Our first report
We have finally finished writing the first ICT Foresight report and it will be published in September.
It looks at the VCS’s crucial ‘voice’ and representation role, specifically through looking at how ICT is being used (or could be used) for campaigning and consultation. We don’t think there’s anything ground-breaking in there but it will hopefully will do what it aims to do - which is to help VCS leaders to think strategically about how ICT can help them achieve their missions.
After much discussion about a title we decided on something quite simple, so it will be called
ICT Foresight: campaigning and consultation in the age of participatory media.
As a taster, here is how the chapter on consultation kicks off…
Increasing calls for organisations in all sectors to be more accountable to a wide body of stakeholders has put much more emphasis on gathering different perspectives when making decisions or formulating policies. For governments and political parties this has been compounded by the decline in political and civic engagement, highlighted by falling party membership and declining voter turnout. As a result, there is significantly more interest in, and activity around, consultation and consultation processes.
Voluntary and community organisations are often integral to such consultation processes. By providing a voice for the marginalised, or by representing those groups difficult to reach via approaches designed for the mainstream, they provide a means for consultation processes, and ultimately the democratic system, to function more effectively.
This first chapter looks at the issue of consultation and how ICT is changing approaches and providing new learning on how to involve citizens and communities. An analysis of recent developments is complemented by case studies of current use, with a concluding section on issues to consider.
At a glance
What is happening?
- Declining participation in formal representative politics (e.g. membership of political parties and voting at elections)
- Increasing engagement of the public in decision making (e.g. in evidence to parliamentary select committees)
- Use of online tools to facilitate debate (e.g. pilots at a national and local level)
- Local government is expected (though not strictly compelled) to consider the voluntary and community sector in policy development
Risks
- Government wishing to bypass VCOs in order to reach ‘the public’
- Private and public sector organisations with more resources and expertise in using ICT moving into the ‘participation’ arena
- ICT making consultation too cheap, too easy, resulting in more poorly thought-through consultation
Opportunities
- Opportunity for VCOs to increase influence with policy makers by collecting and passing on the views of users (acting as an intermediary)
- Online consultations can be relatively efficient and effective
- ICT can enable more transparent consultation processes
- Opportunity to deepen relationships with supporters and users by openly taking account of their views and experiences, and then feeding results back
Further details when it comes out!