Meet MosaicLab
Nicole Hunter
FUNNY, UNUSUAL, MYSTERIOUS: MOMENTS FROM 2024

As 2024 wraps up, our facilitation team is sharing their standout moments. From mysteriously missing catering and questionable gong skills to a surprise bush trek under the stars, 2024 had its fair share of laughs, twists, and unforgettable memories.

FUNNY, UNUSUAL, MYSTERIOUS: MOMENTS FROM 2024
Case studies
Nicole Hunter
CASE STUDY: CITY OF MELBOURNE AFFORDABLE ...

The City of Melbourne views affordable housing as crucial infrastructure for maintaining a liveable, inclusive, and prosperous city. With a projected shortfall of 23,200 affordable homes by 2036, immediate action is needed to address this long-standing issue. While there is broad community support for affordable housing, acceptance often wanes at the neighbourhood level. To tackle this, a People’s Panel of 39 diverse community members was established to represent local perspectives.

CASE STUDY: CITY OF MELBOURNE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PANEL
Meet MosaicLab
Nicole Hunter
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: POLO, POLLY & GUS

A support facilitator studying psychology, our first team member based in NSW and a brand new participant recruitment coordinator... meet the newest additions to the MosaicLab team: Polo, Polly and Gus! Learn more about this trio of terrific team members and gain some insights into who they REALLY are through their answers to our fast five questions!

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: POLO, POLLY & GUS
Case studies
Nicole Hunter
CASE STUDY: THE TALE OF TWO ENERGY SECTOR ...

How should we plan for the new energy future while providing affordable services that meet changing customer and community needs? Two representative ‘Voice of the Customer’ panels in Queensland answered this question. Randomly selected, everyday customers deliberated and agreed on recommendations that electricity distributors Ergon Energy Network and Energex used to prepare Regulatory Proposals for the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).  Delve into a tale of two deliberative customer panels, and gain ideas and insights you can draw on for your next project.

CASE STUDY: THE TALE OF TWO ENERGY SECTOR CUSTOMER PANELS
Meet MosaicLab, ML Giving
Nicole Hunter
SUPPORTING CONVERSATIONS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED ...

We believe in supporting emerging and underserved people and communities to have deeper conversations that lead to stronger democracies. ML Giving is the new name of the not-for-profit part of MosaicLab - a banner for the work we do that gives back. We’re focussing on furthering community inclusion and action beyond just getting input and instead moving into enabling local decision-making. Explore the principles ML Giving will operate under, and the kind of projects and conversations we’re supporting.

SUPPORTING CONVERSATIONS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST

resources

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FREE RESOURCES OFFER TASTE OF PUBLIC COURSE CONTENT

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FREE RESOURCES OFFER TASTE OF PUBLIC COURSE CONTENT

Weighing up whether to engage online or face-to-face? Download a free resource that walks you through the benefits of each format. It’s a little taster of our upcoming Virtual Facilitation course which sets you up with the skills needed to design and facilitate impactful online sessions. PLUS we have two more free tasters for you - one for Engagement Planning and one for the Art of Facilitation. These popular short courses are coming to you live and facilitated in August and enrolments are now open.

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CRUCIAL FIRST STEPS TO FACILITATION PLANNING – FREE RESOURCE

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CRUCIAL FIRST STEPS TO FACILITATION PLANNING – FREE RESOURCE

Effective facilitation requires proper planning, otherwise the canvas might be compromised before you get into the room. Download our free resource for the crucial first steps to facilitation planning and discover more about our Art of Facilitation online course. This is the third resource shared in our free MosaicLab Academy Taster Series.

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FREE GUIDE ON DELIBERATIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR VICTORIAN COUNCILS

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FREE GUIDE ON DELIBERATIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR VICTORIAN COUNCILS

To help local councils in Victoria navigate the deliberative engagement requirements in the new Local Government Act, MosaicLab has launched a free, short guide.

This e-book is specifically for local government staff and decision makers, and aims to provide assistance and information to help councils better understand deliberative engagement, its principles and how it can be implemented into council processes to meet the new requirements of the Act.

BALANCING COST, RISK & BEST-PRACTICE THROUGH A TROUBLED TIME

BALANCING COST, RISK & BEST-PRACTICE THROUGH A TROUBLED TIME

It takes time, effort and resources to achieve best practice engagement at the best of times. And right now it’s not the best of times. We’re hearing from many that engaging at all (let alone engaging well) is difficult.

Your organisation may be grappling with how to respond to the crisis, facing reduced revenue and budget cuts, responding to increased demand for community support and services, and wondering how to sustain it all long term. Local government bodies are also working to comply with the enhanced engagement requirements set out in the Local Government Act.

So we’ve announced two new service options designed to help you engage robustly, cost-effectively and appropriately.

COPING WITH COVID-19: ESSENTIAL ENGAGEMENT PACKAGES

COPING WITH COVID-19: ESSENTIAL ENGAGEMENT PACKAGES

MosaicLab is here to support you and your team as you change and readjust in response to COVID-19. To help you acclimatise, we’ve put together two exclusive, new engagement service options.

We can work with you to help transition your team to working from home through an interactive, online, facilitated strategy session.

We’ve also launched a new training and coaching package - working with individuals or groups to support you to engage and connect with people appropriately through a time of anxiety and upheaval.

What works? Democracy in Australia and beyond

What works? Democracy in Australia and beyond

MosaicLab's co-founder Nicole Hunter recently took part on a panel of esteemed guests  discussing potential futures for democracy across Australia and the World.  The panel formed part of the University of Canberra Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis (IGPA) Smart Governance Conversation on Desirable Futures series. 

The evening saw a very interesting conversation take place around democracy in Australia and beyond and ideas for doing it differently in the future.   If you weren't lucky enough to make it on the evening, today we're sharing the official video of the panel discussion. 

#MonthlyMyth: Tables enhance conversation

#MonthlyMyth: Tables enhance conversation

We are often drawn towards what we know – it’s comfortable sticking to what we are used to doing, seeing and experiencing.  However, when it comes to engagement, sometimes comfortable doesn’t equal effective, and this month’s myth is a perfect example.

(Invaluable) deliberation insights 2 - decision makers

(Invaluable) deliberation insights 2 - decision makers

Did you see last month's invaluable deliberation insights post?  We shared a video chock full of ideas and advice from project managers who had been through a deliberative journey.  

This month, we're sharing the second video in this series - insights from decision makers who have led their organisations though a deliberative engagement experience. 

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 1: THE RESEARCHER

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 1: THE RESEARCHER

If you happened to come across our previous post ‘A new venture into critical thinking’, you will know that MosaicLab is currently working on a fascinating research project with Lyn Carson of Active Democracy and the newDemocracy Foundation.   

A final report is now in development, and, excitingly, early indications suggest that introducing critical thinking concepts to participants during deliberative processes  can result in a number of  benefits. 

From increased trust (between both participants themselves and between participants and decision makers) to increased ability for participants to question and understand information (including complex or technical data), the work is highlighting how these skills can enhance and transform both processes and participants.