interested people. The Victoria Wisdom council will be held at the [location] from [time].

6. This Wisdom Council is an exciting experiment in creating a public dialogue on the issues that real people think are important. It has been used in a number of communities in the US and in Europe, but this id the first Wisdom Council in Canada. For more information you might check the website www.wisedemocracy.org.

7. You are REALLY needed for this. It's not a survey, where lots of people are selected and many don't respond. This is a process where very few are selected and each one selected is needed, if at all possible, to ensure a true randomly selective process.

9. Do you have any questions?

10. Can you come and be a part of the Wisdom Council?