Participatory Budgeting

Real Money, Real Engagement!
What is Participatory Budgeting (PB) and how does it work? PB is a democratic process where community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. The process begins with the formation of a community-based steering committee; the steering committee designs and governs the process; at the start of the process, people come together (in person and online) to learn about the budget, share ideas and volunteer as budget delegates; budget delegates work with the government entity and other experts to develop proposals based on these ideas; community members vote on proposals and the government implements the top projects.
In this course, trainers from the Participatory Budgeting Project will engage participants in a mock process, from design to the vote, in order to provide a deeper understanding of PB and how it works as a public participation tool. We'll explore what it takes to start a process and keep it going, how it aligns with IAP2 Core Values, and what components make it a best practice in public participation. 

Who should take this course?
Anyone interested in planning and advocating for PB in their community or helping others with the process in their community. The workshop is especially recommended for elected officials, staff, consultants, and organizers looking to gain a solid foundation in PB before deciding if and how to move a process forward locally.

Learner Outcomes
At the end of this online course, participants will:

• An understanding of PB and how the process works aligns with the IAP2 Core Values.
• Practical skills for facilitating PB processes.
• A greater awareness of the challenges of PB, and ways to overcome them

This is a four-hour course, split into two live sessions where participants will walk through a mock process to create a participatory budget project, giving the learner an in depth understanding of the process and how to make it work in their community.

DATES: July 17 through July 28, 2017

LIVE SESSIONS:

• July 19th, 2017, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Central
• July 26th, 2017, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Central

(Time Zone Converter)

Trainer Maria Hadden first became involved in participatory budgeting (PB) as a budget delegate during the very first PB cycle in the U.S. in 2009. Inspired by her experience, she took on a leadership role as a founding board member of the Participatory Budgeting Project. She is currently the Project Manager for the Midwest and South, leading advocacy, training, and implementation consulting efforts. Maria’s expertise in public participation is grounded in grassroots organizing efforts for social change. In both her professional and civic life, she creates space for effective public engagement and the implementation of transformative processes. Maria has years of facilitation and training experience, previously working as a mediator and mediation trainer with the Interfaith Center for Peace in Columbus, Ohio. She earned her B.A. in International Peace and Conflict Studies from The Ohio State University before moving to Illinois to serve as an AmeriCorps*VISTA. Maria’s interests in community voice and the role of civil society were the focus on her graduate studies at DePaul University where she earned an M.S. in International Public Service Management. Maria lives with her partner in Chicago, IL and works nationally and abroad.

Trainer Maria Hadden