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    Rebuilding Trust in Democratic Institutions: A Convening Approach

    Trust in government, media, and public institutions has declined sharply. Can bringing people together in new ways help restore faith in democracy?

    Eidos Team8 November 202510 min read

    A Crisis of Trust

    Trust in Australian democratic institutions has been declining for decades. According to recent surveys:

  1. Only 26% of Australians trust the federal government to do the right thing
  2. Trust in media has fallen to historic lows
  3. Satisfaction with democracy itself is declining, particularly among young people

    4. This is not just a political problem—it is an existential threat to our capacity for collective action.

    Understanding the Decline

    The erosion of trust has multiple causes:

  4. Perceived failures: of institutions to address major challenges
  5. Scandals and misconduct: that confirm cynical expectations
  6. Filter bubbles: that reinforce negative views
  7. Complexity: that makes institutional processes seem opaque
  8. Distance: between citizens and decision-makers

    9. Why Traditional Responses Fail

    Institutions typically respond to declining trust with better communications—more transparency, more engagement, more consultation. But these responses often backfire:

  9. Consultation fatigue: People tire of being asked for input that seems to change nothing
  10. Transparency paradox: More information can actually increase distrust when it reveals dysfunction
  11. Engagement theatre: Participation without power breeds cynicism

    12. A Different Approach: Convening for Trust

    At Eidos, we have found that trust is rebuilt not through better communications, but through better relationships. Our approach focuses on:

    Creating genuine encounter

    Trust is built person to person. When citizens meet public servants, politicians, and journalists as human beings rather than abstractions, perceptions shift.

    Enabling voice and agency

    People trust institutions more when they have real influence over decisions. We design processes where citizen input genuinely shapes outcomes.

    Building understanding of complexity

    Trust often declines when people see institutions as either incompetent or malicious. Direct engagement reveals the genuine constraints and trade-offs that public servants navigate.

    What We Have Seen Work

    In convenings where we brought together citizens and officials:

  12. Citizens developed more nuanced views: of institutional constraints and capabilities
  13. Officials developed deeper appreciation: for citizen perspectives and concerns
  14. Both groups found common ground: they had not expected
  15. Specific reforms emerged: from collaborative problem-solving

    16. The Limits of Convening

    We do not claim that convening alone can solve the trust crisis. Institutions must also:

  16. Actually perform better on issues citizens care about
  17. Hold bad actors accountable
  18. Follow through on commitments made in engagement processes

    19. But convening creates conditions where these changes become more likely—by building relationships, generating ideas, and creating pressure for accountability.

    A Path Forward

    Rebuilding trust in democratic institutions is a generational project. It requires:

  19. Sustained investment: in relationship-building between citizens and institutions
  20. Genuine power-sharing: that gives citizens real influence
  21. Institutional reform: informed by citizen input
  22. New models of media: that facilitate understanding rather than division

    23. At Eidos, we are committed to developing and testing these models. Because democracy only works when enough people believe it works.

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