Participatory budgeting

Helsinki Central Library 2018 is a new type of project where the contents and modes of activity are developed through collaboration between the library, city residents

and partners.

“In Finland public spaces aren’t designed for people. Usually they are empty squares and monuments. Public space should be for us all: street kitchens, sofas, creative nudges, peer learning and so worth. We need space and tools, that could be used for people’s own events, action and ideas.”-Arto Sivonen, urban culture activist &marketing manager

An imaginary Monday event calendar of the library

we

library an enricher

is

ideas

ofwhere by sharing

knowledge,

skillsand

storiesa new

andthoughts,togethe

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civicsociety.

The

Vision of the Helsinki City Library

09.04.23

Case: Participatory BudgetingThe city trying out participatory budgeting for the first time

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a process of democratic deliberation and decision-making. It gives citizens the power to make real decisions about how money is spent-Wikipedia

OLD CLASSIC

Sherry R Arnstein: A Ladder of Citizen Participation Ladder (1969)

“Citizen participation is a categorical term for citizen power. It is the redistribution of power that enables the citizens to be deliberately included in the future. It is the strategy by which the citizens join in determining how for example information is shared, goals and policies are set, tax resources are allocated, programs are operated”.

For the very first time, in 2012 the library offered Helsinki residents the opportunity to collectively decide how €100,000 of development money will be spent.

The PB processThe PB process

09.04.23

1st Round: Creating ideas/The Unel-moi! -campaign

kuvateksti

Analyzing, categorising and describing the ideas• Catogies:

o 1) Silenceo 2) Action/ events/ doingo 3) Digital services & ITo 4) Working, learning & DoItYourselfo 5) Children and other special target groupso 6) Collection/ contentso 7) ”All day long”-serviceso 8) Architecture, furnishing & interior decorationo 9) Other

09.04.23

2nd RoundHands in Clay/Methods, Workshops, Decisions

Partners:

• We created together a simple method and frame – with the help of it citizens could easily take part in the process :

o Method for decision makingo Method for workshopso Pilotprojectso Visualization of the budgetary data

Visualization of The Budgetary Datawww.openspending.org

Pilotprojects1. Asiakas lauluntekijänä: Lauluhuone Kirjasto 10:ssä 12 500 €2. Digikulttuurin uudet ilmentymät: Kaupunkiverstas 25 000 €3. Rentoutuminen, hiljaisuus, slow: Suvanto – rajaton tila mielen virkistäytymiseen 33 000 €4. Lasten ja perheiden palvelut: Satusynttärit kirjastossa 15 000 €5. Vertaisoppimisen uudet muodot: Toisilta oppimisen festivaali 20 000 €6. Tapahtumat ja elämykset: Yökirjasto – sinkkuelämää hyllyjen välissä15 000 €7. Kirjallisuuden uudet konseptit: Lost and found – nykykirjailijat herättävät henkiin klassikot 35 000 €8. Lukukokemusten näkyväksi tekeminen: Kuinka kirjat liikuttavat meitä 35 000 €

Workshops:25.10. Kontula library29.10. Kaupunkiverstas/ Urban Workshop1.11. Töölö library

Results

Keskustakirjasto.fi/en

PHOTO CREDITSHelsinki City LibraryCity of Helsinki Media BankCC licensed Flickr photos shared by adoephoto Ed Yourdon Hembo Pagi mbiebusch Judy ** piet_musterd psd Señor Hans Tim_Arai Thomas Hawk ZagatBuzz

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