Today there is a growing tendency to promote citizen participation in municipalities of all sizes. And in many cases it is taken for granted that the benefits of citizen participation are already known to all. This can lead some municipalities to implement policies in this regard without understanding their relevance and without acquiring a real commitment. Before undertaking a citizen engagement initiative, it is important to understand why you are working to achieve higher levels of involvement and how this will contribute to improving the city in the long term.
Participation beyond elections
An active and involved citizenry is a symptom of democratic health. Municipalities in which individuals dedicate part of their time to helping others or developing community projects tend to have more fruitful relations with their local government. In addition, community projects promoted by organized citizens can lead to significant savings for the administration, since problems can be detected immediately and diagnoses can be more accurate.
Although many identify elections as the process of citizen participation par excellence, there are citizens for whom elections are not the main instrument for expressing their political preferences. Elections exclude not only minors but also other groups who, without having the legal status of citizens, participate in the economic and social life of the municipality. This can result in important issues for common life being left out of the political debate during the election period. This is one of the reasons why it is important to promote citizen participation and collaboration beyond elections.
Online citizen participation
Technology is a great ally is a great ally that helps governments to achieve higher participation rates with less effort. Digital consultations, surveys, online debates or voting, petitions and participatory budgets are just some of the options that the administration has at its disposal to receive immediate and quality feedback. In addition, it is now possible to identify users reliably and verify that they are residents of the municipality.
By developing citizen participation initiatives in the municipality, you will improve your ability to understand public opinion; the desires and concerns of constituents. That 360-degree view of residents' reality will help you put the focus where it is really needed. In addition, neighbors will have the opportunity to weigh in on city projects and are less likely to be dissatisfied with the results.
Measuring the impact of participation
Citizen participation ultimately improves voter confidence. When citizens see their governments actively listening to them, they feel valued. This unspoken pact of loyalty helps reduce levels of apathy, which leads to greater political efficacy (an indicator used in political science to measure levels of citizen trust). In other words, by opening yourself to participation you send your voters the message that they can count on you.
As communities see increased confidence in their local government, municipalities prosper socially and economically. A good citizen participation strategy not only has advantages for neighbors, but also for governments that apply them intelligently. If you need help to promote citizen participation in your municipality, please contact us.
