What are consensus-based processes?

A consensus-based process is when everyone agrees on something before it happens, like a group of friends deciding where to go for lunch.

Imagine you and your friends want to pick a game to play at recess, but no one can agree. One wants to play tag, another wants to build a fort, and someone else prefers kickball. Without consensus, the group might just choose randomly or end up arguing all day. But with consensus-based processes, everyone gets to share their idea, and they only pick the game when everyone agrees it’s fair.

Think of a classroom voting on what snack to have, not just the most popular one, but the one that every student thinks is good. That's consensus! Everyone feels heard and happy because no one was left out.

Sometimes, getting everyone to agree takes time, like when your family picks where to go on vacation. But once you all say “yes,” it’s a lot more fun for everyone involved.