"The Toolkit" - Practice, Progess and Value
Contents Page | Foreword by the Secretary of State | Introduction and Summary | What is a Learning City? | The Learning City | Taking the First Steps | The Structure of this Guide | The Three Strands of Development | Strand One: Partnership | Strand Two: Participation | Strand Three: Performance | Useful Publications

Strand Two: Participation

  • Learning to Involve the Public in Public Policy
  • Level 1: Getting Organised
  • Level 2: Towards a Shared Understanding
  • Level 3: Cycles of Learning

    Level 3: Cycles of Learning

    There is certainly a need to work with communities of all kinds in the work of regeneration and economic development. Communities must be involved in decision-making on the changes which affect them and in the developments which influence the places where they live and work. The intention is also to make sure that the wider community, not just the fragmented parts which are subject to economic development funding, is involved in the process of determining its own future. Some elements have traditionally been adept at influencing development. Much of the work discussed here is about widening the power base to include those who do not normally get involved in decision-making in learning and influencing local government and business interests.

    In this process, skills and educational development play a significant part. But they must be supported by some of the strategies to support community development which are indicated. It is important to establish an infrastructure of participation and consultation which is self- sustaining if communities are to be able to continue to exert influence over time. This must involve access to learning opportunities to build on and develop the skills for economic success, and a culture to support learning in its widest sense. Cyclical systems to mimic the learning cycle of "Plan, Deliver, Evaluate and Plan Again" are needed on a community-wide basis.

    The centre of this cyclical process is to involve the communities in evaluating the purposes and practices of the learning community.

    Ideas for Action

    An annual conference can help to keep awareness of initiatives alive and offer a chance to evaluate and assess progress, as well as celebrating successes of all kinds.

    Having a written strategy for review, including the people to be involved, can ensure that people and communities are not forgotten because they are not currently centre-stage.

    Research projects can keep interest alive and provide valuable information on progress and patterns of participation in learning and community activity, as well as evaluating the quality of such involvement.

    Systems to provide routine management information on initiatives for both communities themselves and the learning city initiative should be set up to ensure factual information is gathered.

    • Citizens' Juries

    Citizens' juries are an approach which has aroused a great deal of interest.

      "A small group of people, representing 'general public' meet together to explore a specific policy issue. Witnesses present information and jurors cross-examine their statements. Jurors deliberate amongst themselves and then make public their conclusions." (Institute of Public Policy Research, 1994)
    Guidelines for Citizens' Juries include:

    • Jurors receive sufficient information (both written and oral) to make decisions. Witnesses give evidence and can be cross-examined

    • Jurors have adequate time to become informed and discuss the issue. Research in Germany and the US indicates that juries lasting 3-5 days have been most effective. The amount of time needed depends on how specific the issue is. Pilot projects will need to experiment to see whether gaps between the discussions cause significant problems.

    • Deliberation, facilitated by a trained moderator, is an important element. It is the process by which different views are tested and arguments are advanced to persuade: if one seeks to persuade then one has to take account of views other than one's own. Deliberation allows for reflection on a particular issue, in contrast with snapshot measures of public opinion such as opinion polls.

    • Jurors are encouraged to make decisions from a community perspective rather than as isolated and anonymous individuals, and represent a cross section of society.

    • Decisions or recommendations of a citizens' jury are not binding, but it is important that there should be some form of contract or agreement requiring the sponsoring body (e.g. the local council or health commission) to respond and to publish the response to the jury's recommendations. (Institute of Public Policy Research, 1995)

    From, John Stewart, "Further Innovation in Democratic Practice", The University of Birmingham, 1996

    Means should be found to engage media and people in debate. Citizens' juries, and working to have media involvement and coverage of initiatives, both ensure that impetus is maintained.

    Essential

    The key issue is how to build non-bureaucratic structures which ensure that pressure within specific communities can be translated into the action planning taking place in the area as a whole on a regular basis, rather than as a result of periodic outreach work.

    Assessing Progress in Stage Three

    Are records kept on a series of key indicators and reviewed on a regular basis?

    Are approaches made from the community which initiate debate and action planning?

    Are there systems for receiving and giving feedback on initiatives?

    When new plans for the whole community need to be discussed, is there a coherent plan of action drawn from successful experience?

    Is there a culture of learning from communities, and a commitment to researching ways to improve this?

    Facts and Figures

    Numbers of groups existing within the community.

    Attendance at regular community activities from those living within the community.

    Attitude changes recorded by survey.

    Increased participation in local government elections.

    Examples in Action

    In general, learning communities which are young initiatives are not at this stage of development. Examples of real community involvement and participation in regeneration and research are hard to find. Some initiatives are giving signals of their intentions in this area.

    In Hull where the "Learning Chapter" was tested on constituent groups by the City Learning Group, there is a commitment to a regular annual conference which explores major themes within the Learning Chapter. Work is currently being done to revise the plan and to consult on its next phase.

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