February news: We’re hiring, new program on national environmental policy

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In this month’s issue:

  • We’re hiring for three positions

  • New program will engage communities in national environmental decisions

  • Want citizen engagement in parliament? Here’s how to overcome five possible roadblocks

  • Accelerators help move ideas from concept to launch

  • Member profile: AfroLeadership

  • Featured resources

  • What we’re reading

  • Upcoming events

  • Funding opportunities 

  • What to do

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We’re hiring for three positions!

People Powered is looking for three new staff members to join our team:

  • People and operations manager, to help us ensure that we sustain and continue to improve our strong, supportive and equitable organizational culture.

  • Communications associate, to help create digital content that attracts attention and amplifies priority messages.

  • Climate democracy associate, to support our capacity-building programs and resources focused on climate change.

Applicants can be located anywhere around the world. The deadline to apply is March 13. Please share the opportunities with your network!

New program will engage communities in national environmental decisions

A meeting of the thematic inquiry on lead contamination in Georgia.

A meeting of the thematic inquiry on lead contamination in Georgia.

Public participation is key to effective environmental governance. Involving people directly in crafting solutions that address climate change and its effects, such as pollution, generates more effective policies as well as builds trust in government. 

To fill this gap, People Powered and the National Democratic Institute are launching a new program. Together, we'll develop innovative new resources and tools to help national governments, specifically parliaments and legislators, engage their constituencies in shaping environmental policies.

Want citizen engagement in parliament? Here’s how to overcome five possible roadblocks

Sometimes it is better to take legislative meetings to the people!

Village meeting in Mukutani: Sometimes it is better to take legislative meetings to the people!

Our January research-to-practice talk focused on how to incorporate public participation into legislatures. Brenda Ogembo, deputy head of Kenya’s Senate Liaison Office, led the discussion, followed by a perspective from civil society by John Kinuthia, senior program officer for the Kenya office of the International Budget Partnership.

In this blog post, we share their practical lessons learned and recommendations.

Accelerators help move ideas from concept to launch

Governments and organizations around the world want to expand citizen engagement in decision-making. But moving from concept to launch is another matter altogether. That’s why People Powered and its partners are committing significant staff and financial resources to “accelerator programs,” in which we select and work intensively with a cohort of innovators to go from idea to action— either to launch or improve a participatory initiative.

Each accelerator begins with a call for applications from governments and organizations. Selected participants then receive hands-on support, including the assignment of an expert and access to the interactive Participation Playbook.

Our first accelerator is Climate Democracy Action, featured this month in Democracy Technologies. More are coming later this year! 

 

AfroLeadership uses coaching to bring more public participation to Africa

Charlie, bottom row, fourth from right, at the announcement of an “open participatory budget” in Cameroon

Charlie Martial Ngounou, bottom row, second from right, at the announcement of an “open participatory budget” in Cameroon

The methods used to promote participatory democracy must be contextualized, says Charlie Martial Ngounou, president of AfroLeadership, because most African countries are new to democracy.

“We want to demonstrate we are a credible partner for governments, because in my view, if our leaders’ mindset stays the same, change won't happen. The more we have champions in government, both central and local, the faster we can progress,” he says.

Read how his organization is trying to do that.

  • Register for the launch of the 2023 Digital Participation Platform Ratings.

  • Share the ads for our three open positions with your network.

  • Forward this email to colleagues interested in participation and democracy.