In our vision, public policy simply means solving problems of public concern. We want to use our efforts to find those solutions that are feasible, valuable and sustainable, and that have a higher impact in our lives. We also want this process to be based on the active participation of every day citizens, who would offer a direction to the best line of action.
It is well known that we play limited roles in public life. We are usually called upon during elections to vote and influence the public policies for the next years. But, during an elected term, we do not have efficient means to influence important decisions that affect our communities, be it at a local, national or international level. If we are lucky, some elected or appointed officials really encourage participation projects and we manage to make our voices heard in the community and influence public policies.
We also encounter a limited access to the decision making process that affects our daily life. This is due to a lack of efficient means to offer our feedback to problems of public concern, as well as reasons of a personal matter. At the moment, people can attend official meetings, write letters, emails or send faxes to the mayor, council members, or other officials, request meetings with elected or appointed officials, or use the local mass media to send messages to decision makers. These tools are rarely effective. However, as Brian Adams argues in the book, "Citizen Lobbyists. Local efforts to influence public policy," people do not participate due to "lower socioeconomic status, lack of impact of personal participation compared to collective participation, limited time and money, lack of information and knowledge about issues, and lack of confidence in their ability to be effective."
SMART Association has developed a new method of participation called "Public policies made by citizens." We now have access to an easy, straight forward, step-by-step approach to recommending solutions to community problems.
We consider that using this online tool we will have good chances to influence public policies at local, national and international levels. Using the advantages of the Internet, and this website specifically, we will fulfill our mission, that is, to engage people in providing valuable, sustainable and feasible solutions to problems of public concern. This way we will generate "public policies made by citizens!"
For more details:
http://www.politicipublice.ro
http://www.public-policies.org
http://www.public-policies.eu
