Deliberative democracy takes center stage at Central Oregon summit
Harley Coldiron
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Central Oregon Civic Action Project will host the region’s first Civic Action Summit from April 7 to April 9, 2026, at Central Oregon Community College campuses in Redmond and Bend. The 2.5-day workshop is designed to build local expertise in civic assemblies and deliberative democracy.
The event is hosted by the Central Oregon Civic Action Project (COCAP) in partnership with several regional and national organizations. The summit reflects a growing regional commitment to building civic infrastructure intended to empower community members and strengthen trust in government.
The summit begins April 7 at the COCC Redmond campus with a free public presentation explaining how civic assemblies work and their potential application in the region. The session is open to elected officials, civic leaders, youth and the general public. An institutional session on assembly design will follow that afternoon.
Josh Burgess, executive director of COCAP, said the summit is a foundational step toward creating a permanent resource for the community. “This is an important event as we launch a new regional Civic Action Network that will provide resources and expertise for institutions in Central Oregon to build more trust and civic muscle through deliberative problem solving,” Burgess said. “We are excited to bring together community members, institutional leaders and national experts to lay the groundwork for a permanent civic assembly hub in our region.”
The second day of the event on April 8 features a full-day institutional design workshop at the COCC Bend campus. This session is tailored for government, education and civic representatives, covering topics such as governance models, deliberative facilitation and the practical steps of building a civic assembly.
The summit concludes April 9 with moderator training led by the organization Healthy Democracy. This half-day session is designed to equip 25 to 30 Central Oregon residents with the skills to facilitate constructive dialogue on complex community issues. Registration is required for both the institutional workshop and the moderator training.
Organizers will also use the summit to launch the Deliberative Solutions Initiative on the Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on our Communities. This project represents the next stage of COCAP’s engagement efforts in the region.
The Federation of Innovators in Democracy for North America, the Bloom Project and Healthy Democracy are facilitating the event alongside COCAP. The summit is co-organized with the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council.
COCAP is a civic action network dedicated to deliberative democracy that previously hosted the 2024 Deschutes County Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness. The organization’s mission focuses on improving governance outcomes and creating trust between community members and public institutions.
Registration and further information for the summit are available at cocap.us/registration.