Who it’s for and what people take away
Adults and older teens who want to know which part of government to go to about a local issue, with no prior knowledge needed.
By the end, people can:
- name the main levels of government where they live and give an example of what each one handles
- tell the difference between elected members, who set policy and budgets, and staff, who run services
- work out which body is most likely responsible for an everyday issue, and how to check
- find their own local government’s website and the question to ask when they are not sure who decides
Before the session
- Choose the country block that matches where you are teaching and print one copy of the handout with that block for each person.
- Print and cut one set of issue cards and five heading cards for each group of three or four people (the card list is in the activity steps).
- Before the session, look up the local government that covers the venue: its website, which bodies cover the area (for example a council, county or school board) and where meeting dates are posted. Note the web addresses so you can show them.
- Read the country block for your country so you can check the sorting game answers and say where things differ.
- Print the worksheet, one per person, and bring pens.
- Test the projector, and if you can, open your local government’s website in a browser tab before people arrive.
- Read the careful list below. This session is strictly nonpartisan.
You will need
- Projector or large screen, with internet access if possible
- Printed handout with the country block, one per person
- Printed worksheet, one per person, and pens
- Issue cards and heading cards, one set per group of three or four
- Sticky tape or a clear table space for each group to lay out cards
Run sheet
60 minutes. Slide numbers refer to the deck.
Session timings| Starts | Length | What happens |
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| 0:00 | 5 min | Welcome and ground rulesSlides 1–2Welcome people, introduce yourself and Moraph for Good, and go through the ground rules. Hand out the worksheet.Say: “Today is about how decisions get made where you live, not about who should make them. We won’t talk about parties or candidates, and nobody has to share anything about themselves.” |
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| 0:05 | 10 min | Layers of governmentSlides 3–5Explain that government comes in layers and that each tends to handle different things. Ask the room for one local issue they have noticed recently, such as a broken streetlight or a bus route, and write a few on a flip chart without discussing who is right.Say: “Most of the decisions that shape your street are made closer to home than people think.” |
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| 0:15 | 10 min | Who does the decidingSlides 6–8Explain the difference between elected members and staff, and introduce special bodies such as school boards and districts. Stress that one issue can involve more than one level.Say: “If you want something changed, the elected members decide. If you want to know how something works today, staff can usually tell you.” |
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| 0:25 | 20 min | Activity: sort the issuesSlides 9–10Run the sorting game in groups, then go through the answers using the country block. Spend most of the debrief on the cards people disagreed about.Say: “There are no wrong guesses. The point is to see how much of daily life is decided locally.” |
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| 0:45 | 10 min | Finding your own decision makersSlides 11–12Show your local government’s website on screen: where it lists what each body does, who the elected members are, and where meeting dates are posted. Ask people to fill in exercise 2 on the worksheet for their own area.Say: “When you’re not sure, call or email and ask: who decides this, and when will it next be discussed?” |
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| 0:55 | 5 min | Questions and closeSlides 13–14Point to the country block on the handout, remind people that voting questions go to the official election office, take questions and thank everyone.Say: “Take the handout home. Everything on the back comes from an official source.” |
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Sort the issues
20 minutes, using the worksheet.
- Split into groups of three or four. Give each group the five heading cards: National, State or province or region, Local council, Special body (such as a school board, district or authority), and More than one.
- Give each group the issue cards: a pothole on a residential street; bin and recycling collection; what children learn at school; a new bus route; passports; a neighbor’s planning or building application; library opening hours; repairs to a park playground; a streetlight that is out; postal services; driver’s licences; stray animals and pet control; snow or storm clearing on local roads; hospital services; the armed forces; parking rules on a local street.
- Groups have 10 minutes to place each issue card under the heading they think fits. Say it is fine to guess and fine to use “More than one”.
- Ask each group to pick the one card they argued about most and say why.
- Go through the cards using the country block for your country. Where the block doesn’t cover an issue, say so and show how to check on your local government’s website rather than guessing.
- Finish by pointing out how many cards ended up under Local council or Special body.
Questions for the room afterwards
- Which card surprised you most, and why?
- Which issues ended up under “More than one”? Who would you contact first?
- If you weren’t sure who decides something, how would you find out?
- Which of these issues matters most to you right now, and which body would you go to?
Take care
General information, never advice about one person’s situation, and nothing to sell.
- Stay strictly nonpartisan: don’t mention parties, candidates, current elected members by name in a way that suggests a view, ballot questions, campaigns or current local controversies. If someone raises one, acknowledge it and bring it back to how the process works.
- Never ask anyone to say where they live or anything about their own situation aloud. The worksheet is private.
- Don’t guess about local responsibilities. If you are not sure which body handles something where you are, say so and show how to check.
- Voting and registration questions go to the official election office only. Don’t give dates, deadlines or eligibility advice yourself.
- Don’t give legal advice about a dispute with a council or agency. Point people to the body’s own complaints process, as listed on the handout where it applies.
Questions people ask
How do I know if my area has a county, a district or another layer as well as a city or town council?
It depends on where you live. Your local government’s website usually explains which bodies cover your address, and the country block on the handout says where to look it up.
Who is my local representative?
Local government websites list elected members, often by ward or district. The country block lists official places to find representatives at each level.
What if two levels both say it’s not their job?
Ask each one, in writing, who is responsible, and keep the replies. Elected members can often help you get an answer from staff.
Can I go to a meeting where these decisions are made?
In many places, yes. Meeting dates, agendas and how to take part are usually on the body’s website. The Meetings and public comment session covers this in detail.
Where do I find out about registering to vote or when the next election is?
Only from your official election office. The country block says where to find it.
Where you are teaching
The rules differ by country. Teach the shared material from the slides, then use the block for the country you are in, and hand out that country’s sheet.
United States
- Federal, state and local. There is the federal government, state governments and local governments. The Census Bureau counts these kinds of local government: counties, cities, townships, special districts (such as water, fire and library districts) and school districts.
- Local powers vary by state. What counties, cities and other local governments are responsible for, and how they are organized, varies from state to state. Check your own city or county website.
- Federal government. The Constitution divides the federal government into three branches. Congress, the legislative branch, drafts proposed laws; the president leads the executive branch.
- Find your officials. USAGov lists ways to find the names and contacts of the people who represent you at the federal, state and local levels, and contact details for local governments by state.
- Voting questions. Your state or local election office helps with registering, voting and election results. USAGov links to each one.
United Kingdom
- One or two tiers (England). Many parts of England have two tiers of local government: a county council and a district, borough or city council. Elsewhere one unitary authority, London borough or metropolitan borough provides all local services. This GOV.UK guidance covers England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own council information.
- County councils. County councils are responsible for services across the whole county, such as education, transport, planning, fire and public safety, social care, libraries, waste management and trading standards.
- District, borough and city councils. These cover a smaller area and usually handle services such as rubbish collection, recycling, Council Tax collection, housing and planning applications.
- Parish, community and town councils. These elected councils sit below district and borough councils, and in some areas unitary authorities. They can help with things like allotments, bus shelters, play areas, community centres and consultation on neighbourhood planning.
- Find your council. GOV.UK has a postcode search that shows which council or councils cover your address.
- Voting questions. Your electoral registration office can answer questions about registering to vote. GOV.UK has a postcode search to find it.
Canada
- Three levels. Canada has federal, provincial or territorial, and municipal (local) governments. First Nations band chiefs and councillors have major responsibilities on reserves, including housing, schools and other services.
- Federal. Elected members are Members of Parliament (MPs). Responsibilities include national defence, foreign policy, citizenship and criminal justice, with some areas such as immigration, agriculture and the environment shared with the provinces.
- Provincial and territorial. Elected members are called MLAs, MNAs, MPPs or MHAs depending on the province. Responsibilities include education, health care, natural resources and highways.
- Municipal. A council, usually a mayor or reeve and councillors, passes by-laws for the local community. Municipalities are normally responsible for things like planning, streets and roads, garbage, snow removal, firefighting and emergency services, recreation facilities and public transit.
- Find your MP. The House of Commons website has a search to find your Member of Parliament.
- Voting questions. Elections Canada runs federal elections. Provincial, territorial and municipal elections have different rules, so check with the election authority for that level.
Australia
- Three levels. Australia has the federal government, state and territory governments, and local councils, also called shires or municipalities. The ACT has no local councils: its Legislative Assembly handles both state and local responsibilities.
- Federal. Responsible for national issues, such as post, telephones and the internet, money, immigration and defence.
- State and territory. Responsible for issues in that state or territory, such as public transport, schools, hospitals and policing.
- Local councils. Responsible for local issues, such as rubbish collection and recycling, parks, sports fields and swimming pools, pet control, parking, town planning and local roads.
- Shared areas. Some responsibilities overlap. Education, health and water management are shared between the federal and state levels.
- Find your representatives and enrol. The Parliament of Australia website lists senators and members. The Australian Electoral Commission handles enrolment and federal elections; state and territory electoral commissions run their own elections.