Topic 3 Keys to participation and social impact

Points are taken from: Luu00eds Aranguren Gonzalo (2010) The new orbit of social participation. Platform 2015 and more, Madrid.

• Social participation is an end in itself. It is a value that since its implementation promotes the common good and justice. Participating is looking at the other and opening up to a space of mutual alliance and not of enmity.
• Participation entails moving from complaining, apathy and frustration to a positive and constructive attitude: things can change.
• Participation implies distribution of power and responsibilities and democratization of processes.
• Social participation implies immersing oneself in a process of collective action: adding wills. As such, it is an educational process, which grows through credibility.
• Participation entails a work methodology that stems from community development experiences: diagnosis of reality, intervention priorities, scheduled action plan, and evaluation.
• Social participation requires the collaboration of other organizations and groups. The implementation of networks and platforms facilitates spaces for participation and seeks better results.
• Social participation involves many forms of action: local volunteering, collective claims, writing to government institutions, demonstrations, meetings, communication with neighbours, etc.
• Social participation is a form of political influence. We do not do party politics, but from organized civil society we build bridges of proposals or demands towards the different Public Administrations.
• Participation is often a procedural experience, which tends to advance from more symbolic or less binding stages of participation towards a fuller and more useful participation, with experiences of distributed power.

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