Open Government action plan 2021 to 2025 - commitment 5: participation

Progress to June 2024

Commitment 5: participation

Objective

Developing knowledge and skills across Scottish Government (SG).

Milestone

Delivery of Participation Handbook training sessions across SG.

Progress and next steps

In March 2024, the Participation Framework was rebranded to the Participation Handbook to avoid confusion with the development of Scottish Government’s Participation Framework Agreement.

The introduction of a Participation Framework Agreement (to assist staff with procuring high quality participatory work) has led to a change in the staging of activities. Staff training will need to be designed around the Framework Agreement, as this will be a key resource for staff.

It is proposed that training is finalised and delivered once the Framework Agreement is in place, which is currently estimated early 2025.

Revised training content will be agreed and developed with civil society members.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Developing knowledge and skills across SG.

Milestone

Delivery of in-depth participation training to SG Social Researchers.

Progress and next steps

The delivery of an initial, general training session on participation and lived experience to a cohort of SG Social Researchers was delivered 17 April in collaboration with SCDC.

Scottish Government social researchers covered theories and methods of participation. Social researchers also participated in group discussions that addressed live case studies and encouraged social researchers to apply their learning to improve current approaches and practices.

We are now planning follow-up training on specific areas of focus e.g. methods, ethics

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Developing knowledge and skills across SG.

Milestone

Monitoring and evaluation of participation work.

Progress and next steps

The Open Government team advertised for a 3 month social research intern post via the Scottish Graduate School for Social Science.

The scope of the research project was agreed with members of the participation commitment working group in December 2023.

An intern is due to start in the role on 17 June 2024. The Open Government team will support delivery of the research project and conduct regular meetings to understand direction of travel from initial research findings. 

It is proposed that key aspects of this work are also integrated into the Participation Framework Agreement, as a mechanism that can introduce some standardisation to monitoring and evaluation of commissioned participatory work.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Developing knowledge and skills across SG.

Milestone

Development of an SG wide procurement framework for participation work.

Progress and next steps

The Framework Agreement continues to be under development. At present, it is due to be launched in early 2025.

In March and April, the Open Government team held a series of internal engagement sessions with SG Procurement to progress the wider Participation Procurement Framework.

This involved gathering key insights from internal users to guide the approach taken to drafting the framework specification, and gaining further information on how Scottish Government can ensure an inclusive, equitable and accessible procurement framework process.

The Open Government team continue to follow up with targeted policy areas to gain advise and expertise to inform next steps – particularly with the focus on the needs of smaller, grassroots organisations to be able to apply or operate within a procurement framework.

The team also conducted initial analysis of an external engagement survey in March. Analysis will directly inform the approach taken to external engagement sessions.

A short blog and animation was produced by the team to outline the purpose and background to the establishment of the procurement framework.

Next steps include external pre-market engagement with potential bidders who have registered interest in the Framework Agreement.

Timelines to issue the invitation to tender for the framework agreement have been revised to be estimated at Summer 2024.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Developing a Participation Handbook.

Milestone

Embedding equalities and an inclusive approach. 

Progress and next steps

A new iteration of the Participation Handbook was published in March 2024.

This iteration seeks to better reflect practical guidance around equalities and inclusive approaches.

Updates were taken from a final report issued by Deciding Matters, which captured a series of recommendations around improving guidance for ensuring inclusive and equitable approaches throughout a participatory process.

Recommendations were formed from public workshops designed and facilitated by the Deciding Matters for the Open Government team. Updated content also received input from stakeholders such as SCDC.

Scottish Government will respond to the report’s findings, detailing how the outputs from the workshops were integrated into the next iteration of the guidance. 

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Institutionalising Participatory and Deliberative Democracy. 

Milestone

Beginning processes of change to make participation routine and effective.

Progress and next steps

Work to date has involved addressing a foundational recommendation advised by the working group – to establish a central team at Scottish Government with responsibility for participation.

This work is ongoing and milestones to measure progress against further, early recommendations will be outlined following the outcome of this work.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Developing an active and inclusive Open Government Network for Participation.

Milestone

Diversify and increase capacity of the Open Government Civil Society Network.

Progress and next steps

As previously reported, successfully progressing this action will require involvement, collaboration and insight from civil society.

Following a civil society meeting for the participation commitment in May 2024, it was agreed Scottish Government’s Open Government team, SCDC and Scotland’s Open Government Network chair, Juliet Swann, will work together to agree activity to be taken forward.

This will involve identifying any learning from the mapping work being undertaken by the UK Open Government Network as part of the website’s development.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Review of consultations - spend, approach, monitoring.

Milestone

Re-structure of internal guidance (Saltire):

• evaluate the effectiveness of the new Saltire guidance structure

• make improvements iteratively to ensure the guidance is fit for purpose

Progress and next steps

Feedback has been sought but has been minimal to date.

Improvements will be made iteratively as and when they are identified.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Review of consultations - spend, approach, monitoring. 

Milestone

Launch of new digital engagement service offer:

• plan, deliver and evaluate our first map-based consultation and rolling this platform out to the rest of Scottish Government
• develop guidance to support the effective use of this platform
• plan, deliver and evaluate further crowdsourcing activities, and reviewing guidance to ensure effective use of this platform
• update internal Scottish Government guidance on “online engagement”

Progress and next steps

The first map-based consultation is due to be published following the pre-election period. This will then be evaluated before potentially being rolled out to the rest of Scottish Government.

Crowdsourcing activities were delayed but are now due to take place over summer.

A review of “online engagement” guidance is due to take place over summer.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Review of consultations - spend, approach, monitoring.

Milestone

Analysis of evaluation data:

• develop and implement a consultation improvement action plan for Scottish Government based on evaluation recommendations
• share learning across SG and agencies

Progress and next steps

An action plan has now been drafted. We plan to engage with past consultation leads before finalising and implementing.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Review of consultations - spend, approach, monitoring.

Milestone

Launch of new digital engagement hub:

• develop and implement an external communications strategy to raise awareness of SG consultations and digital engagement activities

• work to improve how consultations are displayed on gov.scot to improve inclusivity and user journey
• explore the required infrastructure needed to host an engagement hub on gov.scot

Progress and next steps

An external communications strategy has been finalised and phase 1 implemented.

Discovery work on gov.scot improvements is still underway.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Supporting PB to take an Open Government approach.

Milestone

Monitoring the completion of local authorities delivery of 1% of budgets through participatory budgeting (PB) and supporting local authorities to develop new ways to measure the success of PB.

Progress and next steps

We continue to work with COSLA to support all Local Authorities to reach the 1% milestone. Scottish Government are awaiting the publication of 2023/24 figures but early indications suggest that this has again been met.

We are also working with COSLA to further develop the 1% target to take into account other forms of success in PB, such as best practice. A paper is to be drafted summer/autumn 2024.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Supporting PB to take an Open Government approach.

Milestone

Support the National Participatory Budgeting Strategic Group (NPBSG) as they provide the strategic direction for participatory budgeting across Scotland.

This includes work to raise awareness of the National PB Framework’s priorities and indicators for success, championing open government values and principles.

Progress and next steps

The group’s annual report is to be published on 17 June 2024.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Supporting PB to take an Open Government approach.

Milestone

Support the expansion of the NPBSG remit and function, in collaboration with Scottish Government’s Open Government team.

Progress and next steps

A workshop is being held on the 14 June to discuss progressing this action and what the newly formed group’s remit and reporting instructions will include.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Supporting PB to take an Open Government approach.

Milestone

Embed Open Government principles in Green Participatory Budgeting:

• continue to explore the use of PB as part of our wider support for community led climate action
• identify opportunities to support Green PB programmes across Scotland
• continue to work with COSLA to support local authorities’ PB initiatives, including Green PB

Progress and next steps

No further update. Work is continuing with the Just Transition PB Fund in the North East of Scotland for year 3. £1 million capital has been approved by the cabinet secretary with responsibility for the Just Transition.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Embedding Open Government principles in the Community Empowerment Act parliamentary review.

Milestone

Review of Section 10 of Community Empowerment Act.

As part of the Scottish Government’s review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, the Open Government values, principles and approaches will be applied throughout the process.

Progress and next steps

Scottish Government are drafting a report that will inform the approach taken to the Review. Findings are due to be published in summer 2024.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Embedding Open Government principles in the National Performance Framework refresh.

Objective

Using best practice approaches to support high quality engagement and participation, while undertaking work to review the National Outcomes.

Milestone

Analyse outputs from research and engagement undertaken (consultation, call for evidence, desk-based research, stakeholder meetings) and submit a statutory report to the Scottish Parliament by Spring 2024.

Progress and next steps

A report was laid in Scottish Parliament on 1 May 2024 and published on the NPF website.

The report describes the process followed to review the National Outcomes and summarises the evidence analysed. Parliamentary scrutiny will conclude in autumn with a debate.

The Finance and Public Administration Committee launched an inquiry into the report on 13 May.

Status

Complete.

Objective

Embedding Open Government principles in the National Performance Framework refresh.

Objective

Using best practice approaches to support high quality engagement and participation, while undertaking work to review the National Outcomes.

Milestone

Publish a suite of Impact Assessments undertaken as part of the NPF Review and a thematic gender review.

Progress and next steps

The Impact assessments will be published in June 2024.

The gender review will be published after the UK election.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Embedding Open Government principles in the National Performance Framework refresh.

Objective

Using best practice approaches to support high quality engagement and participation, while undertaking work to review the National Outcomes.

Milestone

Develop an implementation plan and set of resources to support the use of the reviewed NPF.

Progress and next steps

A project has been initiated to take forward the development of the implementation plan and resources.

The aim is to publish these alongside the revised NPF.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Embedding Open Government principles in the National Performance Framework refresh.

Objective

Using best practice approaches to support high quality engagement and participation, while undertaking work to review the National Outcomes.

Milestone

The NPF Expert Advisory Group to continue to advise on the Review and on the development of the implementation plan.

Progress and next steps

An Expert Advisory Group workshop, hosted by the University of Glasgow, took place in April.

A further workshop will take place after the UK election.

Status

In progress, behind schedule.

Objective

Improving children and young people’s participation in decision-making and policy design

Milestone

Support the implementation of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024.

Progress and next steps

Work continues to support Public Authorities, including the Scottish Government, for commencement of the Act in July 2024. 

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Improving children and young people’s participation in decision-making and policy design.

Milestone

Raise awareness and support policy teams within SG to use the Children and Young Persons Participation Framework and build capacity. 

Progress and next steps

Our work to promote the Framework includes the development of a training page on our internal professional learning platform Pathways. Over 100 colleagues have attended the training and information sessions so far.

This training helps colleagues to understand the background to, and purpose of, the Framework and how to engage with contractors via the mini-competition process.

We have also included signposting to the Children and Young People (CYP) Participation Framework Buyer Guide, professional learning and reading to support colleagues to develop their understanding of meaningful engagement with children and young people.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Improving children and young people’s participation in decision-making and policy design.

Milestone

Grow the evidence bank of examples of how Children and Young People have engaged in decision making process within policy design.

Progress and next steps

We continue to grow the Trello board to ensure policy teams have access to historical and current examples of CYP participation in policy making.

Status

On schedule.

Objective

Improving children and young people’s participation in decision-making and policy design.

Milestone

Support the Children and Young Peoples annual meetings with the Cabinet and the Executive Team (ET).

Progress and next steps

The next ET takeover with children and young people will take place on Tue 25th June. The next Cabinet meeting will be in November.

Status

On schedule