Outcomes
What happens when people learn to focus on decisions and ask their own questions?
Use of the Right Question Strategy has produced powerful outcomes, in all settings to which it has been applied.
RQI's current work is focused in the fields of education, parent involvement, and health care. The strategy has also been implemented in many other fields.
(Before I learned the RQ Strategy) I had no back bone and I learned how to ask questions, when to ask it, how to ask it at the right time. And I got places with it...Before I would just say, kind of like just leave it in God's hands and whatever happens, happens...and this class taught me what questions to ask and when to ask them...I've got more guts to speak up for myself. Before I had doormat written across my forehead.
Participant in workshop - New Hampshire Department of Children, Youth and Families: Impact of Family Empowerment on Clients
Recent Applications of the Right Question Strategy
Introducing Political Scientists to The Right Question Strategy and the Idea of Microdemocracy: Tufts University Summer Institute of Civic Studies CIRCLE – July 2011
Organized by Professors Peter Levine, Tufts University, and Karol Soltan, University of Maryland, the Summer Institute of Civic Studies brings together graduate students and political science faculty to explore in-depth the idea and practice of civic action and democracy. RQI was invited as a special guest to introduce the group to our educational strategy and our idea of Microdemocracy. The vast majority of participants in the program not only learned about new ways to promote civic action, but also mentioned that their own skills in question formulation and decision-making were either improved or much improved. A few examples of their comments:
“[The Right Question Strategy sheds light on a potential barrier to civic participation, especially [in a] deliberative democracy.”
“[I learned] a strategy and practice for empowering marginalized populations to be effective participants in democracy and more skilled civic actors and an approach that strengthens learning by government structures to understand civic context and improve service delivery.”
“Questions [are] a powerful tool for citizens’ empowerment … helps me understand several process that keep citizens out of the decision-making processes.”
Introducing The Right Question Strategy to Latino Leaders: National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) – Education Leadership Initiative – National Institute on School Governance March 2011
NALEO is an organization that aims to help Latinos participate more actively in American political society. The organization does this in part by providing support and assistance, including professional development opportunities, to Latino elected officials. Luz Santana was invited to their meeting in Austin, TX to introduce the current cohort to The Right Question Strategy. At the end of the session, participants who already hold public leadership roles, took note of how much their own question formulation and decision-making skills had improved. They reflected on what they had learned:
“I learned about the thought and interaction involved in asking questions and how it can … impact strategy. I enjoyed the interaction, the knowledge and skill set provided, and the skill development”
“I learned a process to develop questions and multiple ways to think about questions.”
“It is important to ask the right series of questions. [It is] important to involve… community members in… decisions that are directly effecting [them]”