Participating in the Big Society

Ellie Brodie

NCVO Annual Conference1st March 2011

• Big Society and social action – a few assertions

• Big Society and participation – a few questions

• Pathways through Participation – helping to understand social action

• Participating in the Big Society

Overview

Big Society and social action – a few assertions. . . .

We want every adult to be a member of an active

neighbourhood group. I know some people argue that there

isn't the appetite for this sort of widespread community

participation. I don't agree.

An untapped social energy exists in our villages, towns and cities that if unleashed

could help us build a bigger, better and happier country

Big Society and participation – a few questions. . .

Who are these people?Why do they get

involved in the first place?

Why haven’t they already got involved?

What is holding them back?

To galvanise social action, we need to understand what motivates – and prevents – people from getting involved

How and why do people get

involved and stay involved in different forms of

participation over the

course of their lives?

Partners:

Funder:

Length: April 2009 – Sept 2011

Formative Years Middle Years Later Years

Approach: Broad view of participation over time

Approach: qualitative

LEEDS

SUFFOLK

ENFIELD

Approach: case study areas

Aims to increase

knowledge of, and

improve opportunities for, participation

Findings: a complex picture

Encouraging participation in the Big Society. . .

People and their aspirations need to come first

Please get in touch!

Web: www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk

Email: ellie.brodie@ncvo-vol.org.uk

Twitter: elliebrodie