Shared Future CIC

Empowering, Sustaining, Innovating

Participatory Budgeting

Louise O’Kane and Jez Hall interviewed for German Participatory Budgeting website

Journalist Stephanie Grimm speaks with Louise O’Kane of Community Places and Jez Hall of Shared Future CIC on behalf of the Buergerhaushalt website, on the past present and future for Participatory Budgeting in the UK. Would you like to know more about the important role of voting, the involvement of young people who are far removed from politics and the effects of austerity policy? Then take a full look at the interview.

Build Back Better? Participation in public budgets tackles two pandemics

There are two viruses affecting our world. The Covid19 pandemic and racism. One natural, one manmade. Both affecting some more than others. People centred approaches are at the heart of building back better. Public bodies can support and enable resilient communities and tackle social injustice by putting public money at the disposal of citizens; to better serve their needs, and to rebuild trust in our government and between people.

Report on Online Webinars about Participatory Budgeting and Young People

Shared Future CIC facilitated three online PB Youth Accelerator workshop sessions on 21st-22nd April 2020. The first a knowledge exchange workshop, with invited participants from Scotland based Participatory Budgeting programmes, to explore in greater depth the unique features of their work. The second, an online ‘Open Space’ considered how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting democratic participation and youth empowerment, and the third explored Legislative Theatre, a creative way to develop a more deliberative democracy. Find out more.

Participatory Budgeting and Social Enterprise: Latest research report by SFCIC

What links Participatory Budgeting and Social Enterprise? Through reflecting on long-term qualitative learning of Participatory Budgeting in the UK, viewed through a social economy lens, we found that Participatory Budgeting, in and of itself, stimulates the development of new cooperatives and sustained social action.

Does Participatory Budgeting always require a vote?

There is a very real desire to make Participatory Budgeting more deliberative and thoughtful. One of the concerns about voting is that it doesn’t force people to think through the options. That PB needs more deliberation. Nevertheless Jez Hall of PB Partners/Shared Future CIC argues that the vote is crucial for legitimacy and trust within a PB processes.

Report of Our Money Our Planet Workshops

There is overwhelming evidence that we are in a climate emergency. Government can seem paralysed in the face of this complex issue. This report outlines some possible ways to make some progress, based on our experience and knowledge of participatory approaches, which put citizens into the driving seat of decision-making whilst improving transparency and governance at a local authority level.

Participatory Budgeting and Climate Change: Our Money, Our Planet events

PB Partners are delivering a series of free events across the UK in response to the Climate Change emergency. Participatory Budgeting is an effective way for local authorities, and other statutory bodies to respond to this existential threat, and mobilise and enable communities take action themselves.

Common Values: What links Participatory Budgeting, Cooperatives and Social Enterprise?

How do the values of cooperation, social enterprise and democratic local governance link? How can we engage communities better, promote democracy and social action, and thereby effect real long-term change? Does Participatory Budgeting encourage a culture of cooperative and social enterprise. And if so, is that because of underlying common values? What do you think?

Participatory Budgeting within Social Housing. Ideas for better engaging with tenants and residents groups

Housing Associations, Cooperatives, Tenant and Arm’s Length Management Organisations are uniquely well placed to initiate and lead participatory budgeting (PB), as they often already have well structured tenant engagement processes, and much of their income comes directly from rents.  PB is an ideal way to take that engagement further, and respond to the interests, concerns and needs of their residents and the wider community.

Empowering Pupils through Participatory Budgeting in Schools

Schools play a central role in developing the life-skills and confidence of young people. Participatory budgeting (PB) is a proven deliberative process that can inspire, empower and engage young people in a cooperative, democratic and purposeful way. Bringing the two together has many positive benefits for schools, for society and for young people.