The new Decidim Catalunya service is available after piloting it with fifteen councils
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You can now register for the Decidim Catalunya service
Once the pilot phase has ended, the service has gone into production and registrations can now be requested. The administrations of the demarcations of Lleida and Tarragona can now request the registration of the service using the registration form at EACAT.
We decide on Catalonia, a project common project of citizen participationand a service deployed to support it
Most of the Catalan administrations, with a common strategy and co-organized from the Network of Transparent Governments, become fundamental for the common objective of carrying out the deployment of citizen participation policies and facilitating a tool for the extension of democracy for the local world.
Currently, it has the support of the Transparent Governments Network to provide the local bodies of the demarcations of Lleida and Tarragona with instances of decidim through the Decidim Catalunya project and service of the same name.
The aim is to offer the local world through a comprehensive "turnkey" service, which includes technological aspects, as well as support in the management of participatory processes. The role of the AOC is to provide the technological service of Decidim Catalunya, make it available to local bodies that wish to do so, offer technical support and carry out developments that guarantee its evolution according to needs.
The tasks of advice, training and support in the participation processes for the administrations with fewer resources will be carried out through the Provincial Councils, the Generalitat itself and local, with a governance model that is yet to be finalized. These tasks are essential for the success of citizen participation initiatives.
How to request the registration of the service and other considerations in this regard
To request registration, you will find the procedure in the EACAT procedures, in the provider Consorci AOC, Service CAOC – Request for services, in the Procedure "Request for registration and modification of AOC services" .
In the same way as in other services, you will have to fill in the PDF document Request for registration and modification of AOC services where you will have to select the Decidim Catalunya service.
Service registrations will be prioritized according to the following requirements and priorities:
You will need internal staff or external support capable of managing citizen participation initiatives. If this is not the case, please, to resolve it, you can contact the Municipal Assistance Services of your demarcation and, in parallel, you can perform the Basic Course of the Decidim Catalunya service.
You must inform us of the citizen participation initiatives you wish to promote within one year of registration.
It is important that you bear in mind that the service is only available to the local bodies of Lleida and Tarragona, once the form is filled in and validated, it will be necessary to sign it electronically and send it through the "Send" button on the form itself or through 'EACAT Procedures > Registration window.
Institutional support and support as a key factor for the future
Institutional support from the Catalan provincial councils is key for this first and its consolidation. For the Decidim Catalunya service, limited to the demarcations of Lleida i Tarragona, both councils have made a great effort to provide resources to the municipal assistance services.
Historically, the deputations of Barcelona i Girona they have carried out intense work to do the same in their territories and have a very good representation of municipalities with a strong tradition of citizen participation. Barcelona is the one with the largest population and the highest quality in Catalonia.
Citizen participation is key to the achievement of public objectives, for example those of Government plan of the XIVth Legislature of the Generalitat of Catalonia. A key factor is the participation in international projects such asOpen Government Partnerships, where several Catalan institutions are betting on a joint project.
Pilot councils, councils and the Generalitat de Catalunya
The corporations and, especially, the people who participated in the pilot phase deserve recognition. Thanks to them, it has been possible to inaugurate the service and increase the impulse, with modesty, of citizen participation in the territory.
Finally, it is also important to extend our thanks to the people who have contributed to the project and the service: Albert, Carles, Laura, Roger, Alexandre, Maria, Joan, Iolanda, Rosa, Jesus, Montse, Cristina, Samer, Magdalena, Manel, Carmen, Dolors, Barbara, Lourdes, Gemma, Laia, David, Pablo, Carolina, Arnau, Jose Luis, Carles, Meritxell, Míriam, Adriana, Xavier, Sergio, Carola, Anna...
Specific training in administration and other available resources
In terms of training and with regularity, specific training will be offered in the administration of the Decidim Catalunya service. Currently, the next open call available is scheduled in the form of a call divided into two theoretical and practical sessions on November 29 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 14 p.m.
Participatory process of the new participation law
It is taking place during the months of September, October and November a participatory process to collect contributions that help enrich the new law.
The Government of the Generalitat wants to consolidate a model of deliberative participation that is a benchmark for Catalan administrations and allows improving democratic quality and public policies.
For this reason, he is promoting a new citizen participation law that consolidates this model as one of the pillars of Open Government.
In order to identify and enrich the contents of the new law, the General Directorate of Participation, Electoral Processes and Democratic Quality of the Generalitat of Catalonia is promoting a participatory process.
The participative phase of the process will take place from September to November.
5 years of history of the Decidim participation platform promoted by Barcelona City Council
This year, on February 1, 2022, decidim turned 5 Decidim.Barcelona, Barcelona City Council's platform, was the first instance based on decidim's software and, to date, it is the largest and has implementations important such as the Participatory Budgets (2020-23) and the PAM.
Challenges for the future
One of the big challenges is to make the Decidim platform and a practical and sustainable support model available to all local bodies, regardless of their size and resources.
Another pending challenge is the incorporation of innovations in the design, development and monitoring of citizen participation mechanisms to guarantee the inclusion of the diversity of society's groups (youth, the elderly or newcomers for example).
