Handbook on Citizen Engagement: Beyond Consultation - SASANet

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Table 5. Barriers to Participation and Potential Solutions (cont’d)Categories ofExclusionStereotyping age:Youth are idolized,and yet those who aretoo young or too oldare discredited.Ability: The needs ofpeople living withdisabilities are oftenoverlooked, whichconsequently excludesthem.Gender: While 50% ofthe population isfemale, women arestill underrepresentedin positions of power,and policies do notnecessary reflect theirneeds. With regards tolesbians, gays,trans/bi-sexuals, andothers, their rights andfreedoms are stillbeing negotiated at thestate level.Barriers to ParticipationLegitimacy: Youth arestigmatized as being naïve andthe elderly as being out of touchwith contemporary times. Thusboth of these groups are oftenexcluded from discussions anddecision-making.Physical access: There are asurprising number of publicspaces that cannot accommodatea wheelchair.Transportation: Getting to andfrom events poses uniquechallenges to people living withdisabilities.Communication: Depending onthe person’s disability, they mayneed assistance communicatingwith a group of people.Parenting: While times are slowlychanging, women still carry adisproportionate responsibility forchildcare and parent care, placinga greater burden on their time.Legitimacy: People who do not fitthe dominant model of “male” or“female” are stigmatized andgenerally face problems oflegitimacy in the face of authority.Potential Solutions• Define concepts and frame the problem in waysyouth can understand and relate to.• Adapt process in ways that youth will not beintimidated to speak up (e.g. small groupdiscussions and reporting back in large plenary).• Ensure that event space is accessible and advertiseit as such.• Set up the event space to accommodate those inwheelchairs (i.e. table height).• Give sufficient notice of event for people to plantheir adapted transport OR provide adaptedtransportation for them.• On registration forms, ask people with special needsto specify what they will need to participate, usingrespectful language.• Provide translation into Braille and sign languageservices (determining need before event).• Provide childcare or elder care money toparticipating parents.• Or provide childcare (and even elder care) at theevent (ask people to register ahead of time).• See potential solutions for “Sense of worth” barrierabove.Creation of an atmosphere of respect is fundamental to the inclusion of all people. By valuingcontributions, integrating words and opinions into recommendations and decisions, powerimbalances that are pervasive and ultimately unjust can begin to be adjusted.For further reading:Youth Engagement:The Students Commission/The Center for Excellence for Youth Engagement has plenty ofresources on its website www.tgmag.ca/.PowerCamp National targets young women in particular and have a great publication entitledStep It Up: The Young Women’s Guide to Influencing Public Policywww.powercampnational.ca.Apathy is Boring aims to use art, media and technology to revolutionize democracywww.apathyisboring.com.TakingITGlobal: www.takingitglobal.org.16 CANADIAN POLICY RESEARCH NETWORKS
Ability/Disability:For a list of considerations for making events accessible, Meetings Industry Gurusvnutravel.typepad.com/migurus/patti_digh/.Advancing the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities 2004 is a Government of Canada report,www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/hip/odi/documents/advancingInclusion04/index.shtml.Ethno-Cultural Communities:Vancouver Coastal Health held a workshop entitled: Language and Ethno-Cultural Differences:Engaging Diverse Communities in Public Participation. The summary of the workshop offershelpful ideas to overcoming some of the above barriers. To obtain a copy, contactMargreth.Tolson@vch.ca.General:The Access Alliance Multicultural Community Health Centre is committed to actively workingagainst all forms of oppression and has its policy framework available at www.accessalliance.ca.BIAS FREE Framework offers a process for looking at the biases and hierarchies that affectorganizationswww.globalforumhealth.org/Site/002__What%20we%20do/005__Publications/010__BIAS%20FREE.php.CANADIAN POLICY RESEARCH NETWORKS 17
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