INFORMATION, CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION AND THEIR DIFFERENT PROMISES FOR PARTICIPATION

Hille Hinsberg, Praxis Centre for Policy Studies

Nine principles of good engagement (by Involve, UK)

1. Makes a difference2. Is transparent3. Has integrity

4. Is tailored to circumstances5. Involves the right number & types of people6. Treats participants with respect7. Gives priority to participants’ discussions

8. Is reviewed & evaluated to improve good practice

9. Participants are kept informed

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When is participation used

Political vision

Policy formationDecision

making

Implementation

Evaluation

Aims of participation

Source: http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/scienceandsociety/site/all/files/2010/10/PE-conversational-tool-Final-251010.pdf

Transmit Collaborate ReceiveTo inspire, inform, change, educate, build capacity and involvement or influence decisions of stakeholders or the public

To collaborate, consider, create or decide something together with stakeholders or the public

To use the views, skills, experience, knowledge of stakeholders or the public to inspire, inform, change, educate or build your own capacity or decisions

SPECTRUM

Challenges for participation

• Open governance as motivation to enhance participation practices

• Raising awareness on the benefits of consultation among civil servants and state officials

• Building trust in the aims and process of participation among citizens and CSOs

• Promoting standards for consultation on local level

Outcomes of successful engagement• Increased legitimacy of decisions and decision-making process; and trust in

policy, organization and its key persons;

• Better information about planned activities in society and in target groups;

• Increased knowledge and expertise and alternative policy options;

• Getting feedback about existing policies and about partners’ expectations;

• Balancing different (including opposing) interests in decision-making process;

• Identifying policy impacts and practical implementation problems;

• Improving policy coherence;

• Preparing for policy implementation;

• Avoiding mistakes.

MORE TRUST AND SATISFACTION

Engagement is NOT ...

– a substitute for representative democracy– a chance to avoid responsibility– a way how to postpone unpleasant decisions– a magic key for solving all problems and making

everybody happy– a piece of cake

When engagement does not work?

• When the decision has already been made or then there is only one solution. Why: creates illusion for engagement

• When skills and opportunities for engagement are missing. Why: empty hope

• When there is no respect towards the participants and no interest for their opinion. Why: superficiality and lose of trust

Everyone does not need to be engaged always everywhere. More is always not better!

The more strategic is the decision, the bigger is a need for participation opportunities.

Designing participation

Outcome(What)

Process / Structure

(How)

People(Who)

Context(Where)

Purpose(Why)

Aims of policy: what do we need to do?

• To present the draft legal act on urban planning and construction (this is a commitment in the Government Coalition Programme).

• To formulate government position in nature protection conditions, to prepare for meeting of all EU ministers

• To collect ideas for preparing a new service for applying for fishing rights• To hold discussions on the potential for lowering the minimum age for

voting at elections, • To ensure that all local municipalities will implement the new law for

collecting statistics • To analyse the current practice in child protection and make proposals to

the minister to amend the policy.• To ensure that data protection guidelines are known and followed by all

public sector institutions • To collect different views in the society to decide if regulation for adopting

foster children should be made easier …

Why to engage?Some examples of engagement objectives

• Collect information about current situations, problems, needs and expectations

• Get ideas how to improve the situations

• Inform the stakeholders about your plans and build support for your plans

• Get feedback about your recent activities or plans

• Find out the preferences of the participants and opinions about the different

options

• Make decisions together with the participants

• Achieve better acceptance and implementation of the decision

• Build long-term cooperation and mutual trust

What toolbox do we need?

• Work plan• Communication channels• Participation methods• External expertise• Political/managerial support• Stakeholder goodwill and information

What rules must be respected?

A: Consultation documents are clear, concise, and include all necessary information; B: All relevant parties have an opportunity to express their opinion; C: Adequate awareness-raising publicity is ensured and communication channels are adapted to meet the needs of all target audiences; D: Participants are given sufficient time for responses; E: Acknowledgement and adequate feedback is provided.

Group assignment: design the participation process for OGP action plan

1) Focus on the target group: whom you need to involve?

2) What is the main objective of engagement?3) What are the expectations for participants?4) What is the most suitable level of engagement:

Information, consultation, collaboration? Plan methods accordingly

5) What are the risks and barriers during the process?

Methods for engaging discussions

• What needs to be achieved? – Getting messages across– Generate new ideas– Get feedback on proposed alternatives– Make a compromise, alleviate conflicting interests– Achieve a decision

• How many participants?• How many staff we have, how much time and how

much money we need?• Context: what has been made before this meeting?