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Recommendations for Recommendations for developing community developing community

participationparticipationFEDERATION for the FEDERATION for the

Development of Development of Community Participation Community Participation

(FDCP) (FDCP)

CPU – Kunbábony, 23. July CPU – Kunbábony, 23. July 20102010

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About FDCPAbout FDCP• The FEDERATION is an umbrella of organizations The FEDERATION is an umbrella of organizations

willing to contribute to an increasing social willing to contribute to an increasing social recognition of community development, community recognition of community development, community organization, community work and community organization, community work and community planning. planning.

• Founded in 2004Founded in 2004• Members: Members: Autonomy Foundation, Civil College Autonomy Foundation, Civil College

Foundation, the Association for Community Workers Foundation, the Association for Community Workers in the Upper-Kiskunság, Eastern-Hungarian in the Upper-Kiskunság, Eastern-Hungarian Community Service Foundation (on behalf of Pro-Community Service Foundation (on behalf of Pro-Net), Hungarian Association for Community Net), Hungarian Association for Community Development, tIntercommunity Foundation, Partners Development, tIntercommunity Foundation, Partners Hungary Foundation, National Association of Hungary Foundation, National Association of Community Resource Centres, Hungarian Community Resource Centres, Hungarian Environmental Partnership FoundationEnvironmental Partnership Foundation, , Nonprofit Nonprofit Information and Training FoundationInformation and Training Foundation, Carpathian , Carpathian Foundation International,Foundation International, Soros Foundation (pending Soros Foundation (pending membership) membership)

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About FDCPAbout FDCP

Main objectives:Main objectives:• to promote the development of a community-based to promote the development of a community-based

society and an enhanced level of social participation, society and an enhanced level of social participation, • to raise awareness on the responsibility of the state to raise awareness on the responsibility of the state

and local governments in organizing development and local governments in organizing development processes implemented by the communities processes implemented by the communities themselves; in initiating and financing regional and themselves; in initiating and financing regional and small regional community development programmes; small regional community development programmes; and in developing nationwide networks in community and in developing nationwide networks in community development, community work, and local social development, community work, and local social development, development,

• to develop the vocational training system for to develop the vocational training system for community development work on a continuous basis, community development work on a continuous basis,

• to strengthen the reputation and social prestige of to strengthen the reputation and social prestige of community development, community work, and local community development, community work, and local social development work through reconciling the social development work through reconciling the interests of professionals working in these disciplines, interests of professionals working in these disciplines, and creating the necessary publicity.and creating the necessary publicity.

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About FDCPAbout FDCP

Ilona VERCSEG – Ilona VERCSEG – presidentpresident

Ferenc PÉTERFI – Ferenc PÉTERFI – vice-presidentvice-president

Peter GICZEY – Peter GICZEY – executive vice-executive vice-presidentpresident

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Working out our Working out our professional policyprofessional policy

• 2008: Defining main elements2008: Defining main elements• 2009-2010: Workshops, V4 2009-2010: Workshops, V4

Seminar (renew The Budapest Seminar (renew The Budapest Declaration from V4 viewpoint)Declaration from V4 viewpoint)

• 2010:2010:– Strategy and action planStrategy and action plan– Actions: forums, meetings, Actions: forums, meetings,

publications, press conferencespublications, press conferences

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Rules of NGO’s (possible Rules of NGO’s (possible participation act)participation act)

We emphasized that the legislation for proving We emphasized that the legislation for proving citizens’ citizens’ pa participation is almost appropriate, the rticipation is almost appropriate, the main problem is the weakness and lack of skills and main problem is the weakness and lack of skills and knowledge regarding participation and democratic knowledge regarding participation and democratic skills both among the governmental administration, skills both among the governmental administration, representatives and citizens.representatives and citizens. Our main Our main recommendations:recommendations:

– Enforce the public administration to follow the present Enforce the public administration to follow the present legislation frames and give chances for participation in legislation frames and give chances for participation in legal decision processeslegal decision processes..

– Enabling citizens, representatives of state and local Enabling citizens, representatives of state and local governments, public administration to live with the governments, public administration to live with the possibilities of participation by organizing trainings and possibilities of participation by organizing trainings and campaignscampaigns..

– Working out a concept paper about the legislation of Working out a concept paper about the legislation of participationparticipation..

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Regional-, local Regional-, local development, urban development, urban

rehabilitationrehabilitation The main points are:The main points are:• To prove the resources for To prove the resources for

community planning (time, funds, community planning (time, funds, experts) and enforce the culture of experts) and enforce the culture of citizens’ participation in planning citizens’ participation in planning processes.processes.

• To enforce the culture of community To enforce the culture of community planning in the public administration.planning in the public administration.

• To work out a methodology workbook To work out a methodology workbook on community planning.on community planning.

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Good governanceGood governance

- - administration in state and local administration in state and local governments and participation possibilities governments and participation possibilities

for individuals, communities and their for individuals, communities and their organizationsorganizations - -

The main points are:The main points are:• Urge partnership between NGOs and local Urge partnership between NGOs and local

governments, state departments.governments, state departments.• Real self government is a value, it has to be Real self government is a value, it has to be

distributes both in governmental and distributes both in governmental and nonprofit sector.nonprofit sector.

• Citizens’ participation be a core element in Citizens’ participation be a core element in education from primary level to higher education from primary level to higher education.education.

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Community education, Community education, democracy capability democracy capability

The main points are:The main points are:• To introduce an education programme in To introduce an education programme in

pre-school and during the whole school pre-school and during the whole school period which aims to learn community- period which aims to learn community- and democratic skills, with active and democratic skills, with active participation,participation,

• To create partnership councils where the To create partnership councils where the local self-governments, NGOs and for-local self-governments, NGOs and for-profit business organisations get profit business organisations get common trainings for developing locality.common trainings for developing locality.

• To create adult education and training To create adult education and training centers (as CCF) by the support of the centers (as CCF) by the support of the National Civil FundNational Civil Fund

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Social - cSocial - community work ommunity work education and education and participation participation possibilitiespossibilities • To introduce new contents into To introduce new contents into

social work curricula, e.g.: learned social work curricula, e.g.: learned powerlessness, manipulation of powerlessness, manipulation of power, lobbying skills, cultural power, lobbying skills, cultural imperialism, white male middle imperialism, white male middle class thinking, empowerment.class thinking, empowerment.

• To give more space in education To give more space in education emphasizing public interest.emphasizing public interest.

• To introduce active involvement To introduce active involvement for students in field practice.for students in field practice.

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Participation in Participation in environmental decisionsenvironmental decisions

• The government has to work out the The government has to work out the executive programme of the Aarhus executive programme of the Aarhus Convention.Convention.

• To start trainings for public To start trainings for public administration on citizens participation administration on citizens participation process, procedures, techniques.process, procedures, techniques.

• To make NGOs realize that they get as To make NGOs realize that they get as much chance possibility for much chance possibility for participation as much they struggle participation as much they struggle out. out.

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar

• 30-31, March 2010.30-31, March 2010.• Participants:Participants:

– Marta Henzler, Agnieszka Badalek Marta Henzler, Agnieszka Badalek (PL)(PL)

– Kajo Zboril (SK)Kajo Zboril (SK)– Roman Haken (CZ)Roman Haken (CZ)– Ilona Vercseg, Veronika Móra, Ferenc Ilona Vercseg, Veronika Móra, Ferenc

Péterfi, Jenő János Wágner, Máté Péterfi, Jenő János Wágner, Máté Varga, János Lukács, Péter GiczeyVarga, János Lukács, Péter Giczey

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar

• Aim: Aim: to discuss our countries to discuss our countries situation concerning community situation concerning community participation, on the basis of participation, on the basis of The Budapest DeclarationThe Budapest Declaration (2004) (2004) and rethink the goals of it and and rethink the goals of it and update for the present situation. update for the present situation.

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar• Common problems, needsCommon problems, needs::

– Apathy among citizensApathy among citizens– Lack of opportunity for active participation (making Lack of opportunity for active participation (making

democracy)democracy)– Lack of supporting frameworks for participationLack of supporting frameworks for participation– Weak civil societyWeak civil society– NGOs can’t grab the root of the problems and formulate NGOs can’t grab the root of the problems and formulate

the common issues togetherthe common issues together– Lack of common works, purposes, ideas, concept to Lack of common works, purposes, ideas, concept to

fight for anomyfight for anomy– Lack of courageLack of courage– Lack of ability to build strong and healthy communityLack of ability to build strong and healthy community– Desintegrated societies –Roma population (HU, SK)Desintegrated societies –Roma population (HU, SK)– Low level of participation in public issuesLow level of participation in public issues– The need of positive personal participation experienceThe need of positive personal participation experience– Lack of deliberative technicsLack of deliberative technics– Lack of personal benefit of participationLack of personal benefit of participation

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar

Main outcomes:Main outcomes:1. 1. To support citizens to be To support citizens to be

citizens, to be hosts in their citizens, to be hosts in their communitiescommunities

EmpowermentEmpowerment EncouragingEncouraging EducationEducation IntegrationIntegration RevitalizationRevitalization NeighborhoodNeighborhood

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar

2. 2. To work out supportive frameworks for To work out supportive frameworks for civil participationcivil participation

Data collectingData collectingLobby at regional, national, EU levelLobby at regional, national, EU levelLocal authority as servant to communityLocal authority as servant to communityParticipatory institutions and their Participatory institutions and their

effectivenesseffectivenessWatchdog activitiesWatchdog activitiesElections and participation – Elections and participation –

responsibilitiesresponsibilitiesCommunity initiativeCommunity initiative

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V4 SeminarV4 Seminar

3. 3. To work out chances to practice To work out chances to practice civil participationcivil participation

Grabbing to the problemGrabbing to the problem Welcome business sectorWelcome business sector SupervisionSupervision PartnershipsPartnerships Supervision of NGOs activitiesSupervision of NGOs activities

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FDCPFDCP

Péter GiczeyPéter Giczeyexecutive vice-presidentexecutive vice-presidentgiczey.peter@polgarz.hugiczey.peter@polgarz.hu

www.polgarz.huwww.polgarz.hu