Champions of Participation: Engaging Citizens in Local Governance

UK institutions continue to set the pace in efforts to promote authentic civic engagement.  The newest publications from the Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability (Citizenship DRC) at the University of Sussex offer lessons learned from a cross country comparison across 15 nations.  The Centre, an international network of researchers and activists exploring new forms of citizenship that helps make rights real, has published Champions of Participation: Engaging Citizens in Local Government, a 52 page document with unflinching analysis of the challenges and opportunities in making civic engagement work. 

Two of the lessons certainly reflect my beliefs:

Community involvement is at the heart of sustainable change and is central to the task of revitalising democracy, improving service delivery, tackling poverty and building strong, rsourceful communities. It is not an otional extra, but is essential if we are to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes for people and society.

Citizens should be ‘makers and shapers’ of policy and practice rather than merely ‘users and choosers’ of public services. They should also be encouraged to speak and act as part of a community, as well as exercise the freedom to make their voices heard as individuals.

Indeed, in the press for time that characterizes our “do it now” culture of performance, it is often these meaningful civic roles that are lost in the haste to make “progress.”  The report, and numerous support documents can be found here.