how can citizen’s participate? purpose and levels of participation: approach, methods, techniques,...

How can citizen’s participate?

Purpose and levels of participation: approach, methods, techniques, tools.

Technical Assistance for Civil Society OrganisationsRegional Office This project is funded

by the European Union.

Citizen centered exercise needs support from civil society

It aims to empower citizens, to give them better access to information and better forums for debate because ‘ information is power ‘. Clearly, this requires cooperation from civil society organizations ( CSOs ). CSOs are well placed to organize polls, petitions, trans-national forums for debate on the web in order to enable citizens to make their voices heard.

Margot Wallstrom, Vice President of the EU Commission 3 October, 2007 - European Citizen Action Service



Citizen’s participation in decision making

Cost effectivenessAccess and

inclusionQuantity of

servicesQuality of services

Increase of resources

Transparency Participation of Civil Society

Freedom of active

participationResponsibility Resources

Channels of Commu-nication

Clear and specific

regulations

Openness in processes

Existent channels for participation

AutonomyTransparencyAdjustment in

processes

Outcomes:

Inputs:

TIM

E IN

DEC

ISIO

N M

AK

ING

LEVEL OF CITIZEN’S INFLUENCE IN DECISION MAKING

1

2

3

4

5

Legend Gov. authorities

Citizens

Mutual committees

Citizen’s committees

Mutual cooperation

Level of citizen’s influence in decision making- Establishment of channels and bodies for mutual cooperation-

Government and Citizen’s approaches in decision makingGovernment – Citizens Citizens – Government

•Municipal assembly’s

•Media

•Meetings

•Reports

•Documents

•Broshures/leaflets

•Publications

•Planning

•PR Office

•Public information office

•Establishing work group commitee

•E-governance

•Experts

•Coalition building

•Advocacy and lobbying

•Raising public awareness

•Web tools

•Mass media

•Roundtables

•Telephone

• Press release

•Watchdog

•Media debate

•Analysis

•Assessment/surveys

•Case study campaign



E - Government

Key issues in e-government:

• Infrastructure

• Accessibility

• Usability

• Responsiveness

• Credibility



Issues needed to be taken into consideration on e-government

• Adequate IT infrastructure• Amorphous factors: culture, citizen’s awareness,

tradition of GO-citizens communication• Systematic framework• Digital divide• Inability of handicapped persons to access and utilize

information• Social inclusion in participation



Strategic direction of participatory e-government



Changes in participation in e-Government maturity



How citizen’s can participate Current and future EU challenges in creating effective

mechanisms for citizen’s participation in decision making

• Case study I: Center for European Studies ( summary report 2009 available )

• Case study II: CIPAST – Citizen Participation in Science and Technology

• E- participation( Database: examples of e-democracy activities )



Gaps between theory and practice



Challenges that IPA beneficiary countries ( Western Balkans and Turkey ) are facing in regard to citizen’s

participation in decision making

Country specifics and common problems that civil society is facing in the region

Discussion:



Regional challenges in decision making environment

• Political willingness• Transparency and accountability• Transition and it’s challenges • Capacity building• Information technology• Institutional mechanisms for citizen’s participation• Other communication channels



Field analysis

Exercise ( group work ):What are the main gaps between theory and practice

in decision making process? • Name at least four areas where the gap between theory and

practice is too wide.• Identify the main causes which affects the gap to be wide.• Identify the overall societal and current political environment which

enables the causes to exist.

Follow up exercise ( univocally ):• Prioritization of the gaps between theory and practice ( finding

similarities and country specifics though prioritizing the most common gaps to the least identified gaps )



How to transfer theoretical knowledge into the practice? - How to overcome obstacles? -



Citizen’s participation in decision making process

It is considered as a process through which citizens can address and be a part of implementation of their concerns, needs, values, problem solving, developing and monitoring processes in conjunction with political agenda and central/local government strategies.

Group exercise: can you think of a model with combined aims between government and it’s citizen’s?



Ways of citizens participation in decision making

• Participatory Governance

• Participatory Economics

• Participatory Budgeting

• Participatory planning



Categories of Citizens participation

Spectrum of citizens participation in decision

making• Political participation• Administrative participation

Level of involvement in citizens participation• Passive ( one way ) participation• Active participation



Citizens participatory activity

Passive

Active

Political participation Administrative participation

• Information disclosure/accessibility(demand/provision) • Opinion polls

• Information delivery, Informationrequest/disclosure

• Public (Administrative) Service

• Opinion polls

• Citizen general assembly, PublicHearings

• Voting, Proposition

• Opinion exchanges, Public hearings

• Monitor/control, citizen informant,opinion gathering

• Request for administration



Methods of citizens participation( correlation with political and administrative participation )

• Public hearings ( mandated or otherwise )• Town meetings• Participation in regular meetings or otherwise• Citizens advisory boards• Citizen’s coupons ( cards /mail coupons )• Surveys• Web sites/ email• Mutual visits GO and SCO• Contact initiated by citizens

Discussion:



Exercise: Best practices for overcoming obstacles in decision making

Exercise - presentation ( group work ):

• Finding the best solutions to overcome the

obstacles in decision making

• Discussion: explanation of the chosen

methods



how can citizen’s participate? purpose and levels of participation: approach, methods, techniques,...

Documents

citizens participation

european union

citizens awareness

egovernment adequate

mutual cooperation slide

e government key issues

levels of participation

better access