What is Participation?

Home >> What is Participation?

Participation, engagement and involvement are all terms that are popular today. While there are differences in the meaning of these terms there is also a lot of overlap. All these terms are associated with the importance of involving wider groups of people in decisions, services and design.

The participation field is diverse in practice and theory. This page provides a brief introduction to the field and the key ideas and themes.

Participation is often modelled as a ladder or spectrum ranging from the lowest level, to inform, to the highest level, to empower.

Participation - The Policy Context

Whether through the calls for direct democracy, "double devolution", participatory budgeting, or choice and voice in service provision, citizens have never before been afforded so many opportunities for direct influence over public services. The UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set out why the Government believes that tackling the policy challenges of the future requires the public to be at the heart of service decision making and social change.

"We will only meet the new challenges of security, of economic change, of communities under pressure - and forge a stronger shared national purpose - by building a new relationship between citizens and government that ensures that Government is a better servant of the people."
(Gordon Brown, House of Commons Statement on Constitutional Reform, Hansard 3rd July 2007)

Participation is also important in other parts of the world. See for example the work of the OECD, International Association for Public Participation, Deliberative Democracy Consortium and the Logolink network

Why participation is important for government

There is growing agreement across society that the state cannot (and should not) direct the actions of citizens without their co-operation, any more than the market alone can be relied upon to address the challenges of our time. Whether in dealing with climate change, public health concerns, tackling international terrorism or promoting pro-social behaviour, we are entering an era in which progress is only possible if individuals, communities and public services are each able and willing to contribute to the solution. For this to happen, public participation must become the core, not the counterpart, of the future of public service decision-making. Over time the public has grown less deferential towards authority and this means that the relationship between elected representatives and their constituents and between the institutions of the states and the citizens must change. This is why participation is important to the public sector.

Why participation is important to the private sector

The boom in interest in ethical consumerism and high profile campaigns by consumer, human rights and environmental groups shows that the public is increasingly concerned about corporate accountability and transparency. The conflict around GM crops in the UK demonstrated that a secretive approach can damage a companies interests in the long run. Participatory methods need to be a core part of the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda is it is to amount to more than just a one way communications exercise.

Why participation is important to the community and voluntary sector

In the future if community and voluntary groups want to be effective campaigners or advocates they will need to be able to show how they have engaged with their constituents. Most charities that deliver services are committed to user involvement. The information gathered by a forward thinking programme of engagement will allow community and voluntary groups to adapt to changing circumstances and to remain relevant in the future.

What participants gain from participation

Public participation is not only important for organisations in the public, private and not for profit sectors, it also has the potential to change how individuals and communities live and interact. Taking part in local decision-making or discussing future policy can have a transformative effect on how people think about themselves and their role in society, as these quotes testify:

"It has made me realise that my contribution as a citizen is important. I am keen to be involved in future in any way possible if given the opportunity."
(Participant from Your Health Your Care Your Say consultation on the health and social care White Paper)

"It was great, it was good for the brain, it was good to meet other people, to engage, and to feel you matter as a human being, and everybody wants to feel that."
(Participant from a public dialogue on science policy)

"The man on the street has a lot to offer. His ideas might not always be better, but they are different; they give a different perspective. (...) Bringing a lot of different people together allows new ideas to develop."
(Participant from a citizens jury on nanotechnologies)

Guides to Participation

The following guide gives a useful overview of the field of participation:

People and Participation

Making a Difference