The document discusses the history and spread of participatory budgeting. It began in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989 when citizens were given the opportunity to participate in municipal budget decisions. Over 20,000 citizens participated in budgets of $160 million, helping to redistribute funds to poorer areas. The practice spread to other Brazilian cities and internationally. Examples of participatory budgeting projects include community gardens, youth programs, school and infrastructure improvements. The document encourages readers to identify local needs in their municipality of Aljaraque and develop project proposals for public voting and potential funding.

1. PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING
José A. Alcalde

2. VIDEO
https://www.participatorybudgeting.org

3. REMEMBER THE BASICS...

4. WHERE DID IT BEGIN?
The modern concept of Participatory
Budgeting began in the Brazilian city
of Porto Alegre in 1989.
The Town Hall offered ordinary
citizens the possibility of participating
in annual municipal budget decision
process.
In a few years more than 20,000
citizens participated for budgets of
around $ 160 million.
This helped redistribute money into
poor areas of the city.

5. THE SPREAD OF PB
In a few years Porto Alegre was a model for other
Brazilian cities like Belo Horizonte or Rio de Janeiro.
International recognition came quickly and more
cities worlwide (especially in America and Europe)
copied the idea.

6. PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WORLDWIDE

7. PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING EXAMPLES
The possibilities are endless. Here are some examples:
Wall gardens, urban renewal projects, coworking for
students and young entrepreneurs, improved waste
sorting, school gardens, composting and recycling
initiatives, improved local schools, streets, parks and
playgrounds, and other public spaces, street
lighting, road repairs, park improvements, youth and
senior programs, expanding the facilities for people with
disabilities at a local sports center, creating community
projects to stop bullying and school violence, installing
gas safety valves in homes of the low-income
retirees living alone, creating a community restaurant, art
walls, laptops for local high schools, a skate park…

8. ADVANTAGES
Participatory Budgeting implies many advantages like:
* Involvement in the local community
* Paying attention to real problems that people see
everyday in their community
* Sense of belonging and team-work
* Having a say in the taxes (money) we all give and
where they go
* More critical and participative citizens
* Increase of democracy when we can vote for the
best projects

9. SHALL WE BEGIN?
Right where we live (Aljaraque), we
vahe for the first time the opportunity
to participate in this interesting
project.
Our local Town Hall offers 80,000
Euros from the 2018 Budget to be
spent on projects presented and
chosen by the local community.
Can YOU think of any needs,
suggestions or ideas?

10. YOUR PROJECT
1) In groups (3-4 students) go around the municipality to detect some
needs, problems, etc. Take photos, ask people's opinions, get information...
In short, create a dossier.
2) Decide on your top priority and brainstorm different ways to give an
answer to this “problem”.
3) Ask experts or go on-line to find out how much can the project be and
present a budget.
4) Prepare a digital presentation about your project (also print it on paper
to be displayed in the school corridors). Remember to include modal verbs
to express obligation, weak/strong possibility, advice, suggestion,
necessity...
5) The school community will vote for the best projects and they will
eventually be sent to Aljaraque Town Hall.