Informing and influencing policyFindings and implications from Pathways through Participation21st October 2011

#pthwys

How and why does participation begin, continue and stop?

Research questions

Can trends and patterns of participation be identified over time?

What connections, if any, are there between different forms and episodes of participation and what triggers movement between them?

Approach

3 field work areas:

LeedsEnfieldSuffolk

Individual at the heart

Qualitative research

101 in-depth interviews

Participation as ‘situated practice’

Stakeholder engagement

Life stories

What is participation?Social participation: the collective activities that individuals are involved in

Public participation: the engagement of individuals with the various structures and institutions of democracy

Individual participation: people’s individual actions and choices that reflect the kind of society they want to live in

Available from:www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/resources

What is participation?

Common features:VoluntaryAbout actionCollective or connectedPurposeful

Perceptions of participation are contradictory

Participation impacts on people and places

Conflict and tension are an integral part of participation

Participation is widespread

Why participation starts

An emotional reactionA personal life eventAn external influence

Practical resourcesLearnt resourcesFelt resources

Groups and organisationsLocal environment and place

Helping othersDeveloping relationshipsExercising values & beliefsHaving influenceFor personal benefitBeing part of something

Why participation continues or stopsFriendship

s

Life event

Relationships

TimeHealth

Enjoyment

Impact

Energy

The factors that shape participationIndividual motivations and resourcesRelationships and social networksGroups and organisationsLocal environment and placeWider societal and global influences

Trends and patterns of participation over time

Critical moments

Life stage

Priorities

Conclusions Participation is

personalParticipation can be encouraged, supported & made more attractive

Significant barriers to participation are entrenched

Available from: www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/resources

Current policy themes & drivers• Supporting voluntary action and

encouraging philanthropy and giving• Devolving power to communities and

local government• Greater role in public services for

voluntary and community organisations and other civil society organisations

• Significant policy developments to realise the above aims include:

• Giving White Paper• Localism Bill

Giving time and money

National Citizen’s Service

Community OrganisersReciprocal models of giving

Harnessing new technologies

New investments

AIM: Increase numbers and rates of giving time and money

Participation equations

Implications for giving policyPersonal invitation

Imposition of external agenda Structured entry points Opportunities to continue Make the case for giving stronger Improve information on diversity of (formal and informal) giving opportunities Acknowledge entrenched barriers

Lift the burden of bureaucracy

Empower communities to do things their way

Increase local control of public finance

Diversity the supply of public services

Open up government to public scrutiny

Strengthen accountability to local people

Decentralisingpower

Right to challenge & buy

Neighbourhood planning

Key findings: decentralising power Importance of local

services

Local sites essential

People take on different roles

Local issue as trigger

Resources needed to take on roles & responsibilities

Lack of social capital to challenge service closure

Range of roles & opportunities necessary

Take care of those who are already active

Involvement in ‘the system’ is often a means to an end

Implications: decentralising power

Available from:www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/resources

What has particularly struck you?

What are the implications?

What else do we need to know?

Group discussion