User Participation: Transnational training for facilitators

Within thematic project activities regarding development of a Toolbox of smart participatory methods, project partner E-zavod organized Knowledge transfer workshop and training for facilitators in Maribor (SI), on 16th and 17th of May 2018. The main objective of the training was to transfer information and knowledge about participatory methods and tools through implementation of the theoretical and practical involvement of participants – future training facilitators in project’s participating regions. The moderator of the event Ms Ellen Franzen from RISE – Research Institute of Sweden (RISE Interactive) was tasked to explain on how to engage end-users and key stakeholders from the start of project activities and how to keep them involved and motivated through the whole process of solution designing and implementation of the solution.

Two day training was structured from two focus parts: the theoretical focus and practical exercise. At the begging of the training, Ms Franzen introduce the audience with the purpose of the open participatory process, the structure and use of the participatory method toolbox. Participatory methods (project in a day, world-café, public engagement, hackathon etc.) were presented, as well as support methods as motivational pitch/tutorials.

After theoretical part, all 28 participants were split in the working in teams with the task to work on the selected urban challenge. Each working team picked together a project they would like to address on and an interactive event that they will use as a stepping stone for the work. With the help of the moderator, teams started with brain storming about which end users, target groups and other influencers they want to reach in their project. Second step was to identify and plan the starting event that will mark the beginning of the tackling identified challenge. Third step was to document and share the results of the starting event and the final task was to preparation of the plan how to keep end-users, stakeholders and other relevant groups engaged through participatory process.

At the end when all project completed their task, each working group shot a ‘One-shot-video’ to document the design results of participatory process.

The next steps related to the use of participatory methods and tools of the Toolbox is the use of the methods by the trained facilitators in their local urban environments. The testing and experience from the pilot projects in the local environments will be incorporated into the Review version of the toolbox next year (2019). After that the Toolbox will be also translated into national languages.