Planning healthier eating patterns

When promoting healthier eating patterns in my school, as the school leader, I have to decide:

1. Will I impose the best (healthiest) solution?
2. Will I seek a consensus (full of compromise)?

From a democratic and sustainable point of view, the consensus approach is the more convenient.

Why consensus?

It is an open, participatory and democratic process where every voice counts

1. Based on the principles of the group – value based in trust, cooperation, good will
2. Good for large groups – dynamic process that allows ideas to build on one another
3. Is not inherently time-consuming
4. It is difficult to secretly disrupt it or influence – it forces people to take responsibility for disruptive actions

Consensus is a process for adopting proposals. People who do not agree are responsible for voicing their concerns. No decision is made until the concerns are addressed. When concerns remain after discussion and debate, individuals can agree to disagree by acknowledging unresolved concerns and standing aside allowing the proposal to move to adoption. The decision does not assume that all participants are in complete agreement. If too many people have strong reservations or objections, the proposal or the project is stopped (for the moment).

Basic Steps:

Level One:

• Presenting a proposal
• Clarifying Questions
• General Discussion
• Test for Consensus

Level Two:

• List All Concerns
• Discussion
• Call for Consensus

Level Three:

• Restate and deal with each concern
• Clarifying questions on each concern
• Discuss one concern at a time
• Are concerns resolved

Closing Options:

• Non- support
• Reservations
• Stand Aside
• Block
• Background: What are we talking about? Issue raised – what is the problem? Clarify problem – put it in context. Discuss, bring out a diversity of ideas, concerns, and perspectives – look at possible solutions and potential problems with those solutions. Develop a Proposal/Proposal Made. Clarifying Questions, Concerns. Discussion/Friendly Amendments. Re-state the Proposal. Test for Consensus. Strong concerns/objections, Stand Asides, Blocks. Consensus Reached.