GB-London: Democracy Support Contractor

The Office for Civil Society and Communities Team believe that local people are best placed to understand the needs and strengths of their communities and the places where they live. As such, local people should be involved in finding solutions to local issues. The Innovation in Democracy Programme (IiDP) builds on OCS' expertise in this area (such as with Community Organisers, Place-based Social Action (with the Big Lottery Fund), Enabling Social Action and the work of the Centre for Social Action). IiDP will involve citizens in decision making at local government level through innovative models of participatory democracy. DCMS will be providing funding and support to 8-10 local authorities to pilot opportunities to open up some of their policy decisions to citizen deliberation. Citizens' Assembly processes will be used, complemented by online civic technology tools in order to extend the reach, transparency, and accountability of the process.