Recommendations for
developing community
participation
FEDERATION for the
Development of Community
Participation (FDCP)
CPU – Kunbábony, 23. July
2010
1
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 ProNet), 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
2
Foundation International, Soros Foundation
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.
3
About FDCP
Ilona VERCSEG –
president
Ferenc PÉTERFI – vicepresident
Peter GICZEY –
executive vice-president
4
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
5
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 6
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.
7
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.
8
Community education,
democracy capability
The main points are:
• To introduce an education programme in preschool 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
9
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.
10
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.
11
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
12
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.
13
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
14
V4 Seminar
Main outcomes:
1. To support citizens to be citizens, to be
hosts in their communities






Empowerment
Encouraging
Education
Integration
Revitalization
Neighborhood
15
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
16
V4 Seminar
3. To work out chances to practice civil
participation
 Grabbing to the problem
 Welcome business sector
 Supervision
 Partnerships
 Supervision of NGOs activities
17
FDCP
Péter Giczey
executive vice-president
giczey.peter@polgarz.hu
www.polgarz.hu
18