Meeting the Other

Introduction

About Meeting the Other

Meeting the Other provides opportunity and encouragement for you to meet and talk with the unlike minded -- people who hold viewpoints different from yours. It will also provide opportunity to meet with individuals from very different backgrounds. There would be no set agenda for these conversations, nor any expectation for "changing of minds" or agreement. Meeting the Other is a project of The Boise Commons, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving as a catalyst for community-building, civic development, and more active participation in governance (for more information, visit our website at http://boisecommons.org).

Participation in Meeting the Other meetings will involve no cost to you. They will be held either in public or private places, depending on your preferences, and involve either one-on-one conversations or small group discussions. A volunteer "conversation assistant" will be present to maintain some general guidelines and provide helpful suggestions on how the conversation can be of the most value.

About the Survey

This survey has two purposes. First, it serves as a "registration form" by which you indicate your interest in meeting with people who think differently than you do on issues of public interest. Second, it helps us match up people who hold different viewpoints and have an interest in discussing the same topics.

Confidentiality: While this survey does not ask for any particularly sensitive or private information, it does ask you to characterize your viewpoints in broad terms. Your use of this survey, information entered in this survey, participation in Meeting the Other, and statements made during meetings will be held confidential unless you agree later on to make exceptions to confidentiality for purposes of project development or research.

Participation in this survey does not obligate you to participate in Meeting the Other, nor will it mean that you endorse the project or The Boise Commons in any way.