The Collaborative Democracy Network is a new network created by Demos. It is for politicians, policymakers and civil society to come together to discuss innovations that put people at the heart of policy making.
If we’re going to build a more collaborative democracy that supports politicians to work with the public on the difficult choices that lie ahead, we’re going to have to do policy making differently. This means bold thinking about what’s possible, looking honestly at what the challenges will be, and drawing inspiration from democratic innovation from across the world.
No one part of a system can make a change. It needs all of these players to come together to express their doubts, show their evidence and discuss effective ways of making policy. It needs inspiration from other parts of the world where people-powered policy making is being built into the structures of democracy and the civil service. Crucially, it will bring politicians into the heart of this conversation to demonstrate the benefits of sharing the power they have differently – and understand any reservations they have.
The Collaborative Democracy Network aims to raise awareness of this new way of working – including with politicians who hold the keys to unlocking a new era of participatory policy making.
Demos will be hosting a series of regular events bringing together leading voices in participatory ways of working with politicians, policy-makers and civil society from across the UK. Together we will explore how collaborative democracy can become a reality, creating better policy making processes, strengthening citizenry, and renewing trust in our democracy.
Watch the Collaborative Democracy Network launch event: How do we build a collaborative democracy?
Join us as a partner by contacting Patti Garcia, Relationship Manager at Demos.
