Convene Stakeholders

When a policymaker calls a meeting, people come. Policymakers often have the unique ability to bring people of different perspectives together. They may not feel that they share common ground, and may even have a history of advocating opposing viewpoints, but policymakers can forge collective problem-solving to bring progress toward a collective goal. Convening stakeholders may be as informal as a breakfast meeting or as formal as a hearing, requesting testimony or creating a commission or task force.

Some possibilities to consider include:

  • Create a commission or task force on marriage and family to examine issues and policies that put marriage or families at risk, and to make recommendations regarding potential solutions. These entities can also serve as oversight or coordinating bodies, funding mechanisms, or funding repositories for program operations targeted towards strengthening marriage.

    Marriage can be a politically charged topic. Convening a task force/commission with representation from various racial, ethnic, religious and other backgrounds, different governmental entities (e.g., education, courts, social services, criminal justice, youth services), local leaders, the faith community, the research/ academic community, elected officials, the domestic violence community, parenting and fatherhood programs, the general public, and other key stakeholders can add value to the recommendations and findings of the task force.
  • Partner with the faith community. Many communities link marriage with the faith community since the majority of marriage ceremonies are conducted by faith leaders. Some government offices have an Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, or similar entity, which may be the right place to house your marriage initiative. Another strategy may be to convening an interfaith group of leaders who can lend support to your marriage initiative.

    Couples may seek marriage or premarital services from the faith community in lieu of a government entity. Developing a liaison with the faith community may help foster the role of the faith community in delivering high quality marriage education services in addition to supports they already provide for couples/families.
  • Sponsor a hearing, meeting, workshop, or conference to educate your colleagues or the general public about the value of marriage; strategies that can support healthy marriage; or to obtain information from stakeholders about the barriers or challenges states or communities face in supporting healthy marriage. For example, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission sponsors a Healthy Marriage Summit each year convening practitioners to network and share promising practices. By brining together individuals with varied and credible backgrounds, you can build consensus and support for marriage services – providing a forum for the exchange of information and ideas helps connect stakeholders and raise awareness for issues.