Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
6.1.1 Initiator
Many of the well-documented and widely-publicised exercises described
in Chapters 4 and 5 have been initiated by local, regional and national
government institutions. In many cases there are individuals who sponta-
neously become project 'champions' or are formally designated as such.
The objectives of such initiatives are usually aimed at implementing gov-
ernment agendas on issues such as enhanced civic participation, imple-
mentation of electronic service delivery, and reducing social exclusion.
Typically the focus is determined by government, and projects are set up
which are funded for periods ranging from a few months to two or three
years. These exercises serve, variously, as demonstrators, as test-beds for
ideas, as small-scale pilots to assess viability of the innovation, or to in-
form the roll-out of a particular policy, ICT system or service on a larger
regional or national basis.
The common characteristics of institution-led engagement initiatives are
that the institutions provide the funding and define the high level objec-
tives. For example, the government-led exercises described in this topic
essentially seek to examine the impact and potential role of specific ICT
applications on citizen behaviour and attitudes. Thus in the UK, 22 local
e-Democracy pilots explored the impact of webcasts, blogs, text alerts,
e-panels, e-consultation, committee information systems, online surgeries etc.
(Local e-Democracy National Project Case Studies 2005). Non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) also lead exercises and projects to explore the use of
ICTs to engage with citizens - particularly those who are 'hard to hear' or
those at risk of social exclusion.
Another, very different, kind of institution-led citizen participation is
seen in the programmes introduced by NGOs such as ActionAid, voluntary
organizations and formal or informal citizen groups. In some cases, the or-
ganisation or entity promoting the exercise has specific political aims,
which are not necessarily party political ends. As reported in Chapter 5,
Crisis, a charity for the homeless, supported Jamie McCoy's blog (weblog)
to voice opinions from an under-represented group, because it sought to in-
fluence politicians from all parties to improve provision for the homeless
(Hansard Society 2005).
Funding and other resources, e.g. for education and training, are in most
of these cases provided by an institution - governmental or otherwise, al-
though the focus and direction of specific projects may be determined and
carried out by citizens themselves to some degree. For example, the Cana-
dian National Forum on Health, initiated by government, required partici-
pants to be well briefed prior to participating in the Forum and resources
were provided to achieve the necessary learning and understanding of the
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