Equalities co-production initiative

Equality Good Relations Project
This development project was a response to the need identified by the Opengovpioneers project to do more intensive engagement and capacity building with equality interest groups. The aim is view to increase participation and influence in the Sustainable Development Goals and Open Government by people and groups who share protected characteristics. Our proposal sets out how we responded to this brief, and our open planning document provides an brief overview of the project. This project is an initial, development phase which forms the foundations of a potentially larger programme, and is based on the principles of co-production and civic mediation.

Timescales: 21 October 2018 - 28 February 2019

This wiki page is being updated throughout the project (last updated 15 March 2019)

Delivery team
This project is being co-delivered by Amanda Heenan, Arc of Inclusion & Sam Tedcastle, Centre for Good Relations

Access support and advice provided by: Sally Shaw, Ideas for Ears

Advice on accessible information provided by The Friendly Information Company and Speakup Self Advocacy

Engagement
Below is a list of organisations that the people we spoke to were representing. We also spoke to a number of people not associated with organisations (in the context of our conversation about this project), who gave us their individual perspectives.

Reading / Watch list
The table below includes references to research and insight that are informing this project and will help to build the capacity of all of us involved to influence and participate more effectively. Please feel free to add to the list here, or get in touch contact@arcofinclusion.co.uk. {| class="wikitable"

Objective

 * This initiative will support a partnership of Equalities organisations across the UK to host an open conversation around engaging people furthest from decision making into plans around SDGs and Open Government.
 * Support will be provided by existing partners if the Open Government Pioneers UK Project. However, the overall direction and design will be determined by the equality organisational partners.
 * The purpose of the conversation will be to inform a major bid to the BIG Lottery UK fund to resource a programme of capacity building for people furthest from decision making to engage in SDGs and Open Government.

Intended outcomes
More people have the tools, confidence and resources to overcome the barriers to their participation in the decisions that affect them.

Rationale

 * The Opengovpioneers project opened up engagement with equalities groups, but found a much more intensive capacity building exercise is needed to engage those furthest from the decisions that affect them in using opengov as a way to improve their lives.
 * The Sustainable Development Goals is strongly equality focused and provides a useful (but untested) framework for organising engagement themes with those furthest from decisions.
 * The Open Government methodology, based on securing better transparency, increased participation and clearer accountability is powerful technique but needs to be adapted to those not familiar with the associated language and structures.

Outputs

 * An open concept paper on why we need to engage people furthest from decision making into plans around SDGs and Open Government, published and discussed online by the SDG and Open government networks across the UK
 * A series of engagement meetings with key equality groups to develop interest and introduce open government approaches to SDGs
 * A summit held in February to bring together the lead equalities organisations interested to design a major funding proposal building on existing networks and practice
 * Funding proposal developed by a consortium of equality partners and a bid facilitator submitted to Big Lottery Fund UK

A proposal is being developed by network members as an option to deliver:

Approach
A consortium of equalities orgs led by a key equality network in each UK home nation, back by an online wiki to document and plan progress.

There is an opportunity for the opengovpioneers project to host an initial engagement event, that can be used to develop a proposal to BIG UK.
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