Without community empowerment the state cannot address the major policy challenges of our times such as terrorism or climate change but how do we engage with the public? Alice Casey from Involve discusses her thoughts on the issue.
Empowerment has become the new political zeitgeist. Be it through “choice or voice”, “direct democracy” or “double devolution”, parties of all ideological hues now proclaim themselves determined to give citizens power over public services. As a result; whether it be through access to grant funding or by being on neighbourhood forums, participatory budgeting and citizens’ juries; the public are being asked to directly determine how resources are used at both a local and national level. Yet those on the ground are well placed to recognise that these “de-facto” opportunities for influence have in themselves done nothing to increase the participation of citizens in the public realm. Indeed, the evidence shows the opposite. Across the country in town halls and dusty meeting rooms the dwindling band of people who seek to engage with the public realm are increasingly only professional white males over 35. So why is it that when the public have never had so much say, those speaking out are the “usual suspects” - and does this matter?
If we build it...
Getting public participation right is not only crucial for the legitimacy of decision making; it also goes to the heart of our ability to solve modern policy challenges. Whether in dealing with climate change, public health issues such as obesity or matters such as international terrorism and promoting pro-social behaviour, there is now growing agreement that the state cannot its objectives without the co-operation of the public any more than market forces alone can tackle those concerns. Instead we are now entering an era in which progress can only be made in a society where individuals, communities and public services are each able and willing to play their own part. For this to happen, public participation must become the core, not the counterpart, of the future of public service decision-making.
The provision of “de-facto” opportunities for empowerment embodies what can be termed a “field of dreams” approach. Here the processes take precedence over people, as those responsible for engagement within government often believe that “if we build it, they will come”. Across the country there are countless consultation events and meetings that are focused around engagement for its own sake rather than aiming to meet the needs of local people. This approach to public participation in turn favours those who feel comfortable in these environments – and who have the time, skills and persistence to sit through a multitude of meetings.
While there has been a lack of uptake in these types of “de-facto” opportunities to engage with political and democratic processes on the one hand, on the other volunteering and social activism remain a consistent part of British public life. Indeed, 30% of Britons participate in voluntary activities once a month giving nearly 12 hours of their time and 37% of non-voters are members of campaigns or community action groups. This resilient and indeed growing interest in social, rather than political, engagement challenges traditional democratic institutions and practices because it shows how the public are changing the way in which they seek to affect social change.
Changing engagement
Rather than seeking new ways of getting residents to attend or participate in their meetings and working practices, public institutions must ask where the civic energy in their locality is currently being directed and seek to reach out to the people they serve. The difficulty in getting a broader range of individuals and communities to participate in local and national governance reflects the real challenges of public engagement in contemporary Britain. These are rooted not in the need for further neighbourhood forums or council meetings as such, but in understanding the change in how the British public now view participation in political and public life.
Reconnecting the public with the institutions of local and national governance then requires “de-facto” opportunities to be matched by a “subjective” empowerment. This is a sense of the value of engagement in securing positive outcomes for participants. Put simply, the public have to feel that by taking part they can make a difference.
Developing this less tangible subjective sense of empowerment is difficult and time consuming, but it is possible. It requires both the institutions of local decision making to reach out into the communities they serve and for local people themselves to feel equipped to engage with the difficulties of public service provision. It also requires public institutions to understand the reality of the lives of the people with whom they wish to work. Too often, public engagement activities operate as though the time and interest of the public they require is independent of the other concerns of everyday life. As a result they can be incredibly time consuming and intensive even for those who do wish to participate. This can also make involvement seem overwhelming to today’s time squeezed public trying to balance their work and family life commitments.
Community development workers, alongside officers and elected politicians, can play a critical role in helping local and national government recognise and overcome these issues and be effective advocates for change. They are well placed as front-line workers to understand the cultures and attitudes that that can exist within town halls acting as barriers to public participation. So too, working with individuals and communities they can help to nurture subjective empowerment by helping communities to navigate the ever-changing nature of local and national governance with greater confidence. By drawing on these experiences as the political and policy debates continue, organisations such as Involve and CDX can be key forums for sharing ideas as to how to make these aspirations for empowerment a reality for all sections of society. In meeting the challenges of the modern world each one of us must play our part.
Alice Casey is a Research Assistant and Dr Stella Creasy is Head of Research and Development at Involve, a not for profit organisation dedicated to improving democratic engagement practices. For more details about their work please visit www.involve.org.uk .
