Enabling and Sustaining Citizen Involvement

Led by Diane Beddoes, this research focused on the type of dialogue that falls within the Sciencewise-ERC’s Guiding Principles and looked at both enabling and sustaining citizen involvement. However, the main focus of the report is on sustaining involvement after a project has ended, which is a new area of interest for both commissioners and practitioners of this type of dialogue.

The research provides guidance for policy makers commissioning public engagement on some of the key issues they might wish to consider. It also provides information on what participants can and should expect from their involvement, as well as what is expected of them. It includes a discussion of the issues raised in discussion of how and whether to sustain involvement, and some practical suggestions for how commissioning and project design might encourage and support this.