Everyone on board?! Involving hard-to-reach target groups in participation processes
‘It's always the same people who turn up.’ Anyone who talks to people about participation processes will often hear this sentence. It seems that opportunities for participation and involvement are often only accessible and reserved for certain groups of the population: the educated, the vocal, those who have the necessary time. These highly committed actors are undoubtedly important for democracy and social development, but their contribution alone is not enough.
Participation and involvement processes depend on the participation of all relevant actors in order to fulfil their claim to democratic legitimacy. This also applies to citizens' assemblies.
But how can this be achieved? How can we involve people in participatory processes who we cannot reach through the usual communication channels and with the ‘usual’ offerings? How can we reach people who may not be ‘naturally inclined’ to participate and who live in conditions that make political participation difficult? Which methods can be used effectively? And how should processes be designed accordingly?
These questions are the focus of the seminar. Participants will discuss and jointly develop strategies for reaching people who are usually ‘difficult to reach’ for participation and involvement opportunities.
This online seminar by the Stiftung Mitarbeit is aimed at designers of participation, involvement and cooperation processes.