People over 65 are the least engaged group in participatory budgeting among Warsaw residents. Why is this? How can this be changed? The Cooperation Fund Foundation and the Jeden Muranów Foundation have a solution. They are launching the “Seniors – Act and Change Your City” project.
Since 2014, Warsaw has had the opportunity to submit their ideas for spending part of the city’s funds through participatory budgeting. This is an opportunity for residents to express their needs and participate in decisions about how public funds will be spent. Over two and a half thousand projects were submitted for this year’s participatory budgeting – over three hundred more than a year ago. Despite this, voter turnout was lower than last year. It dropped particularly among people over 60. Why is this happening? According to the report “Evaluation of the Participatory Budgeting Process in Warsaw for 2017,” 52% of people over 65 responded negatively to the question “Have you heard of participatory/civic budgeting in Warsaw?” This suggests that information on this topic is either not reaching older people or is poorly understood. The low turnout may also be due to the fact that voting requires basic computer skills or in-person visits to a voting center.
The “Seniors – Act and Change Your City” project addresses this problem. It will be implemented in two Warsaw districts – Wola and Śródmieście. Its main goal is to encourage residents over 65 to participate in participatory budgeting.
How will we do this? In each district, we will partner with 10 local organizations to serve as project ambassadors. They will promote participatory budgeting and set up a voting area at their headquarters. Furthermore, we will create informational materials that are easy for seniors to access. Over 1,000 posters and leaflets will be placed in locations they frequent. We will organize four research walks exploring projects implemented in Wola and Śródmieście during previous budget editions. Eight meetings will also be held in both districts in the computer lab, during which participants will learn about the portal through which they can submit applications and vote.
Most importantly, seniors will participate in workshops that will guide them step-by-step through the participatory budgeting process. They will learn how to prepare, submit, and promote an application. Over 60 people will be able to take advantage of this opportunity. With the support of experts and volunteers, Warsaw seniors will also participate in idea generation and prepare at least 20 projects.
If you would like to participate in the project, either as a senior or as a volunteer, visit www.budzetseniora.pl, send an email to kontakt@budzetseniora.pl, or call 22 450 98 72 or 512 896 832.
