On the 2nd and 3rd of December, the University of Essex hosted two co-design workshops to shape the upcoming local pilot citizens’ assembly on housing, scheduled for early 2026.
- Community voices: The first workshop, held with Citizens Essex (the local chapter of Citizens UK), brought together residents and community members.
- Student voices: The second workshop engaged elected representatives from the University of Essex Students’ Union.
Together, these sessions explored what both the wider community and the student population want from the local pilot citizens’ assembly. Key suggestions included:
- Gathering more information on local housing issues ahead of the pilot, using informal spaces for open conversations;
- Ensuring participation from those most directly affected by housing issues;
- Establishing clear protocols for breaks, discussions of sensitive issues and de-escalation, if needed, within the local pilot;
- Building transparency and shared accountability on follow up actions after the pilot.
Drawing on the Power Sharing model, explained in Deliverable 2.3 of the project, the pilot will continue to be co-designed with Citizens Essex and the Students’ Union. This approach aims to challenge traditional power dynamics in citizens’ assemblies by embedding communities directly into the process of design and delivery.
