Tag: participation

CANDO custard pies.

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Getting people to work together and actively engage in their locality is a critical part of participative democracy.

In the 90’s I was asked to focus on the town of Holmfirth in West Yorkshire to consider how individuals and local organisations could work together to service and support each other.

As the project developed I was interviewed by a local reporter.

I was asked what initiatives would we establish and what projects are likely to work. “We don’t know until we try. We’ll use action research, suck it and see.”

“So,” said the reporter, “it’s as if you’ll throw a series of custard pies and see which ones will stick?” .

I like the analogy.

That’s about it. Spending time on research is too slow, it’s best to dive in there, changing and adapting as you go along.

We also brought our Internet workshops to the town A great success wherever we introduced it, including to young people in Leeds and veterinary practices throughout the U.K.!

Footnote.

Background

Representative democracy is our current system but wherever possible we should be participative, helping people be active participants and not passive recipients of the decisions others make on their behalf.

Voting is necessary but what does it mean on a day to day basis? it might involve single issue campaigns, volunteering to serve, joining measures the council’s introduce to garner your opinion.

The council/local authority/corporation called Kirklees Metrolotian Council I worked for, in West Yorkshire, brought in great innovations.

As well as reaching out to engage we tried to support people to have the confidence and competencies to take their part.

That was over thirty years ago and such experiments are struggling as the government role is decimated.

Doing our LEVEL BEST

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Jill and I, top row and left, led our team of managers of the Kirklees government section that provided services to disabled people, in the 1990s.

Disability Services included day and residential centres, equipment and adaptations to their homes, WORKLINK to get integrated employment, daily meals, care at home, social work and housing.

I have very fond memories of our time together and the dynamic team we created that made a difference in so many people’s lives.

We were fortunate and known for a programme of work (LEVEL BEST) to be able to involve disabled people in telling us what they wanted from the services leading to a series of innovations, including ….

– information service

– advocates to help people understand and get the services they needed

– community based daytime activities

– integrated housing

– disabled people’s electronic village hall providing access and training to computers

– a shop selling equipment

– accessible transport service to the wider disability community.

…and a conference to pass on our learning to other organisations.

We were a wonderful team, at a special time who found ways to do things differently .

Thanks guys.

Footnote

LEVEL BEST was a campaign of different methods such as: a reference group, market research panels, public meetings, interviews, to involve disabled people in telling us what they wanted from a reorganised public service. It led to a business plan and fundamental reorganisation of the overall service.

After footnote

That was thirty years ago. Unfortunately the money available to provide such services is reduced and demand has increased. Political priorities change. People are however continuing to provide essential services in difficult circumstances.