On 5th November 2024, Voice4Change England (V4CE) conducted an Online Stakeholder Consultation and Engagement session, as part of their grant-funded activity for the GLA Democratic Participation Grants Programme. The event aimed to explore mechanisms for democratic participation and ways to influence decision-making outside of election periods.
The webinar attracted 12 participants from various community organisations and sectors. Participants shared their experiences and challenges in engaging with local councillors and parliamentarians. Many noted difficulties in maintaining consistent communication with elected officials outside of election periods. Suggestions for improvement included:
- Developing subgroups to make deputations to local councils on specific subjects
- Utilising Scrutiny Boards to initiate change
- Creating spaces for knowledge exchange between councillors and communities
- Improving communication about councillors' work and achievements
The importance of civic and democratic participation and political literacy was emphasised, with recommendations to educate the public on the roles and remits of various governmental bodies. Participants also discussed successful strategies for community engagement, such as forming networks to challenge systems and securing allyship from local councillors.
A poll conducted during the event revealed that 63% of participants' organisations were currently engaged in promoting civic and democratic participation. The most common forms of civic participation among attendees included volunteering (80%), running or attending community events (80%), and starting or signing petitions (50%).
For future deliberative participatory events, participants expressed the most interest in:
1. Exploring ways to build stronger communities through collective action (73%)
2. Encouraging ongoing civic participation beyond elections (45%)
3. Understanding and discussing barriers to voting (36%)
4. Discussing strategies to increase voter participation from marginalised communities (36%)
The top topics of interest for these events were young people (58%), the voluntary and community sector (58%), the criminal justice system (33%), and health (33%).
The webinar concluded with 67% of participants expressing interest in further engagement with V4CE, including workshops, in-person events, and information sharing.
Overall, the event provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing democratic participation in London. It highlighted the need for continued efforts to bridge the gap between communities and elected officials, as well as the importance of sustained civic engagement beyond election periods.
Ditipriya Acharya,
Senior Marketing, Media and Communications Officer
Commentaires