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• Promoting Effective Citizenship and Community Empowerment. A Guide for Local Authorities on enhancing capacity for public participation

Communities and neighbourhoods

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Summary

Effective local governance now requires informed, engaged citizens who vote in elections, participate in decision making and contribute to the quality of services. This means public bodies need to go beyond providing opportunities for participation, to embark on a process of learning, both for the public and for the organisations that need their input.

This guide (available via the link below) is for councils and other bodies wishing help people develop the knowledge, skills and sense of empowerment needed to play a meaningful role in local decision-making. It's packed with advice, examples of good practice and links to useful sources of information and is structured along the lines of six key challenges:

1. Effective citizenship - why helping people to become more effective citizens is a key issue for local authorities, and how this supports current Government policy.
2. Learning and citizenship - formal and informal approaches to learning about participation and local governance, and reinforcing these by making public participation more meaningful.
3. Tailoring to the target audience - reflecting the needs of different social groups, especially young, marginalised and under-represented people, and 'the silent majority'.
4. Changing Council Culture - how councils can adjust their internal culture, structure and ways of working to foster more effective citizenship.
5. Measuring Success - evaluating whether people have become more informed or empowered as a result of initiatives, and whether the council has become more sensitive to their input.
6. Sustainability - recognising that it takes time to build the confidence and ability needed for people to become effective citizens.

The guide was produced for Communities and Local Government by Cardiff University and is based on research carried out among English local authorities.

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• Promoting Effective Citizenship and Community Empowerment
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