Related resources on the benefits of community participation
Open, inclusive policy making increases government accountability, broadens citizens’ influence on decisions and builds civic capacity. It also improves the evidence base for policy making, reduces implementation costs and taps wider networks for innovation in policy making and service delivery. These international resources explore these benefits in more detail.
International resources
This report from the Civil Renewal Unit in the British Home Office explores and assesses evidence for the positive results of community engagement, and identifies further work needed to increase and promote understanding of what works. It looks at community engagement in the arrears of crime, housing, health, education, housing, regeneration and local government. It is an initial discussion document on the benefits of community involvement with a more detailed research project to be completed in the future. Rogers, B and E Robinson, Active Citizenship Centre, London, United Kingdom, 2004.
The code sets out the approach that the British Government will take when entering into a formal written, public consultation exercise. It recognises that effective consultation brings to light valuable information that allows governments to make informed decisions on matters of policy, to improve the delivery of public services, and the accountability of public bodies - ultimately resulting in the design of more effective solutions. HM Government, United Kingdom, 2008.
Produced by the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD), these Core Principles came out of the Public Engagement Principles (PEP) Project. The project was launched in February 2009 to provide clarity about the fundamental components of quality public engagement, and to support US president Barack Obama’s memorandum on transparency and open government. The following principles were developed collaboratively by members and leaders of NCDD, IAP2 (the International Association of Public Participation), the Co-Intelligence Institute, and many others. The seven principles are Careful planning and preparation, Inclusion and demographic diversity, Collaboration and shared purpose, Openness and learning, Transparency and trust, Impact and action, Sustained engagement and participatory culture. USA, 2009.
This paper outlines reasons for governments to strengthen their relationships with citizens and gives 10 guiding principles for successful information delivery and consultation by government.
Complex policy issues cannot be solved by government alone. People have a major role to play in ensuring high-quality public services economically and achieving shared public policy goals. This book explores how OECD governments are putting the principles of open and inclusive policy making into practice, and how they can ensure broader, more inclusive, participation? The content is based on a survey of governments in 25 countries, 14 in-depth country case studies and 18 opinion pieces from leading civil society and government practitioners. It includes 10 guiding principles to support open and inclusive policy making and service delivery in practice. OECD - Organisation for Economic and Co-operative Development, 2009.
This report discusses the benefits of public engagement along with the areas of concern commonly raised by politicians and policy makers. It examines methods for over-coming this resistance and the benefits that arise as a result of meaningful public engagement. L. Turnbull and P Aucoin, Canadian Policy Research Networks Inc. (CPRN), Ottawa, Canada, 2006.
Chapter 9 of this book examines the utility of citizen participation and the benefits of participating in decision making rather than merely benefiting form decision making made by others. rey, B S and A Stutzer (2002). Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. Ch 9 pp153-168
This paper is divided into three parts and looks at how policy making can benefit from public engagement. The first part deals with the impacts public engagement can have on policy making and how it can be built into the policy-making process. In particular it looks at the areas of social cohesion, educational attainment and climate change. The second section looks at how public servants are dealing with public engagement, while the third section looks at how public engagement is impacting on public service providers and public servants themselves. Creasy, S (Ed) (2007). United Kingdom: Involve
This book considers the role of citizens working with politicians to bring about change. It analyses the five stages of Sustained Dialogue and suggests reasons for engaging with citizens as a way of over-coming complex social problems. H. Saunders, Palgrave MacMillan, New York, United States of America, 2005.
