hamish
Uploaded by
20 SLIDES
320 VUES
200LIKES

Enhancing Community and Voluntary Representation in Democracy

DESCRIPTION

Join us for an insightful discussion led by Rita McNulty, Director of Services at Sligo County Council, on the roles and challenges of the Community and Voluntary (C&V) Forum within the broader non-profit sector. This talk will delve into state policies, the effectiveness of the C&V Forum, and strategies for improvement. We will explore the balance between representative and participative democracy, the integration of local government, and the importance of citizen participation. This presentation aims to foster a greater understanding of how community engagement impacts decision-making.

1 / 20

Télécharger la présentation

Enhancing Community and Voluntary Representation in Democracy

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Sharing Power:A discussion of representative and participative democracyCavan Community & Voluntary ForumPresenter: Rita McNultyDirector of ServicesSligo County Council

  2. The Director’s Perspective My Presentation will address: • The Community & Voluntary Sector and the Non-Profit Sector • Background - State Policy • How has the Community Forum been working? • Some suggestions on improving effectiveness

  3. The C&V Forum & the Non-Profit Sector • The C&V Forum – local representative structure for members. • Vol & Comm groups outside of the Forum • Diversity of organisational types • C&V sector one component part of the non-profit sector

  4. The C&V Forum & The Non-Profit Sector • The Non-Profit Sector – a broader sweep of orgs and sectors, non-market & non-state, eg. Vol public hospitals • The C&V & Non-Profit Sector as service deliverers, advocates, policy makers/shapers - the balance/mix & how the state sees the sector?

  5. Background/Context – State Policy • Local Government Reform: • The Green Paper on Local Government: Options for Change, 2008 • Better Local Government, 1996 • The Taskforce on Active Citizenship

  6. Background/Context – State Policy contd. • The Integration of Local Government and Local Development Systems, 1998 • The White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity (A Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity & for Developing the Relationship between the State & the Voluntary and Community Sector), 2000

  7. Background/Context – State Policy contd. • Strengthen the C&V sector’s capacity to represent itself • Make Local Government more community-oriented, accessible to social partners • Citizen Participation at Community Level

  8. Background/Context – State Policy contd • Distance between citizens and the local authority • CDBs, SPCs, Area Committees, Community Fora, C&E Depts, Comhairle na nOg, ICT in Public Libraries, Volunteer Centres, Social Inclusion Units

  9. Background/Context – State Policy contd. • The C&V Forum – part of a national picture of social partnership. • Debate about the Irish Social Partnership Model & if there has been an erosion of democratic opposition traditionally played out by civil society? Is this replicated locally?

  10. How has the Community Forum been working? • Achievements: 34 Fora, Recognised Voice for Sector, Greater Capacity and Expertise, (Recent Publication by INCVF), Secure and Manage Resources, Represent C&V Sector on a range of structures/bodies

  11. How the CF has been working? contd Challenges: • Meeting Practical Needs of Members AND Delivering a Strategic Representative Role. • Vision and Leadership • Accountability • Belief among members in Representative Role

  12. How the CF has been Working? contd. • Gate Keeping! • Myriad of Expectations from different perspectives. • The Local Councillors and the Community Forum – A delicate balance and part of the ‘dance’ between representative & participatory democracy.

  13. Suggestions for Improvement What the Community Forum could do: • Develop clear vision, values and belief about representative role • Greater policy and advocacy role • Accountability and Reporting Back • Expertise in representing, training/support regionally or nationally

  14. Suggestions for Improvementcontd Community Forum: • Broaden membership – diversity, inclusion • Be proactive in preparing for & managing cutbacks – new ideas/ways. • Greater role in national social partnership structures & power relationships

  15. Suggestions for Improvementcontd Local Authority: • Greater support throughout the org for CF representative role and dev of CF • Proactive support at CDB, SPC and other levels • Greater use of CF for consultations

  16. Suggestions for Improvement contd Local Authority: • Greater integration of social, economic and cultural actions in CDB Action Plan 2009-12, particularly actions on social inclusion and community participation

  17. Suggestions for Improvement Local Authority & Community Forum • Common Ground – building communities. Form alliance around common agenda, not ignoring differences. The right to advocate and be critical – respecting tension between Councillor and Forum roles/positions.

  18. Suggestions for Improvement contd Local Authority and Community Forum • Create a forum for debate on representative & participative democracy – the role of the Councillor and the CF representatives • Downturn - joint initiatives- support C&V activity involving the Volunteer Centres

  19. Participative Democracy “Participative democracy is concerned with how unequal distribution of power & resources affects peoples daily lives & how they can influence decision making that affects them.

  20. Participative Democracy The concern of participative democrats is to achieve more egalitarian redistribution of power & greater democratisation of the political process at both national and local level” CWC Conference

More Related