Difference between revisions of "UK"

Revision as of 10:39, 11 February 2010

Welcome to E-Democracy.org UK.

The following local Issues Forums are part of our global network of citizen-based online forums for community empowerment and active citizen participation. The neighbourhood-level forums also include broader "community life" exchange.

• Brighton and Hove
• Bristol
  • Brislington
  • Greater Bedminister
• Oxford
  • Central and Southwest
  • Cowley
  • Headington and Marston
• Newham

E-Democracy.org is interested in partnering with a neighbourhood in a lower income, high diverse community in the UK to connect into our Inclusive Social Media effort which has funding in the U.S..

Get Involved in the United Kingdom with E-Democracy.org

1. Volunteer to start an Issues Forum in your community. Extensive start-up training and advice is available. Or volunteer to join the local city "team" to help with outreach and more.

2. Connect with Edward Andersson or Mary Reid, the UK-based members of our international Board. Dan Jellinek is also a former Board member active in Brighton and Hove.

3. Explore materials from our past UK pilot efforts funded in 2004-05 by the then UK Local e-Democracy National Project.

• Current UK-related Blog Posts or older project notes
• Oxford e-democracy evaluation - With links to multiple evaluations
• UK Press Release
• 60 Page Guidebook and Why Join Flyer
• Case Study

Brief history of E-Democracy.org in the UK

E-Democracy.org is a U.S.-based NGO serving over 15 communities with 25+ Issues Forums across New Zealand, the UK, and the United States (particularly Minnesota). Our history in the UK dates back to 1994 when our model was cited as the motivation behind the launch of UK Citizens Online Democracy in its first incarnation. Scott Aikens, then a graduate student from Michigan studying at Cambridge, came to Minnesota to help found our initiative and returned to the UK where he also spread the word. Today UK Citizens Online Democracy is the charity which hosts MySociety.org. In 2004, staff from the UK Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the forming UK Local e-Democracy National Project visited Minnesota. This led to a request for an Issues Forums pilot effort to start one forum in the UK. About 40,000 GBP of direct funding was provided over two years with in-kind support particular from Bristol Council in year two. We started two council-wide forums in Newham and Brighton & Hove. Compared to the other 25 or so pilots we the most citizen-based (versus council-based) and despite no major funding after the 2005, the model spread to two additional councils at the neighbourhood level. Most of the forums are active most weeks to this day. Oxford's Headington and Martson is the most active at the neighbourhood level and Brighton is the most active council-wide.

UK-related "e-democracy" resources

Our version of "e-democracy" is a hard to classify because it is a mix of digital engagement, inclusion, journalism, empowerment, and government/governance. So think broadly not just what governments should do or host themselves, but what you are willing to build for your community and democracy in a way that makes sense to you.

• UK and Ireland E-Democracy Exchange
• ICELE Archive - Includes materials from former national project
• mySociety.org
• eDemocracy at Hansard Society
• International Teledemocracy Centre
• Centre for Digital Citizenship
• Headstar E-Government Bulletin and E-Democracy conference
• OpenlyLocal.com
• David Wilcox's Social Reporter on "e-democracy" and all topics
• TalkAboutLocal
• Social technology for local communities wiki
• Local 2.0 - Young Foundation
• Community Voices - Media Trust
• Digital Engagement - Technology for social benefit - See their social network
• e-Democracy: A-K - United Kingdom - Archive