Strengthening civil society
The true costs of participation: the framework
The benefits and pitfalls of participation initiatives
Authors:
; Involve
Publisher:
Involve, 2005
How easy is it to establish what a participation initiative has really achieved - or simply whether the benefits were really worth the time and money? This document introduces a framework for thinking about the costs and value of participation in a structured way. It aims to help users find a way through the complexities of the true costs and true value of engaging citizens in the decisions that affect their lives.
UK focused, but with implications for participatory processes in all societies, the paper has three main sections:
- introducing participation: some of the issues affecting participation, with particular reference to the UK
- planning for participation: the key steps for ensuring that participation works
- methods for participation: the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of different participation methods.
This document is based on research and collaborative development through a programme of interviews, workshops, desk research and discussions within Involve, carried out in 2004/05.
