June news: inclusion, climate democracy and deliberation

In this month’s newsletter:

New initiative aims to make democracy more inclusive
Event/call for applications: Climate Democracy Action
A mentor in the Global South helps a mentee in the North rejuvenate local participatory democracy
New global PB board members
Board and internship opportunities
Featured member (and the launch of Demo.Reset)
Featured resources
What we’re reading
Upcoming events
Funding opportunities

New initiative aims to make democracy more inclusive

A major grant to People Powered is enabling a diverse coalition to focus on the inclusion of marginalized communities. While government reformers are working hard to increase public participation in decision-making, marginalized groups — such as youth, women and displaced people — are too often left out or excluded. To address this gap, the National Endowment for Democracy has awarded People Powered a grant to work with a broad coalition of its member organizations across the Global South to make participatory democracy more inclusive.

Read About Building Inclusive Democracy

Climate Democracy Action: launch event and call for applications

Three people in Indonesia hunching over a map. — *Participatory planning in Indonesia.*

It can be a delicate balance to push for fast action to prevent further climate damage, while ensuring robust public participation that leaves no one behind. The Climate Democracy Action program was developed to train and equip reformers ready to lead this movement. Register for the June 29 launch event to learn more. Applications for the program are due July 15.

Learn More and Register

Can a mentor in the Global South help a mentee in the North rejuvenate local democracy? Yes!

Through the People Powered mentorship program, a founder of participatory budgeting in Brazil is helping the city of Glasgow improve its citizen engagement. As Glasgow’s Alan Speirs reflected, “It’s been useful to listen to experiences from somewhere completely different from Glasgow. It gets me thinking: Would that work here? Have we even thought about that? And if we haven't, why not?” Could a mentor like Porto Alegre’s Tarson Núñez help you too? Read this interview with the pair and decide for yourself.

Read the Interview

Welcome, new global PB board members!

We’re thrilled to welcome six new members of the global participatory budgeting (PB) boards! They’ll help with our collective work to advance PB practice and research. Rocío Annunziata (Argentina), Byungwoo Shine Cho (South Korea), Ana Paula Pimentel Walker (United States/Brazil) and Ramon van der Does (Belgium) have joined the PB Research Board, while Simone Julio (Portugal) and Janice Da Silva (Cape Verde/Senegal) have joined the PB Practitioner Board. Meet the new board members .

Photos of six new members of the global participatory budgeting boards — (Top row, left to right): Rocío Annunziata, Byungwoo Shine Cho, Ana Paula Pimentel Walker
(Bottom row): Ramon van der Does, Simone Julio, Janice Da Silva

Check out our board and internship opportunities

Are you interested in building a stronger global movement for participatory democracy? People Powered is seeking passionate new members for our board of directors. Read about the opportunity, apply if you’re a good fit and/or share the call!
We’re looking for a talented program intern to start in September — and we’ll pay! Do you know any good candidates? Refer them to our ad.

*Phase 3 of Demo.Reset will include a bootcamp that brings participants together to share experiences and develop five prototype solution models to implement.*

Extituto de Política Abierta is working throughout Colombia to “innovate democracy,” making the country more deeply participatory and collaborative. Part of its unique approach is to both “occupy” and “inhabit” politics.

Now it’s partnering with People Powered on Demo.Reset, bringing together and learning from the best experiences of deliberative democracy in the Global South.

Read our interview with Sebastián Calderón, one of the organization’s founders, to learn more about this new wave of democratic innovation in the Global South.

Banner saying Featured Resources with a little paper icon

Green PB: What is green participatory budgeting? And how about a “just transition”? Read this primer from PB Scotland.
Communicating Climate Change: Before India tackled climate change policy, it used a “narrative workshop methodology” to probe citizens’ values, identity and hopes for the future.
Beyond Inclusion: Equity in Public Engagement: This guide from the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue proposes eight principles to help drive meaningful and equitable inclusion of diverse voices in public engagement processes.

Banner saying What We're Reading, with a drawing of a book

A movement that’s quietly shaping democracy for the better, Noema: Can citizens’ assemblies help overcome polarization and strengthen trust?
European cities’ big cash handover, Politico: Participatory budgeting is often intended to better serve poorer residents, but it can be hijacked by middle-class urbanites.
Hard to say, hard to hear: inviting and harnessing strong emotions in dialogue for deliberation, Journal of Deliberative Democracy: When organizing a citizens' assembly on a highly charged topic like abortion or gun control, emotions can be expected to run high. This article offers a useful guide to managing and channeling them.