Interculturalism: a challenge for community and citizens participation.

Aims: Summarize the social and political context in Catalonia region related with CD and Citizens participation. Share methodological proposal about community development running actually in Roquetes walks towards to an intercultural community project.

who we are and what we do? Cooperative society: Strategies of Sustainable Communitarian Transformations (9 members). Teamwork members - Postgraduate studies of citizens participation and sustainable development (Autonomous University of Barcelona - UAB). Teamwork members of the master studies of Social and Community policies (UAB) Work fields… Community development processes. Citizens participation methodologies in social - public policies at local level (municipalities - neighborhoods No utilizamos un destornillador para hacer un agujero, ni un martillo para colgar desmontar un grifo.

Concepts (our operational definitions): community Territory, population, needs – problems-community interests and resources. Actors and the possible relations between them. citizens participation Activities and/or processes that promote the capacity of citizens to influence in the policies which they are affected by. Citizenship Feeling of belonging (to feel be part of…) Political participation, the capacity to influence in public aspects. multiculturalism Cultural pluralism, praise of the difference.

concepts: interculturalism Recognition of the diversity and emphasis in the common project, in the similarities, in the shared minimums.

Political and administrative context (since 90’s) Social departments from regional government assign funds for community development programs. Progressive increasing in middle and big municipalities of citizens participation departments and citizens participation programs. Parties incorporate citizens participation in their elections programs. The UAB began the studies of Participation and sustainable development. In 2003, Citizens Participation Department in regional level (unique in Spain). : agenda 21, budget participative, community - urban planning, strategy planning…

Local authorities approach: Negative Positive Promotion of a controlled participation. Non professional skills, flexible time-table. Political marketing, instrumental use of the participation. Bad managing of participation results. Democracy innovation. Participation as an strategy resources for making public policies. Participation modernize the local authorities organizations. Últimas elecciones en Catalunya 52% participación

Civil Society approach: Negative Positive Participation in associations is decreasing. No common projects neither networking (generally) No members and leadership renewal. Low internal democracy Living for the grands not because real targets. Emergence of new type of citizens activism: platforms with common targets, internet networking,… A high quantity and diverse number of associations. New community programs running and involving associations Últimas elecciones en Catalunya 52% participación

Facing this situation: (subirats,j. 2002) Authoritarian solution Mercantilization solution Radicalize the democracy Authoritarian --> Modelo Aznar --- No a la guerra, las deciciones las toma el político pese a que la mayoría diga lo contrario

Why Radicalize Democracy? Public policies are unable to answer citizenship’s problems Politics is perceived far from the citizens. Dicrease of participation in the elections. Individualism and loss of interest for the public and collective things. Últimas elecciones en Catalunya 52% participación

Why Radicalize Democracy? Culture of the delegation of responsibilities, just voting every four years. The politicians control which are the main problems (politics agenda us. Citizens agenda). The power to decide stays in hands of few people. Political parties less and less democratic by themselves, less debate and more marketing. Coge ideas del texto de adigsa para argumentar esta diapo

one experience: Community development process in Roquetes neighborhood (BCN City).

roquetes 15.000 inhabitants

wills of the community development process: Build citizenship Inhabitants of the territory are the main actors of its’ transformation, they joint responsibility in the process (community analysis, building proposals, managing the process…) To transform Inhabitants’ participation aims at real transformations: change public education, change urbanism situation, health systems… of the territory. Change needs into opportunities for the community’s development.

wills of the community development process: Educational Process Sustainable transformation of the territory will only be possible if the citizens living in it and the local actors operating on it (social, public and economic stakeholders) are re-educated in a new culture of common interests, in order to create a cooperation climate; without abandoning each one’s autonomy: a climate that enables to manage the conflict to build agreements. With a will to create relationships A will of opening relationships, not to build against anyone but to build with, with the inhabitants, with the public administrations, and its public services, and with other local actors (economical stakeholders, university…).

what? Community Development process A tool, an instrument…a methodology for social intervention that helps us to follow the: ? aim Improving life quality through community and sustainable development of a territory, making real transformations that join responsibility of all the actors living and acting in it.

 who? Citizens Public Administrations Other actors and its public Entidades Residents Associations Informal Groups People  Professional team that works in and for the developing of the process, the citizens decide over this team. Community team Public Administrations Other actors Economical Universities Fundations, … Regional and Local Government and its public services Schools, high schools Social Services Health Services, Mental Health services, Employment servicies, Police…

Public administrations and its public services starting point? The neighbour, the doctor of the health center, the politician, the director of the high school, … build a photography about: Citizenship Participative Diagnostic of the Community issues, needs opportunities, potentials Proposals for the transformation Public administrations and its public services Other Community actors Consens Community Programme

how does it continues? Participative evaluation diagnosis planning execution Community plan Differents projects: Educational projects Health projects … Participative evaluation

how is it organise? + + Political Level Contract* Technical Level Public Administrations (Regional y Local) + Neighbourhood community leathership Neighbourhood Contract* Political Level *Every year renewal. Public Services + Community team (process team contracted by the citizens) Technical Comite Technical Level Work groups (urbanism, education, health… Community Group (neighbourhood assemble) Citizens level

Learnings… A participar se aprende participando Innovación democrática Juntos pero no revueltos Ritmos, Lenguajes, soportes, horarios y técnicas adaptadas a la diversidad Centralidad política de la participación Consenso político No hacen propuestas they don’t do offers.