Social isolation is a key requirement towards promoting wellbeing and preventing undue pressure on public services, such as costly hospital admissions. With an elderly mother of my own who is increasingly needing care at home it’s a subject close to…
One of the privileges of being in Shared Future is the wonderful people, and wonderful places it gives you access to. Like the recent Citizen Participation University in Hungary. In 2017 it was in its 9th year. The Citizen Participation University (CPU) is…
In 2017 Shared Future facilitated 4 citizen led inquiries into Health and Wellbeing in Blackpool. These short videos, taken on the 4th May 2017 explain the reasons behind why they were needed and what went on. The interviews were filmed…
Alan Thornton, project worker for Leeds Orchard Live, supported by the ‘Helping Britain Blossom’ programme, describes how they used participatory grant-making to distribute £3,000. Small scale funding perhaps, yet vital to promoting orchard groups in Leeds. “Leeds is a city…
There are many reason to use Participatory Budgeting. Such as to inspire citizens to take greater responsibility within their community, or to strengthen the democratic mandate of elected officials. A significant additional reason is to promote open and transparent government,…
“Should sustainability be a factor in PB” is a blog by Jez Hall, reflecting on discussions on PB at the Lived Experience workshop of Engage, Think, Do!, and the presentations from Kenya and elsewhere on PB at scale. What does…
Fracking is a hugely important issue for politicians grappling with the energy challenges we are faced with now and in the future. However, the debate is dominated by industry representatives, politicians and campaigners, with citizens often left watching from the…
If two heads are better than one… what about 10 heads, or 100, or 67,000. Could Universities spearhead a new form of more open democratic accountability in educational Institutions? Would your school or college trust its learners, and use Participatory…
I can hardly believe it is only two weeks since I was on a small Danish island, in the midst of the Baltic sea, taking part in the Danish Folkemoedet, or People’s Meeting. Sharing big ideas, rubbing up against national politicians,…
In a recent Citizens Inquiry in the Wirral, twenty residents from all walks of life worked together over nine evenings to think through how to make alcohol a healthy part of their community and reduce the harmful aspects, in terms…