06 November 2008
Nine exciting projects working to engage people in local and national decision making have won funding from the government's Building Democracy Innovation Fund.
The winning entries will receive grants of up to £15,000 to run pilot projects to promote democratic engagement. Each project enables and assists people to discuss public issues and to influence government and local policy making in innovative ways.
Michael Wills, Minister for Democratic Engagement, said:
'Active participation in local and national decision making is essential to an effective democracy.
'The 2008/09 winning projects will give people from across the country the opportunity to influence local and central government policy making.'
The winning projects are:
- Yoosk.com: An online question time linking the public with local and central government.
(Run by Thumbsize Ltd - see www.yoosk.com.) - UK Feedback: An online forum for feedback about public services
- LocalEyes - The 'Voice': A web-based consultation tool to enable defined groups to have their say in decision making.
(Run by The Shire Initiative - see www.shireinitiative.co.uk.) - All Hansard on TheyWorkForYou.com: To add the pre-2001 Hansard data to TheyWorkForYou.com, and build exploratory tools.
(Run by MySociety - see www.mysociety.com.) - Policy Slam: Inclusive debate events to get the public and policy makers interacting.
(Run by nef - see www.neweconomics.org.) - Tagwagon: A converted campervan to take technology direct to local communities to map and record their opinions. The project works with disadvantaged young people in East London.
(Run by Bold Creative - see www.boldcreative.co.uk.) - Young Assets: An East London-based credit incentive system for engaging 'hard to reach' young people in local politics.
(Run by Spice Innovations] - Empowering the blind citizen: Providing training and tools to enable blind and partially sighted people to participate in e-democracy.
(Run by Screenreader.net CIC - see www.screenreader.net.) - Cambridge Parliament High Support Needs Committee: To establish a committee to represent the views of over 1,000 people with high support needs in Cambridgeshire.
(Run by Speaking Up - see www.speakingup.org.)
Mr Wills added:
'The range of innovative applications was impressive - from taking democracy to the people in a campervan through to helping blind people to make the most of e-democracy opportunities.
'I look forward to hearing about their successes in engaging people.'
The first round of the government's Building Democracy Innovation Fund
was launched in December 2005 and a second round was launched in May 2007.
Successful projects launched in 2007 included the Speakers' Corner Trust (www.speakerscornertrust.org), which created new opportunities for people to develop open, face-to-face public discussion and debate.
Notes
1. This year's Innovation Fund was launched on 30 July 2008 through the Building Democracy blog (www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk). The deadline for applications to the fund was 26 September. In total, 124 applications were received.
2. Yoosk.com; UK Feedback; LocalEyes - The 'Voice'; Policy Slam; Tagwagon and Empowering the blind citizen have been awarded £15,000. Cambridge Parliament High Support Needs Committee receives £14,996. All Hansard on TheyWorkForYou.com receives £14,400, and Young Assets receives £12,625.
3. For more information members of the media should contact the Ministry of Justice News Desk on 020 3334 3536.
Members of the public should call the Public Enquiry Line on 020 3334 3555.