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WP3: Co-designing Inclusive Participation

OUR PLANNED PILOTS

Led by the University of Birmingham, this is a hands-on work package where we co-design participatory spaces with different groups experiencing intersectional oppressions and historically marginalised in society. This mean we are not just inviting our participants to a participatory process designed by us but rather we are shaping these spaces with them as participants, co-designers and co-evaluators.​

We are testing a range of arts-based approaches across seven pilots to see if and how they can help us strengthen inclusion and agency in participatory democracy. But we’re not going to do this in a vacuum. We are working closely with local stakeholders and community groups, building on the work they already do and linking our project to live policy agendas.

The aim is for these processes to help generate culture change towards more inclusive and participatory policymaking that puts the experience of marginalised groups at the centre.

 

As part of this work package partners from King’s College and Lancaster University are leading on a scoping review of arts-based methods for social change. The findings will inform the pilot co-designing principles to strengthen intersectional inclusion.​​

UK 
University of Birmingham

POLICY FOCUS
Equitable access to work experience and youth employment - agreed with the West Midlands Young Combined authority (YCA)
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA); YCA; Youth Focus West Midlands; Birmingham City Council; legislative theatre practitioner and award winner Katy Rubin; Legislative theatre facilitators Sam Dixon and Lee Grant

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

A diverse group of 15 young people from across the West Midlands (14-17 years old) recruited through local youth groups, community organisations and schools

METHODS

Legislative Theatre; participatory research

Portugal 
University of Lisbon

POLICY FOCUS
Social wellbeing 
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

Lisbon City Council; dance theatre; NGOs; Legislative theatre practitioner  

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

People with disabilities 

METHODS

Legislative Theatre; dance 

Czech Republic
Czech Academy of Sciences

POLICY FOCUS
Integrated policies for inclusion, resource efficiency, climate/ disaster mitigation and adaptation 
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

City of České Budějovice and the surrounding region; City of Broumov and the surrounding region (both finalists for the Candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2028); national level institutions (Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education); public organisation Creative Prague 

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

Diverse groups (including refugees) selected from the local community through grassroots intermediaries 

METHODS

Participatory performance lectures 

Hungary 
Tarsadalomtudomanyi Kutatokozpont, Budapest

POLICY FOCUS
Adequate shelter for all 
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

8th/ 9th district of Budapest; NGOs (K-Monitor, Transparency International; School of Public Life)  

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

Participants in projects on public housing and public toilets as part of the Participatory Budgeting process in Budapest 

METHODS

Photovoice method to capture participants’ needs and inform deliberation on project development and implementation 

Ireland
University of Cork and CiviQ 

POLICY FOCUS
Integrated and sustainable communities 
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

Kildare County Council; Open Local Government Partnership; Community Green Forums participatory spaces 

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

Ethnic minority women’s networks  

METHODS

Community participatory food-based events combined with visual arts 

Poland 
University of Warsaw

POLICY FOCUS
Economic independence  
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

Representatives of two local governments and national government; representatives of national and local NGOs supporting refugees 

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

Refugees from Ukraine in Poland living in Warsaw (the largest Ukrainian community) and a borderland city/ town 

METHODS

Co-designed workshops to develop a play-like and game-like framework for interactions to agree procedures for integration into the host communities 

Bulgaria 
ArcFund, Sofia

POLICY FOCUS
Developing new (digital) skills  
PARTNERS / STAKEHOLDERS

State actors: Sofia Municipal Council, municipal organisations; Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; National Employment Agency; Labour district offices located in each municipality/city (SDA; Ministry of Education and Science) 

PARTICIPANTS/ CO-DESIGNERS

Women over 55 years of age (low-skilled, long term unemployed) 

METHODS

Living labs methods/ Action research 

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“Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author (s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or UK research and innovation. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible.”

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