This post does not sit easily within an existing Category. Actually, though, it does fit well with our Strategic Plan' Key Output to create a Communication Plan. But mostly I just wanted to note a fine article I came across under the self-explanatory title "Some Lessons from Web2.0 for Participation and E-democracy", under the names of Lee Bryant and David Wilcox, and a couple of related links I noted about the same time.
Noting that "most research into why participation is not generating the hoped-for results and levels of engagement" the article points to three key groups of issues and to an August 2005 report of a study on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation web site "Effective participation in anti-poverty and regeneration work and research" which underlines the importance of participation "of people with direct experience" - in this case, of poverty and regeneration. But the point is widely applicable. The study, by Peter Beresford and Martin Hoban, drew 6 conclusions which have wider application to participation generally:
- Powerlessness is central to people's experience of poverty and
disadvantage. Conventional bureaucratic and managerial 'top-down'
approaches to participation have very limited success.
- Existing experience identifies barriers to people's participation
at four levels: personal; political and institutional; economic and
cultural; and technical. All need to be addressed for participation to
work.
- People are much more likely to get involved in work if they have a
strong sense that something tangible and worthwhile will come out of
it.
- Supporting independent organisations which people themselves
develop and control, at local level and beyond, is a vital building
block for effective participation.
- Capacity building to develop people's confidence, self-esteem and
understanding supports their empowerment and participation. It is not
the same as skill development to equip people to work in the way that
agencies traditionally work.
- Such capacity building is particularly helpful in encouraging
diverse involvement and ensuring the participation of black and
minority ethnic groups.
There was a short follow-up by David Wilcox a few days after the posting by Lee Bryant. David Wilcox also writes an interesting blog Designing for Civil Society, "mainly about engagement and collaboration using social media".
Later in the year, in December 2006, David posted a further related note (and provided more food for thought through further links), entitled "Social Media Supports the Shadow Side":
"Faced with questions about why blogs and other social media can make a difference to the way organisations work I haven't got much beyond they challenge hierarchies internally if people share information informally, and they punch a hole in the membrane between the organisation and members or customers. They also encourage conversations and storytelling ... help people find a voice and new roles. These issues were discussed a lot at the recent Gurteen Knowledge cafe and continue to be raised on the Gurteen forum. What I have lacked is some ways of tying these ideas together - now neatly provided by Lloyd Davis in It's Social Stupid", which David goes on to quote at length, and which is well worth reading as well as introducing another fascinating blog, Perfect Path. on using "social forms of media such as blogs, wikis, podcasts and videoblogs".
Note mainly to myself - I have opened a new Category, so developing the purposes of this blog.