November news

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Global analysis of national PB laws to be released December 14 

In an effort to make participatory budgeting (PB) more sustainable in the face of political changes, an increasing number of countries are adopting national laws mandating or incentivizing the practice at the local level. In this December 14 webinar, members of the Global PB Research Board will analyze the efforts of 11 countries to create a national legal framework for PB and key lessons from these experiences. Speakers from South Korea and Scotland, two countries with national PB laws, will also share their perspectives. Register now to listen in and be among the first to access the new report, “Participatory Budgeting via National Law: What Works and What Doesn’t.” 

Coalition wins Porticus grant to harness participatory democracy to address climate change

At COP26 in Glasgow, a growing number of countries and financial institutions pledged to shift away from coal toward cleaner sources of energy. But environmental groups and vulnerable nations remain skeptical. They have seen promises come and go before. 

Now, thanks to a grant from Porticus, a coalition of organizations is bringing together policymakers, civil society organizations, and residents to democratically decide on more equitable and effective climate actions. The coalition includesPeople Powered, theWorld Resources Institute (WRI), andFIMA (which promotes the right to live in a healthy environment and the protection of nature in Chile).

PB is spreading fast…but do we know if it actually ‘works’?

Participatory budgeting has become what is likely the most widespread participatory democracy practice in the world, adopted by as many as 11,000 cities, districts, schools, and other institutions. But why has it become so popular? And why do many of these projects fall short of their desired goals?

To answer these questions, we interviewed Stephanie McNulty and Michael Touchton, members of the Global PB Research Board and two of the authors of the new book, “Participatory Budgeting in Global Perspective.” McNulty and Touchton were also featured speakers at our recent webinar on the new global PB theory of change, which they and others developed to explain how PB can bring about positive impact with the necessary enabling conditions. Watch the webinar recording for a more in-depth discussion, and review the priorities for further research so you can contribute to this global effort.

Want to contribute to the global effort? Review the priorities for further research.

Planning an online workshop or seminar? Here are 20 tips to make it engaging

The COVID pandemic has accelerated a shift to online learning. But digital doesn’t automatically mean “engaging.” 

About 25 members of the People Powered community recently convened to discuss that challenge in a peer-learning workshop called "Designing Effective Online Learning Activities.” Read this post for their recommendations.

Featured resource: How legislative theater can help address homelessness

Legislative theater is an innovative technique that uses drama to engage local residents in debating and shaping legislation. A new video from the Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network (UK) shows how the practice can bring residents together to find solutions to seemingly intractable community problems. Would it work in your community? Check it out!

Featured member: Politize!

The mission of Politize!, a People Powered member organization in Brazil, is to ​​cultivate a generation of citizens who are “conscious of and committed to democracy.” This year, it took advantage of the International Day of Democracy in September to create its own Democracy Week. 

Through this campaign, 5,446 people participated in workshops led by the organization’s ambassadors program, called Multipliers. (Through this initiative, thousands of young people are trained every year to develop civic education workshops and solutions for community issues, thus forming new civic leaders.) Collaborators are essential to any campaign, but Politize! went beyond the usual cast of players to include Brazil’s federal Supreme Court. It also appealed to the younger generation by producing several TikTok videos on the importance of democracy. Other elements of the campaign included a lesson plan for classrooms called "Democracy: A Collective, Unfinished, Living Construction."

In recognition of its ambassadors program, Politize! just received the Intercultural Innovation Award from the U.N. Alliance for Civilizations and the BMW Group.

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