1. Ymgysylltiad gwleidyddol a dinesig yng Nghymru yn oes y Gymdeithas Fawr Political and Civic Engagement in Wales in the age of the Big Society 23 Mehefin am 6pm Thursday June 23 2011

2. Political Engagement in Wales 2011 Assembly elections: 41.4% (-2%) March 2011 referendum: 35.2% (50% in 1997) Growing indifference? May 2010 general election: 65%

3. The Big Society? Government: local & national Social providers: public & private Individual volunteers / neighbourhood groups Source: www.thegrouchotendency.blogspot.com

4. Mass Civic Engagement? POSITIVE Greater interest in local rather than national engagement Optimism and belief in efficacy of localism NEGATIVE Knowledge deficit Informal not formal volunteering People prefer to be a spectator rather than a participant

5. Local vs. National Engagement Imbalance between interest & knowledge National politics – 58% How things work locally – 69% National politics – 53% How things work locally – 46% INTEREST KNOWLEDGE

6. Civic engagement in Wales 75% interested in how things work locally BUT Only 37% feel knowledgeable about how things work Source: LGIU Blog – Feb 2011 Source: Audit of Political Engagement 8

7. Desire for local involvement 51% agree ‘when people like me get involved in their local community they can really change the way their area is run’ BUT Only 43% want involvement in local decisions (-5%) Only 1 in 10 say they will ‘definitely’ volunteer at some point in next couple of years’

8. What are people willing to do? 81% trade union 70% political party 70% church/ religious group Definitely / Probably will Definitely / Probably won’t 29% help sick/elderly 28% sports, social groups 25% activities for kids 25% charity / campaign organisations

9. Who wants to get involved? Under 45 years old (particularly 25-34) Higher social grades (ABC1s) People with children Liberal Democrat supporters

10. ‘Raw material’ of the Big Society? Already Active (14%) Not interested in politics BUT interested in local area and willing to get involved 2/3rds are female 44% have children Prevalent in Wales (29%) Willing Localists (14%)

11. What would get people more involved? Overwhelmingly self-interested responses: ‘if I felt strongly about an issue’ (40%) ‘if it was relevant to me’ (33%) ‘if I had more time’ (28%) ‘if it affected my street’ (25%) Big Society must show how benefits are tangibly local and personal.

12. Source: LGIU Blog – Feb 2011 Sources: WCVA & Citizenship Survey The Big Society in Wales 60% – getting involved locally can make a difference Volunteered in last 12 months: 42% in Wales (36% in England) 1.1 million volunteers (147 million hours) 41% engaged in civic activism, consultation or participation (35% in England)

13. Focus on……… Motivation provided by local interest – the ‘willing localists’ Addressing local knowledge deficit Volunteering benefits being tangibly local and personal Wales well placed for broader civic engagement

14. Ymgysylltiad gwleidyddol a dinesig yng Nghymru yn oes y Gymdeithas Fawr Political and civic engagement in Wales in the age of the Big Society John Osmond – Chair (Director, Institute of Welsh Affairs) Dr Ruth Fox & Matt Korris (Hansard Society) Jenny Rathbone AM Graham Benfield (Wales Council for Voluntary Action) Mark Isherwood AM Prof. Richard Wyn Jones (Cardiff University)