Recommendations for developing community participation

1. Recommendations for developing community participation FEDERATION for the Development of Community Participation (FDCP) CPU – Kunbábony, 23. July 2010

2. About FDCP • The FEDERATION is an umbrella of organizations willing to contribute to an increasing social recognition of community development, community organization, community work and community planning. • Founded in 2004 • Members: Autonomy Foundation, Civil College Foundation, the Association for Community Workers in the Upper-Kiskunság, Eastern-Hungarian Community Service Foundation (on behalf of Pro-Net), Hungarian Association for Community Development, tIntercommunity Foundation, Partners Hungary Foundation, National Association of Community Resource Centres, Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation, Nonprofit Information and Training Foundation, Carpathian Foundation International,Soros Foundation (pending membership)

3. About FDCP Main objectives: • to promote the development of a community-based society and an enhanced level of social participation, • to raise awareness on the responsibility of the state and local governments in organizing development processes implemented by the communities themselves; in initiating and financing regional and small regional community development programmes; and in developing nationwide networks in community development, community work, and local social development, • to develop the vocational training system for community development work on a continuous basis, • to strengthen the reputation and social prestige of community development, community work, and local social development work through reconciling the interests of professionals working in these disciplines, and creating the necessary publicity.

4. About FDCP Ilona VERCSEG – president Ferenc PÉTERFI – vice-president Peter GICZEY – executive vice-president

5. Working out our professional policy • 2008: Defining main elements • 2009-2010: Workshops, V4 Seminar (renew The Budapest Declaration from V4 viewpoint) • 2010: • Strategy and action plan • Actions: forums, meetings, publications, press conferences

6. Rules of NGO’s (possible participation act) We emphasized that the legislation for proving citizens’ participation is almost appropriate, the main problem is the weakness and lack of skills and knowledge regarding participation and democratic skills both among the governmental administration, representatives and citizens. Our main recommendations: • Enforce the public administration to follow the present legislation frames and give chances for participation in legal decision processes. • Enabling citizens, representatives of state and local governments, public administration to live with the possibilities of participation by organizing trainings and campaigns. • Working out a concept paper about the legislation of participation.

7. Regional-, local development, urban rehabilitation The main points are: • To prove the resources for community planning (time, funds, experts) and enforce the culture of citizens’ participation in planning processes. • To enforce the culture of community planning in the public administration. • To work out a methodology workbook on community planning.

8. Good governance - administration in state and local governments and participation possibilities for individuals, communities and their organizations - The main points are: • Urge partnership between NGOs and local governments, state departments. • Real self government is a value, it has to be distributes both in governmental and nonprofit sector. • Citizens’ participation be a core element in education from primary level to higher education.

9. Community education, democracy capability The main points are: • To introduce an education programme in pre-school and during the whole school period which aims to learn community- and democratic skills, with active participation, • To create partnership councils where the local self-governments, NGOs and for-profit business organisations get common trainings for developing locality. • To create adult education and training centers (as CCF) by the support of the National Civil Fund

10. Social - community work education and participation possibilities • To introduce new contents into social work curricula, e.g.: learned powerlessness, manipulation of power, lobbying skills, cultural imperialism, white male middle class thinking, empowerment. • To give more space in education emphasizing public interest. • To introduce active involvement for students in field practice.

11. Participation in environmental decisions • The government has to work out the executive programme of the Aarhus Convention. • To start trainings for public administration on citizens participation process, procedures, techniques. • To make NGOs realize that they get as much chance possibility for participation as much they struggle out.

12. V4 Seminar • 30-31, March 2010. • Participants: • Marta Henzler, Agnieszka Badalek (PL) • Kajo Zboril (SK) • Roman Haken (CZ) • Ilona Vercseg, Veronika Móra, Ferenc Péterfi, Jenő János Wágner, Máté Varga, János Lukács, Péter Giczey

13. V4 Seminar • Aim: to discuss our countries situation concerning community participation, on the basis of The Budapest Declaration(2004) and rethink the goals of it and update for the present situation.

14. V4 Seminar • Common problems, needs: • Apathy among citizens • Lack of opportunity for active participation (making democracy) • Lack of supporting frameworks for participation • Weak civil society • NGOs can’t grab the root of the problems and formulate the common issues together • Lack of common works, purposes, ideas, concept to fight for anomy • Lack of courage • Lack of ability to build strong and healthy community • Desintegrated societies –Roma population (HU, SK) • Low level of participation in public issues • The need of positive personal participation experience • Lack of deliberative technics • Lack of personal benefit of participation

15. V4 Seminar Main outcomes: 1. To support citizens to be citizens, to be hosts in their communities • Empowerment • Encouraging • Education • Integration • Revitalization • Neighborhood

16. V4 Seminar 2. To work out supportive frameworks for civil participation • Data collecting • Lobby at regional, national, EU level • Local authority as servant to community • Participatory institutions and their effectiveness • Watchdog activities • Elections and participation – responsibilities • Community initiative

17. V4 Seminar 3. To work out chances to practice civil participation • Grabbing to the problem • Welcome business sector • Supervision • Partnerships • Supervision of NGOs activities

18. FDCP Péter Giczey executive vice-president giczey.peter@polgarz.hu www.polgarz.hu