Include us in : participation for social inclusion in Europe

This report presents findings from a 12-month project on participation in local governance in four countries - Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom - and evaluates new methods being adopted to promote participation in developing successful, local solutions to problems of social exclusion across Europe. The report will be useful for those working in participation with socially excluded and vulnerable groups. It examines three key issues - 1) innovative approaches to participation by the community, by voluntary and public sector in the context of combating social exclusion; 2) the need for change in local government and the community sector to ensure that participatory democracy is effective for socially excluded communities; 3) the potential for the European Union to further its new mandate to combat social exclusion by promoting participatory principles and methods