Bellingen's Gillian Anderson and James Tonson from Coffs Harbour are the co-convenors of Voices 4 Cowper, a non-partisan organisation that formed in June 2019.

Its main activity is running Kitchen Table Conversations, which bring small groups of people together for a couple of hours to talk through a set of questions.

Voices 4 Cowper have devised six broad conversation starters - some that invite participants to discuss what they value about living here and others that prompt them to voice their issues and concerns.

A facilitator keeps things on track and a scribe records the key elements of what's said. It's not a debate - it's about hearing diverse viewpoints and ensuring each participant is included, valued and respected.

The thoughts, opinions and ideas that emerge from across the electorate will then be compiled into a report to be presented to the community and its political representatives.

This model has been around for almost two decades. Mary Crooks from the Victorian Women's Trust used it to engage 6000 women and men in community dialogue and action throughout Victoria in the late 1990s.

And in 2012, Voices 4 Indi adapted it for use at an electoral level, in a safe seat where people felt disengaged and taken for granted.

The result was the ousting of the incumbent and the installation of Independent Cathie McGowan, who based her campaign on what the community said they wanted.

The benefit that the Kitchen Table Conversations process has over a public forum is that opinions are gathered in a structured, non-combative, small-scale setting, so participation is less confronting.

"I've been talking about Kitchen Table Conversations for a few years," Gillian said. "I'd read about it, and I thought what a great way for a community to be heard and listened to."

Gillian was motivated by her belief that people's concerns and issues weren't being given a voice in Parliament, rather than a preoccupation with any one issue in particular.

"We've got a steering committee of ten, and that draws from Port Macquarie, Valla, Sawtell, Coffs, Dorrigo and Bellingen.

"We have a gap in the Kempsey, South West Rocks area where we're working really hard to build up a profile. We're looking for more people to be involved in that area."

They spent months getting ready, exploring what they wanted to do and determining what their questions would be. Mary Crooks came up and gave them a two-day workshop.

"And just when we were ready to start, the coronavirus hit," Gillian said.

So the Kitchen Table Conversations didn't kick off until August, and so far there have been 10 of them across the region, all hosted by volunteers who are encouraged to invite a diverse group of people along.

The committee has also made sure there will be Indigenous voices in their final report by reaching out to the local Indigenous communities.

"They are on board and excited about the process," Gillian said. "They will be running their own Kitchen Tables in Bowraville and Coffs Harbour.

"We are still working on the Indigenous voice in other areas such as the Dunghutti and Birpai communities."

Another challenge is getting the younger demographic involved - those aged 18-30.

"We've got a new person on our steering committee who is 22, so that is pretty exciting. And each Kitchen Table I run, I try to get a young person.

"I like it when there's a mix, and the older voice hears the younger voice, and vice versa."

Gillian said one person who came along to a Kitchen Table Conversation commented that they hadn't realised how disconnected they'd become from what was happening in their community.

"For us, it is about not just being heard, but also feeling connected and that it's meaningful to be involved in the democratic process."

Their ambition is to reach as much of Cowper, which runs from Port Macquarie to Coffs and is home to 124,500 people, as they can.

"We will just keep doing as much as we can for as long as we can."

They're looking at launching an interim report in February, which will help them build up some steam and are calling for more people to get involved - whether as host, facilitator, scribe or participant.

More information is available here.