Open Government action plan 2021 to 2025: commitment 5 – participation milestone progress

Developing a participation handbook

Milestone: embedding equalities and an inclusive approach

Timescales

Beginning autumn 2021.

Where we started

In 2021, a review was commissioned of equalities and inclusive practice in a previous version of the Participation Handbook. This made several recommendations, which formed the basis for activities in this Commitment.

What changed and why

Some of these recommendations have been delivered:

• there is now an equalities and inclusive practice statement in the Participation Handbook
• further information has been provided on exclusionary practice and how to mitigate this
• this is supported by new guidance on paying participants, outlined at Milestone 5, Objective 1

Some of these recommendations have not yet been delivered:

• work to develop an approach to representative sampling for participatory approaches has yet to commence
• participation training for Scottish Government staff, which includes a focus on equalities and inclusive practice, has not yet commenced
• work to collaboratively consider how to align participation and human rights approaches has yet to commence

Reasons for delays to participation training are set out at Milestone 1, Objective 1.

Work to develop an approach to representative sampling is an area of interest for the Social Research Participation and Lived Experience working group, but priority was given to the development of other resources e.g. paying participants guidance and training for Social Researchers.

Staff capacity has not yet allowed work to commence on collaboratively considering how to align participation and human rights approaches.

Where we are now

The Social Research Participation and Lived Experience working group is due to decide on its priorities for the coming year – representative sampling is under consideration.

When additional staff can be recruited, work on collaboratively considering how to align participation and human rights approaches could be planned for. Increased capacity will mean that wider work could also begin on developing and embedding ethics, equity and safeguarding principles and standards across government – a known area of interest for civil society.

It is proposed that key aspects of this work are also integrated into the Public Participation DPS, as a mechanism that can introduce equalities focused change across commissioned participation work.

What activity this will involve

The updated equalities and inclusive practice guidance will be a foundational basis for the design and delivery of the introductory training sessions to the Participation Handbook (Milestone 1, Objective 1) and will be central in the development of the Public Participation DPS (Milestone 4, Objective 1).

Milestone status

In progress, behind schedule.