The document discusses how elected officials can better engage with citizens using new technologies and the concept of co-production. It argues that representative democracy needs to change to reflect an increasingly networked society. Some engagement strategies proposed include using social media like Facebook and Twitter, holding virtual meetings and surgeries, opening up government data and processes, and collaborating with digital activists and online communities. The goal is for elected representatives to build relationships with constituents over the long term through more transparent and participatory governance.

1. Making Localism a Reality: The role of a frontline elected member How do we engage? 29 th March 2011 Catherine Howe public-i.info/citizenscape

2. What are we trying to do today?

3. Some assumptions and my perspective I’m using the term “Engagement” to describe a process of on going community dialogue I’m not using it to include consultation though the two terms are often confused I believe we are seeing huge social shift around new technologies and the Network Society I also think we are seeing worrying increases in the democratic deficit The question for me is whether we manage the tension between really good ‘engagement’ and representative democracy effectively Citizenscape a product by Public-i 3

4. What do we mean by engage? Is engage even a real word? Would your voters use it? public-i.info/citizenscape

5. Do you think voters are fooled by engagement processes that are not linked to decisions? Is there a disconnection between the policy cycle and the engagement process? public-i.info/citizenscape

6. How do you think the people who signed the recent EU referendum petition felt about being ignored? Because that is how they see it….. public-i.info/citizenscape

7. How do the public want to engage? public-i.info/citizenscape

8. The World Wide Web was born with the mosaic browser in 1993 Children born the same year are now 18 public-i.info/citizenscape

9. 18 year olds online 85% Access the internet at home 61% access social networking sites at home 50% of their online time is via a mobile device 20% of this time is spent on social networking 95% of them feel confident as an internet user And they trust the content that they find far more than other groups They are used to having information and people at their fingertips Source: OFCOM 2010 ( http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/cmr/753567/UK-internet.pdf )

10. This would be someone else’s problem if not for the fact we are seeing increases in all demographics 18-24 years olds are only 12% of the active online audience public-i.info/citizenscape

11. The public are becoming more connected and more vocal with it People have a digital wrapper around their lives public-i.info/citizenscape

12. We are living in a Network Society The Internet is having a profound effect on society – we are moving from an industrial to an information or networked age This means there is a pressure on old ways of working Think about the millennial generation who have been brought up expecting information and responsiveness to be constantly and immediately available The internet culture is colliding with our traditional structures and putting huge pressure on them 29 March 2011 12

13. But what does this mean for engagement? public-i.info/citizenscape

14. Co-production Co-production: Involving all participants in both the design and delivery of a service It describes a new kind of relationship with the public – one where we expect them to act not just comment It’s a power shift And some references: http://www.nesta.org.uk/publications/assets/features/the_challenge_of_co-production http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/co-production-people-outside-paid-employment http://www.govint.org/ 29 March 2011 14

15. Co-production 29 March 2011 15 http://www.smartjustice.org/

16. Co-production Citizenscape a product by Public-i 16

17. How can technology help us? The technology is simple and its easy to get help You just need to decide you have a reason to use it What you need to know are the cultural differences and behaviours that will make you effective online And you also need to know when offline works best Citizenscape a product by Public-i 17

18. The Social Web has a distinct culture 29 March 2011 18

19. And the public are using it very locally Today virtual communities are as likely to gather together people who live on the same street and those that live thousands of miles apart Hyperlocal communities connect people separated by time and not necessarily space Three useful references: Networked Neighbourhoods: http://networkedneighbourhoods.com/ Talk about Local: http://talkaboutlocal.org.uk/ Podnosh: http://podnosh.com/ Citizenscape a product by Public-i 19

20. Hyperlocalism 29 March 2011 20 http://www.harringayonline.com/

21. Hyperlocal sites found from recent research Citizenscape a product by Public-i 21 Source: http://curiouscatherine.wordpress.com

22. Using free mainstream tools Citizenscape a product by Public-i 22

23. And Government is increasingly active in this space public-i.info/citizenscape

24. Don’t ask people to come to your space Citizenscape a product by Public-i 24 http://askbristol.wordpress.com/

25. Coventry: Doing Facebook really well Citizenscape a product by Public-i 25 http://www.facebook.com/Coventry.West.Midlands

26. Twitter Gritter 29 March 2011 26 http://danslee.wordpress.com/2010/01/01/twitter-gritter-case-study-gritting-and-social-media/

27. YouChoose?? 29 March 2011 27 http://youchoose.yougov.com/centralgov

28. Your Freedom 29 March 2011 28 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100823122417/http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/ Did we really crowdsource the Freedom bill?

29. Open 29 March 2011 29 http://www.walsall.gov.uk/walsall24.htm

30. You can use any of these tools once you know what you want to do public-i.info/citizenscape

31. Where could technology fit for you?

32. Tell people what you are up to Citizenscape a product by Public-i 32 Connect tools together but be careful with tone Use a smartphone Create a simple protocol for yourself and stick to it Set realistic expectations about your time

33. Hold Virtual Surgeries Citizenscape a product by Public-i 33 Make sure you have your audience before you do the work Think about whether you want it live – you may not need to Do it more than once

34. Involve more people in meetings Citizenscape a product by Public-i 34 Think about working with a social reporter Encourage people to help set the agenda Promote early, promote often Use the meeting to create the audience for the next event

35. Involve more people in meetings Citizenscape a product by Public-i 35 Think about working with a social reporter Encourage people to help set the agenda Promote early, promote often Use the meeting to create the audience for the next event

36. Run Open Processes Citizenscape a product by Public-i 36

37. What might this mean for the elected representative? public-i.info/citizenscape

38. Government is becoming more Transparent Wikileaks is not a one off event These are the communities that you are opening your data to – these are the armchair auditors These are the communities who are most able to be your collaborators in the delivery of services because they are already collaborating 29 March 2011 38

39. Public 29 March 2011 39

40. Open Data 29 March 2011 40 http://data.london.gov.uk/

41. There is competition for traditional politics public-i.info/citizenscape

42. Digital Activism 29 March 2011 42 http://bccdiy.co.uk/

43. Digital Activism 29 March 2011 43 http://www.avaaz.org/en/

44. Digital Activism 29 March 2011 44 http://ukuncut.org.uk/

45. Digital Activism Citizenscape a product by Public-i 45

46. What does this mean for you? “ It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried” Winston Churchill Representative Democracy is something precious but it – and its representatives need to change to reflect the ways in which society are changing I may be wildly overstating the pace of change – you need to decide Even without the big stuff there is a lot you can do with the tools of the network society to engage more effectively with more people Citizenscape a product by Public-i 46

47. Your event horizon should be 5…10…15..20 years in the future What kind of relationship with citizens will you have then? How will you help shape that now? public-i.info/citizenscape

48. Citizenscape a product by Public-i Citizenscape a product by Public-i | Presented to Client x 48 Thank you for your time …… and more importantly….what do you think??? C a t h er [email_address] C u riouscatherine.wordpress. c o m www.public-i.info Presented by Catherine Howe, Chief Executive Public-i