Northern Ireland's Environmental Problems
Open Government Network (NI)
To contribute to delivering more open, transparent and accountable government that empowers citizens to shape decisions that impact on their lives
The Open Government Partnership • UK one of eight founding countries when the OGP was launched in Sept 2011 at the UN General Assembly • The OGP now has nearly 70 participating countries
• In all of these countries, government and civil society are working together to develop and implement ambitious open government reforms • 3rd UK National Open Government Action Plan currently being developed
NI Open Government Network
Open Government Forum http://forum.opengovernment.org.uk/
NI OGN Vision and Purpose To contribute to delivering more open, transparent and accountable government that empowers citizens to shape decisions that impact on their lives To actively engage a broad and diverse group of citizens and organisations in advocating more open government in Northern Ireland
Activities to date… • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Network of over 200 individuals and civil society organisations New OGN Steering Committee 24 month action plan Terms of Reference, membership, communication and political engagement strategies Social media and online presence UK OG National Action Plan Local and central government engagement Political engagement Events, seminars, innovation labs and training sessions Fact sheets, briefing papers, publications and other resources FoI Commission UK and global OGP events Proposed pilot projects – open contracting, PB, civic engagement
The Challenges Challenge 1 Explain why more open government promotes the common good - convince people of the value of transparency, participation & accountability
Challenge 2 Work in partnership with government without losing our reforming & radical edge - push for significant change, without spooking the horses before the race for reform has begun
Challenge 1: Selling Openness Show how open government reform will lead to: • Increased trust in government – greater legitimacy • Greater accessibility, responsiveness & accountability • Better policy – grounded in knowledge of public values & priorities • Shared responsibility – for policy creation, implementation & outcomes • More informed, motivated & empowered citizens - who are able to influence decisions that affect their lives We need to: • Show what the change would look like • Use concrete examples to illustrate the issues • Promote democratic innovation & deliberative civic engagement • Tailor messages to diverse audiences
Method & Activities Raise awareness of open government themes and issues; improve political literacy; and grow membership and support for the Network through: • • • • • •
Information & training events Blogs, articles and publications Social media & OGN website Crowd-source ideas among our membership & beyond Mainstream media presence Networking & research from elsewhere
Grow the Network in terms of: • • • •
Numbers Diversity – all sectors, ages & classes Influence – networking & mobilising champions Adapt message to suit our different audiences
Challenge 2: Working with Government Build on our relationships with: • The OFMDFM, DSD and F&P Committees • The policy officers from the local political parties - encourage them to include open government commitments in their party manifestos and in PfG • The Department of Finance and Personnel and the UK Cabinet Office - to help develop commitments for an Open Government National Action Plan Clarify and agree the ‘Rules of Engagement’
Work in partnership with government on projects that involve: • The creation of a Citizens Budget • Open Contracting • Participatory Budgeting • Open Policy-making • Innovation Lab activity to set the ‘rules of engagement’
UK NAP: Possible NI Commitments Open Data - Implement NI Open Data Strategy for all public sector agencies Access to Information - Publish performance data externally; greater coordination & collaboration re FOI; implement ‘Open by Default’ procedures Anti-Corruption - Fiscal transparency; citizens’ budget; open contracting pilot Technology & Innovation - New tools & opportunities for citizen engagement
Public Accountability - Publish diary information in an open data format; greater lobbying transparency; forum to monitor delivery of OG commitments Citizen Engagement - Adopt open policy making principles in NI; pilot projects re participatory budgeting, open contracting, open policy making, etc; make NI Direct a more effective consultation hub: create a consultation toolkit; evaluate consultation impact
The Radical’s Dilemma • directly influence decisionmakers & push for meaningful commitments • maintain political traction, but avoid settling for minimal incremental change • mobilise champions & advocates within, while also experimenting outside government
• work within explicit political priorities to help politicians shape future programmes, whilst also campaigning for democratic innovation and deliberative citizen engagement
Image: Robert Young (CC BY 2.0) (Cropped)
OGN Events @ImagineBelfast Festival
https://imaginebelfast.com/16th-march-2016/
https://imaginebelfast.com/18th-march-2016/
Contact and Information http://www.opengovernment .org.uk/about/ni-ogn/
[email protected] @OpenGovNI
To contribute to delivering more open, transparent and accountable government that empowers citizens to shape decisions that impact on their lives
The Open Government Partnership • UK one of eight founding countries when the OGP was launched in Sept 2011 at the UN General Assembly • The OGP now has nearly 70 participating countries
• In all of these countries, government and civil society are working together to develop and implement ambitious open government reforms • 3rd UK National Open Government Action Plan currently being developed
NI Open Government Network
Open Government Forum http://forum.opengovernment.org.uk/
NI OGN Vision and Purpose To contribute to delivering more open, transparent and accountable government that empowers citizens to shape decisions that impact on their lives To actively engage a broad and diverse group of citizens and organisations in advocating more open government in Northern Ireland
Activities to date… • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Network of over 200 individuals and civil society organisations New OGN Steering Committee 24 month action plan Terms of Reference, membership, communication and political engagement strategies Social media and online presence UK OG National Action Plan Local and central government engagement Political engagement Events, seminars, innovation labs and training sessions Fact sheets, briefing papers, publications and other resources FoI Commission UK and global OGP events Proposed pilot projects – open contracting, PB, civic engagement
The Challenges Challenge 1 Explain why more open government promotes the common good - convince people of the value of transparency, participation & accountability
Challenge 2 Work in partnership with government without losing our reforming & radical edge - push for significant change, without spooking the horses before the race for reform has begun
Challenge 1: Selling Openness Show how open government reform will lead to: • Increased trust in government – greater legitimacy • Greater accessibility, responsiveness & accountability • Better policy – grounded in knowledge of public values & priorities • Shared responsibility – for policy creation, implementation & outcomes • More informed, motivated & empowered citizens - who are able to influence decisions that affect their lives We need to: • Show what the change would look like • Use concrete examples to illustrate the issues • Promote democratic innovation & deliberative civic engagement • Tailor messages to diverse audiences
Method & Activities Raise awareness of open government themes and issues; improve political literacy; and grow membership and support for the Network through: • • • • • •
Information & training events Blogs, articles and publications Social media & OGN website Crowd-source ideas among our membership & beyond Mainstream media presence Networking & research from elsewhere
Grow the Network in terms of: • • • •
Numbers Diversity – all sectors, ages & classes Influence – networking & mobilising champions Adapt message to suit our different audiences
Challenge 2: Working with Government Build on our relationships with: • The OFMDFM, DSD and F&P Committees • The policy officers from the local political parties - encourage them to include open government commitments in their party manifestos and in PfG • The Department of Finance and Personnel and the UK Cabinet Office - to help develop commitments for an Open Government National Action Plan Clarify and agree the ‘Rules of Engagement’
Work in partnership with government on projects that involve: • The creation of a Citizens Budget • Open Contracting • Participatory Budgeting • Open Policy-making • Innovation Lab activity to set the ‘rules of engagement’
UK NAP: Possible NI Commitments Open Data - Implement NI Open Data Strategy for all public sector agencies Access to Information - Publish performance data externally; greater coordination & collaboration re FOI; implement ‘Open by Default’ procedures Anti-Corruption - Fiscal transparency; citizens’ budget; open contracting pilot Technology & Innovation - New tools & opportunities for citizen engagement
Public Accountability - Publish diary information in an open data format; greater lobbying transparency; forum to monitor delivery of OG commitments Citizen Engagement - Adopt open policy making principles in NI; pilot projects re participatory budgeting, open contracting, open policy making, etc; make NI Direct a more effective consultation hub: create a consultation toolkit; evaluate consultation impact
The Radical’s Dilemma • directly influence decisionmakers & push for meaningful commitments • maintain political traction, but avoid settling for minimal incremental change • mobilise champions & advocates within, while also experimenting outside government
• work within explicit political priorities to help politicians shape future programmes, whilst also campaigning for democratic innovation and deliberative citizen engagement
Image: Robert Young (CC BY 2.0) (Cropped)
OGN Events @ImagineBelfast Festival
https://imaginebelfast.com/16th-march-2016/
https://imaginebelfast.com/18th-march-2016/
Contact and Information http://www.opengovernment .org.uk/about/ni-ogn/
[email protected] @OpenGovNI
