Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej MW Pivot Skin

SOCIAL PARTICIPATION – means involvement of citizens in collective actions for the community to which they belong or in whose life they engage. This type of p. is most often identified with involvement in the non-governmental sphere, i.e. the process of formation and functioning of civic groups and → non-governmental organisations. S.p. in a broad sense refers to the idea of a civil society, whose members voluntarily take part in public activities, in various forms, also through permanent or occasional acting as a volunteer. In the narrower sense s.p. means the cooperation of local government (municipality, county, voivodship) and residents – members of the → local community, which serves to undertake activities for local development. The essence of s.p. is reflected by predispositions of the local community to engage. The activity of members of the local community is characterised by grass-roots and voluntary organisation in order to undertake joint activities for the benefit of the group they create. S.p. can also be understood as a process in which representatives of the public influence the decisions of public authorities that have a direct or indirect influence on their interests (→ participatory governance; local initiative; participatory democracy) [ E. Szulc-Wałecka ].