Democracy Network Annual Conference 2022 Programme

The DEMOCRACY NETWORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

DAY 1

9:00 C1.15-16

UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER, CAVENDISH CAMPUS, 115 NEW CAVENDISH STREET, LONDON, W1B 2HW

Welcome and Plenary Discussions

• What’s next for democracy in the UK?

• Annual General Meeting

• Democratic Innovations / Building Power outside of Westminster

• Empowering People to Engage with Politics

• Challenging / Renewing Institutions

2:15 C2.05, C2.06, C2.08, C2.09 Afternoon Workshops Round 1

• Democratic Alternatives: Creating a House of Citizens

• Engaging People in national Policy Making

• How to grow your membership and supporter base

• Engaging Minority Communities: Addressing the racialised democratic deficit

3:30 C2.05, C2.06, C2.08, C2.09 Afternoon Workshops Round 2

• Losing our Voice / Losing our Space

• Lessons in community engagement

• Shaping our Democracy to be Representative of Disabled People

• Democratic Alternatives - Activating citizens in response to the polycrisis

4:30 C1.15-16 Plenary Summary

7:00 Chiltern Hall, Marylebone Campus

Annual Democracy Awards Dinner

CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE 2

DAY 2

9:00 C2.14, C1.52, The Pavillion

Collaboration Conversations

• Empowering People: Empowering those who often don’t engage in politics and decision making

Led by Runnymede Trust / Elect Her

• Building Alternatives: Implementing democratic innovations and spreading the word about their benefits

Led by Citizen Network Research / Involve / Sortition Foundation

• Renewing / Challenging Democratic institutions

Led by Liz Crosby / Jennifer Nadel

1.50 Various Afternoon Activities

• Parliament Visit: Tea with Lords to discuss House of Lords

• Rebel History - Walking Tour: dive into some of the big social and political movements that have shaped London and British society in general

• Open Space: A chance to have / host a conversation about anything we’ve missed

5:00 Conference Ends

WELCOME

Dear Delegates,

We are delighted to welcome you to the inaugural Democracy Network Conference.

It is a pleasure and an honour to bring democracy sector organisations together at a critical time in our country’s history. We could not be here today without the ongoing work and support of our members and those in the sector who have tirelessly championed democracy in the UK over many decades. The next two days are a unique opportunity to connect, collaborate and learn, and we look forward to doing that work together.

The Democracy Network is relatively new so it seems sensible to tell you a bit more about who we are and what we do. We are a network of people and organisations working on issues of power, democracy and voice across the UK. To date, we have 130 members and over 509 supporters, and we are growing. Our work builds a stronger democracy by: connecting people; supporting collaboration; increasing knowledge, skills and resources; and coordinating influencing strategies and action. Our Steering Group and Council of Reference is made up of incredible organisations from across our sector and has been fundamental in directing our work, co-designing our network and offering challenge and advice where needed. This Conference’s three key themes developed from

these conversations: empowering people; renewing and challenging our current system; and building democratic alternatives.

As a sector our work could not be more crucial than at this very moment. Concerns about democratic backsliding are well documented and, in July 2022, UCL’s Constitution Unit reminded us of recent examples of breakdowns in norms, disempowerment of the legislature, attacks on civil liberties and growing harm to election integrity. At times the future can look bleak, with a recent Onward survey reporting that young people are becoming more detached from democracy, and society generally, than young people historically or older people today. But if the past year has shown us anything, it’s that change is possible. The recent successes on proportional representation and House of Lords reform are the result of years of work. But we know much more needs to be done.

We hope that through this conference, the Democracy Awards dinner, the talks, provocations, workshops, collaborations and connections, you will feel as hopeful as we do, that a democracy fit for the 21st century is in reach.

Yours sincerely,

Jacobs and the Democracy Network Team

Jessie

DAY 1 AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS ROUND 1 - 2:15

- 3:15pm

C2.05 Democratic Alternatives: House of Citizens

Creating a permanent powerful citizens assembly for the UK, starting with an assembly on the Cost of Living and Energy Crisis

Rich Wilson, CEO, Iswe

James Robertson, Campaign Manager, Sortition Foundation

Dr Harry Pearce, Centre for the Future of Democracy, University of Cambridge

C2.06 Engaging People in national Policy Making

Join Engage Britain to hear about how we’re doing endto-end policymaking from the grassroots up to answer the question: ‘how do we make sure everyone gets the health and care they need?’. Miriam and Gemma will share what they’ve learnt from the last 18 months of knitting different democratic methods together in a new way – what’s gone well and what lessons we’ve learnt.

Miriam Levin, Programme Director, Engage Britain

Gemma McDonald, Senior Health & Care Project Manager, Engage Britain

C2.08 How

C2.09

and supporter base - case study session with Unlock Democracy / Liberty

to grow your membership

Andrew Taylor-Dawson from Liberty will share with us how Liberty achieved a 50% increase in membership numbers in three years.

Shaun Roberts from Unlock Democracy will share with us how Unlock Democracy more than doubled their supporter base in 18 months.

Andrew Taylor-Dawson, Development Manager, Liberty Human Rights

Shaun Roberts, Head of Campaigns & Digital, Unlock Democracy

Engaging Minority Communities - Addressing the racialised democratic deficit

The session will look at the structural and practical problems that have led us to a racialised democratic deficit where large numbers of minority communities are unengaged or actively excluded. This session will focus on the work done by minority community groups in the last local election and the plans being made to work on future elections.

Dr. Bablin Molik, Bangladeshi Women’s Association of Wales

Ellie, Partnerships and Programmes Manager, Runnymede Trust

John Page, Head of Public Engagement, Runnymede Trust

Mohammed Afridi, The Civic Power Fund

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

ROUND 2 - 3:30 - 4:30pm

C2.05 Losing our Voice / Losing our Space

SMK has undertaken research into shrinking civic space in the UK. This is about much more than restriction of protest or the Lobbying Act, though it includes both. It speaks to the very foundations of democracy. We’d like to share some of our findings with you and ask ‘how can and should civil society respond?

Chloe Hardy, Director of Policy and Communications, Sheila McKechnie Foundation

C2.06 Campaign Capacity Building: Lessons in Community Engagement

Taking lessons from community engagement and de mocracy work around the UK, join TPX Impact as we map out some of the most effective and innovative ways people are gaining power to influence the things that matter to them. Can you help us create a winning com bination of methods and approaches to test out in your local areas?

Tom Chigbo, Community Engagement & Participation Manager, TPX Impact

Hazelgrove, Community and Political Engagement Director, TPX Impact

Seth Farsides, Policy & Research Officer, Sheila McKe chnie Foundation

Kelly McBride, Deliberative Democracy Lead, TPX Impact

Claire

C2.08

Shaping our Democracy to be Representative of Disabled People

After The Disability Policy Centre’s ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ report on improving Disabled representation, Celia and Chloe will be discussing the findings of the report, including their recommendations. This session will get participants thinking about how we ensure that our democracy at every level is representative of disabled people, and that our voices are heard throughout our communities.

Chloe Schendel-Wilson and Celia Hensman, Co-Founder and Directors, Dispol Centre

C2.09 Democratic Alternatives: Activating citizens in response to the polycrisis

Good Help is a practical method for redesigning citizens systems, to overcome powerlessness and build agency (self efficacy) In this workshop Iswe facilitators Rich Wilson and Myra Stuart will collaborate with frontline partners at Rochdale Council, Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust and Clean Slate to explore practical steps for embedding Good Help across services and networks.

Myra Stuart, Good Help

Rich Wilson, CEO, Iswe

DEMOCRACY AWARDS 2022

7th December 2022, 7pm - 10pm Chiltern Hall, Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LS

On 7th December 2022, the democracy sector will gather for the first ever Democracy Awards Dinner. This is an opportunity for us to gather, recognise and champion the outstanding work being done to empower people and communities by people, organisations and groups across the sector. There are five

have more influence over the decisions that affect their lives, more power and resources to improve communities and better ability to elect and hold their elected representatives to account.

The awards were very competitive and it was inspiring to see so many brilliant projects in the mix.

Award winners have been recognised for making a positive impact towards a society and democracy where people

Seats are limited but we would be delighted if you were able to join us. Please check with the Democracy Network team and register for the dinner if you have not already done so. It is worth noting that the venue is Chiltern Hall at the Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster (nearest Tube is Baker Street). This is different from the day’s venue. The event starts with drinks at 7pm, followed by dinner from 7.30pm with the awards ceremony from 8.15pm.

We very much look forward to welcoming you there!

The Equality and Power Award recognises campaigns, projects or organisations that enable and empower people to have more influence over the decisions that affect our lives, more power and resources to improve our communities and that ensure that those who are least heard are given more of a meaningful voice and ability to affect change.

This award seeks to celebrate and recognise the innovations being made in governance and decision making across the UK, projects engaging communities in new ways, creating new models for people to have a say in what happens in their local area, or how money is spent and those enabling the public to use civic technology in making important choices.

There are numerous organisations working to protect fundamental democratic freedoms such as the right to vote and to protest, to empower people to hold go vernments and politicians accountable, and to ensure that data and information about political decision making, citizenship and democracy is open, accessible and available to all.

There are numerous campaigns aimed at advancing politics and bringing demo cracy into the twenty-first century, challenging democratic regress, upholding democratic freedoms, and strengthening the capacity of the electorate to choose and hold our politicians and governments accountable through fairer voting and the modernisation of our democratic institutions.

DAY 2 MORNING

COLLABORATION CONVERSATIONS

SIGN UP TO JOIN A CONVERSATION

Please scan this QR Code to sign up to one of the conversations and activities taking place during Day 2.

EMPOWERING PEOPLE

Empowering

9:00 C2.14

Too many people aren’t engaging in politics: Either through voting, deci sion making or as political representatives. How do we support individuals, leadership and capacity of those who often don’t engage in politics to have a fuller say in what happens in their communities , more influence over the decisions that affect our lives and even to become representatives.

those who often don’t engage in politics and decision making

Shout Out UK - Matteo Bergamini / XR Citizens Assemblies Team / Politics Project - Harriet Andrews

Led by Elect Her / Runnymede Trust

BUILDING ALTERNATIVES

Implementing democratic innovations and spreading the word about their benefits

9:00 Pavilion

For too long politics in the UK has been too centralised in Westminster and Whitehall, whilst at the same time many of the systems and structures of Westminster can be seen as outdated and unable to respond to the modern challenges we face - What are the ideas and alternatives being pioneered within and outside Westminster to shape democracy, decision making and power structures.

Led by Citizen Network Research / Involve / Sortition

Speakers include: A Fairer Society (Nathaniel Whitestone) / NDM - Angela Fell - Neighbourhood Democracy Panel) / Electoral Reform Society (Willie Sullivan)

RENEWING / CHALLENGING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS

Holding institutions to account / campaigning for change

9:00 C1.52

Over the last year we have witnessed renewed exampled of democratic backsliding with new laws going through parliament to restrict voting and protest, numerous scandals around law breaking by law makers and questionable decision making - What are we doing and what can we do by way of campaigning for a different electoral system / holding institutions to account / improving transparency and standards.

Led by Compassion in Politics / Involve / Reboot GB

Speakers include: Kevin Keith - OGN / Jennifer Nadel - Compassion in Politics / Klina Jordan - Make Votes Matter

DAY 2: BUILDING A BETTER DEMOCRATIC FUTURE TOGETHER 13

DAY 2 AFTERNOON

With the future of the House of Lords and its composition on the public agenda again, join a roundtable discussion with members of the UK democracy Network and peers from the House of Lords to hear each other’s views on how democracy can be strengthened and what the purposes and use of the upper chamber is?

WALKING TOUR

2:00 Meet in front of the Methodist Hall in Westminster

We will meet at 2pm in front of the Methodist Hall in Westminster and from there we’ll dive into some of the big social and political movements that have shaped London and British society in general. We will visit Caxton Hall, the first meeting place of the Suffragettes and then take a wander through a Victorian slum so terrible Dickens called it the Devil’s Acre. We’ll learn about the beginnings of Trade Unionism and working class movements like Chartism, then we’ll finish up in Trafalgar Square where it all came to a head on Bloody Sunday 1887 - with lots more in between!

2:00 Demos - 15 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DD

We will offer a chance for you to host your own conversation, be it on the role of monarchy and whether we need one, how to engage local councils, raise funds and improve your practice - if you have something to say or something you want to discuss with others, choose open space and host your own conversation.

BONUS DAY 3!

UK DEMOCRACY COWORKING DAY

Fri, 9 December 2022 09:00 – 18:00

Newspeak House 133 Bethnal Green Road London E2 7DG

If you’re working on a democracy project or organisation, or just keen to meet people that do, come along and join us for a coworking day on the 9th December at Newspeak House. Jointly held by The Democracy Network and Centre for Democracy, we’ll also be putting on tea & coffee, snacks and refreshments, including croissants and pastries for the early birds.

THANK YOU!

We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support which has allowed us to put this conference on as a free event and allowed us, as a sector, to adhere to our values of inclusivity.

A special thank you to the University of Westminster for the kind donation of their space to hold the Democracy Network conference.

An additional big thank you to to our funders and supporters, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, and The Open Societies Foundations who all make the work of The Democracy Network

The Democracy Network is hosted by Involve, the UK’s public participation charity.