[liberationtech] Civic-Activism Tools & Methods | Help needed!

[Yosem Companys]

From: Tim Hughes <tim at involve.org.uk>

*Involve <http://www.involve.org.uk> and the Building Change Trust
<http://www.buildingchangetrust.org> are collecting examples of tools and
methods that can be used by civil society organisations to enable and
support civic activism (i.e. involving citizens in decision making
processes). We need your help.*

*Please consider taking a few minutes to tell us about a tool or method you
use or know of by completing this short form:*

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FCUJAqKZ8efUDfFsTnGrjXcoBUPe4COa1I4QbZGzFTs/viewform?usp=send_form

Alternatively, please email any suggestions of tools or methods we should
consider including.

We are particularly interested in tools or methods that can be used by a
civil society organisation working at a local level (e.g. in rural,
suburban or urban communities) for the purpose of:

a) Involving citizens in the organisations own work; or
b) Enabling or supporting citizens to scrutinise and engage with government.

We want to find tools and methods that support six categories of
activities: [These categories are derived from Civicus's Participatory
Governance categories].

   - Public budgets - Enabling / supporting citizens to understand and
   influence decisions about the allocation of public resources, monitor
   public spending and hold government actors accountable for their management
   of public financial resources.
   - Public debate - Enabling / supporting citizens to be aware of their
   civic rights and responsibilities, collectively deliberate on priority
   issues and/or express their opinions and concerns.
   - Public information - Enabling / supporting citizens to have access to
   relevant information about government policies, decisions and actions.
   - Public oversight - Enabling / supporting citizens to scrutinise the
   conduct of politicians and public officials, identify corruption, oversee
   public action, seek redress for injustices or misdeeds, ensure that
   elections are free and fair and hold politicians accountable for their
   electoral promises.
   - Public policy - Enabling / supporting citizens to engage
   constructively with policy makers on public policy issues.
   - Public services - Enabling / supporting citizens to monitor and
   evaluate the accessibility, quality and efficiency of public services.

All of the tools and methods we collect will be published with the
intention that they are shared, used and reused to inform and inspire civil
society around the world. A selection of the tools and methods will be used
by the Building Change Trust and Involve in our work to support civic
activism and engagement in Northern Ireland, Britain and beyond.

We hope this will be a useful resource for everyone involved in the Open
Government Partnership.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Many
thanks in advance for your help.

Best regards,
Tim

*Tim Hughes*

Open Government Programme Manager



t: 0207 336 9475 | m: 07841 133383 | e: tim at involve.org.uk | w:
www.involve.org.uk

twitter: @TimJHughes <http://www.twitter.com/timjhughes> | skype:
TimJHughes07 | linkedin: Tim Hughes
<http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/tim-hughes/26/455/793/>

Involve | 33 Corsham Street | London | N1 6DR

Registered Charity No - 1130568

Check out Involve's contributions to the Open Government Guide: 'Citizen
Engagement' & 'Public Services' topics
<http://www.involve.org.uk/blog/2013/11/04/open-government-guide-citizen-engagement-public-services/>

<http://www.participationcompass.org>