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ESRC/NCVO Public Policy Seminar Series - Engaging Citizens
The ESRC in collaboration with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) are organising a series of seminars on civil renewal and active citizenship. The aim of the seminars is to improve the understanding of the motivations and practices of engaged citizens. They will provide an opportunity for practitioners, academics and policy-makers to share insights into how active citizens contribute to an inclusive and cohesive society, and will provide an opportunity to review possible implications for both Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector when developing and encouraging citizen engagement. The seminars will cover the following themes: - Faith based voluntary action;
- ICT, Social capital and voluntary action;
- Individual pathways in participation;
- Localism and local governance; and
- Human rights, a tool for change.
The first seminar, on 'Faith based voluntary action', was held at the NCVO on 15 June 2006.
Faith Based Voluntary Action
15 June 2006, LondonIndividuals choose to participate for a range of reasons. They are more likely to get involved and act collectively when they have something in common. They may for instance live in the same area and/or have similar interests. And often they are motivated by shared identities, values and beliefs, including ones that stem from religious affiliation. There has recently been a renewed interest in the role of faith groups in encouraging community development, local governance and service delivery, it is important to understand how faith and the practice of faith shapes voluntary action and participation. The purpose of this seminar was to look at how faith shapes voluntary action and influences the type of voluntary activity individuals choose to participate in. The seminar also explored the challenges and issues of the current policy agenda for faith-based organisations, statutory agencies and government bodies.
ICT, Social Capital and Voluntary Action
5 October 2006, LondonICT is changing the ways in which individuals interact with each other, with organisations and government. How ICT impacts on social capital remains to a large extent unclear and is still very much debated. Whilst some commentators believe ICT diminishes social capital and fails to build strong ties between people, others have highlighted how ICT is offering additional means of communication, which are on the contrary strengthening existing social networks and providing a series of opportunities for new connections to be made. The seminar explored these different views and looked specifically at virtual voluntary action. It examined how this expanding form of engagement might differ, in terms of social capital, from the more traditional forms of voluntary action that are usually based on face-to-face interaction. For further information:
Individual pathways in participation
24 January 2007, LondonWhilst there have been studies on individual motivations for voluntary action and participation, these have often failed to address how individuals participate and get involved over time, how their experience might change with life stages and how different episodes of participation might be connected. The seminar will provide an opportunity to look at people's pathways to and from participation, and explore whether the involvement in community activities as a volunteer, member or beneficiary can lead to involvement in decision-making structures and processes within the voluntary and community organisations and outside the sector, including in state institutions and public services. The passages from one type of involvement is of course neither automatic nor compulsory, but our understanding of the factors facilitating or hindering this possible movement nevertheless needs to be improved. For further information:
Localism and Local Governance
20 March 2007, LondonMuch of the new localism agenda focuses on community engagement in governance structures and on local government modernisation. The shift from government to governance encouraged by the current policy context is creating new opportunities for individuals to become more actively involved in local decision-making structures and public services. The seminar explored whether policy is effectively contributing to positive changes. Although the primary focus of the Government's agenda has been the relationship between citizens and the state, the seminar also considered how citizens relate to each other and look at the impact of community governance on social capital and community cohesion.
From Local to Global
28 June 2007, LondonParticipation may happen at the local level, but global concerns such as the environment, fair trade and debt relief have increasingly mobilised the general public. The success of the tsunami appeal and the support for the 'Make Poverty History' campaign demonstrate how local and global can come together. Whilst international social movements are by no means a new phenomenon, global mobilisation has been accelerated through the development of new technologies, which has contributed to a redefinition of space and scale. The seminar will explore how the link between local and global is taking form in social movements, campaigning and giving. It will examine how participation of individuals across national boundaries is strengthening the idea of global citizenship, beyond the usual frame of reference for citizenship that is the nation-state.
Human Rights, a Tool for Change
31 October 2007, LondonThe Human Rights Act is a potentially vital tool for individuals and communities wishing to improve the quality of public services. It requires public authorities not only to ensure that the rights of individuals are upheld, but it also places them under a positive obligation to promote people's rights, particularly those who are vulnerable or excluded: to ensure it places the user at the centre of public services reform. Yet there is very little public awareness of this, indeed, there has been considerable media hostility towards human rights legislation in recent years. This seminar will explore how individuals can use the Human Rights Act to secure improvements in services and how public authorities are using a human rights approach to achieve change.
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