overview the pathways through participation project: introduction

Exploring participation: findings from a literature review

Ellie Brodie and Eddie CowlingVolunteering Counts 1st March 2010

Overview• The Pathways through Participation

project: introduction• The literature review: aims and key

findings• Introducing the framework & its

components• Using the framework & next steps

How and why do people get

involved and stay involved in different forms of

participation over the course of their lives?

Formative Years Middle Years Later Years

Aims to increase knowledge of, and

improve opportunities for, participation

Spring 09 Summer 09 Autumn 09 Winter 09 Spring 10 Summer 10 Autumn 10 – Winter 11

Literature review

Selection of areas

Activity mappingsessions

In-depth interviewing

Participatory workshops

ANALYSIS

Research approach

Local area profiling

ANALYSIS

Bring together different bodies of literature about participation to develop a broad, ‘round-earth view’ of participation

oVolunteeringoCommunity developmentoPublic participationoSocial movementsoEveryday politicsoEthical consumption

Aims of the review…

The review was to also help us develop a ‘framework of participation’ that could help to inform and shape (and be shaped by) the project’s subsequent

fieldwork.

Main findings...................

1. People first

2. Context is all important

3. Relationships matter

• between different participatory activities

• between life experiences and activities

• between people

• between people and the state

4. Power is pertinent

Exploring the components of the framework...

o Activitieso Placeso Life stageo Multiple dimensionso Shaping forces

Activity: Public Participation

Activity: Campaigning, advocacy & direct action

Activity: Service to others & environment

Activity: Mutual aid/self-help

Activity: Fundraising & giving

Activity: Ethical consumerism

Activity: Serious leisure

Places of participation

Self-interest<>altruism

Paid<>unpaidIndividual<>collective

Occasional <> RegularLocal <> Global

Online <> Offline

Member <> Organiser

Instrumental <> Transformative

Active <> Passive Proactive <>

Reactive

Multiple dimensions

•Childhood•Youth•Early adulthood•Late adulthood•Old age

Life stages

• Power• Relationships• Inequality/equality• Access

Shaping forces

What’s next?Local mapping sessions

What’s next? In-depth interviews & timeline

construction

To find out more: www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk

eddie@involve.org.ukellie.brodie@ncvo-vol.org.uksarahmiller@volunteeringengland.org.uk