PARTICIPATING ON PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEESWorkshop - WCCF

PLAN FOR THE WORKSHOP Introduction to the idea of community

participation and the structures and mechanisms set up to assist that

Introduction to community forum Reflection on the things that are important to

you Reflection on the level of your organisation’s

engagement with the community forum Exploration of how the Forum can help you and

you can help the Forum

STRUCTURES FOR LOCAL LEVEL PARTICIPATION

• SPCs• CCC• RAPID

• Some of these are located within local government

• Others have been established at more distance from local government

• While others are largely independent of local government

• JPCs• CDB• LSP• CCC• RAPID• SIM

• LDC

DIFFERENT BODIES – DIFFERENT ROLES

Influence Advocate Advise Promote Inform Communicate

Decide Supervise Authorise Evaluate Review Approve Communicate

Advisory type role Executive type role

HOW THE LOCAL AUTHORITY IS STRUCTURED

THE THINGS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY MUST CONSIDER EU policy and legislation National policy National legislation Evidence Legal precedent Expert opinion The wishes of the electorate

Primarily through elected representatives Also through the engagement of representative

organisations CF is the representative body of

representative bodies

THE IMPORTANCE OF POLICY

Policy basically refers to the rules that will be applied when specific proposals are being considered

Policies are, therefore, very important as, if the policy does not support the kinds of things you want to do or they way you want to do them your individual project may be at risk

Involvement in policy is critical The Forum and its role facilitate this

HOW DID THE COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SECTORS GET INVOLVED ?

The process of preparing for the involvement of community representatives in local decision making was set out in Preparing the Ground – Guidelines for the Progress from Strategy Groups to County/City Development Boards – sometimes known as the Green Book.

This recommended that the social partners should nominate CDB representatives i.e. Business, the Trade Union and the Farming Organisations

Given the broad nature of the Community and Voluntary Organisations Sector it was considered that special, localised nomination arrangements should apply in its case.

This led the to the decision to establish C+V Fora in all local authority areas.

HOW DID THE COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SECTORS GET INVOLVED ? In most cases this involved the Director of

Community and Enterprise undertaking a consultative process leading to the establishment of a Community and Voluntary Organisations Forum.

All community and voluntary groups active in the area were to be invited to the Community Forum.

Building on this, the Forum would act as a platform for nominating representatives to the CDB, its supporting groups, and Area Committees.

The representatives would be expected to report back regularly to the Community Forum.

It was envisaged that the local consultation process would lead to the most appropriate way in which the Community Fora of a county / city should organise themselves.

THE ROLE OF THE FORUM

Mechanism for election Method of providing a mandate for

representatives Representatives and Delegates What this needs

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Be clear about why you and your organisation are participating.

Know what your agenda is - have some idea of a strategy to achieve it.

Understand the participation arena and its purpose

Develop strategies for participating where you don’t have power

Learn to deal with opposition Prepare for the long haul and

participation fatigue

How to be accountable

You need to have a mandateYou need to commit to report backYou need to commit to communicateYou cannot act alone

Take a wide view of participation

• Decide if Participation is an end in itself or a means to an end. Judge and be upfront about the end

• Commit to work collectively, constructively and in solidarity.

• Support and don’t undermine the participation of others