District guidelines for citizen participation in Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Preamble

The aim of the guidelines for citizen participation is to promote a new culture of participation in administration, politics, business and citizenship.

The guidelines are intended to provide a framework for citizen participation to find good solutions for processes and projects at district level, including their impact.

The guidelines serve to create standards for forms of participation that are not regulated by law (“informal participation”) and to supplement the participation required by law, such as the German Building Code (BauGB). For “informal participation”, participation should be based on the principles and instruments set out here in the guidelines. Although informal participation is generally a feature of planning that is not regulated by law (“informal planning”), it can also be carried out as part of legally regulated planning (“formal planning”), such as urban land-use planning procedures or official planning procedures, in addition to the legally prescribed participation processes.

The guidelines apply to processes and projects carried out by the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district administration. They do not apply to other processes and projects, such as those of the State of Berlin, the federal government, or private companies. However, politicians and administrators should motivate them to apply the guidelines.

All processes and projects in the district should take into account a wide range of interests and involve the public. On the one hand, this participation takes time. On the other hand, it also accelerates processes and projects, as interests can be expressed and discussed at an early stage. This helps to avoid delays at a later date and to implement long-term solutions that are geared towards the common good.

The guidelines for citizen participation apply permanently and are not limited to the lifetime of a parliament. They are regularly reviewed and refined if necessary.

Important points for all principles and instruments

The guidelines contain principles for participation as well as instruments that are intended to contribute to the implementation of these principles. There are some important overarching explanations and requirements that are relevant to all principles and instruments. These are listed here.

Citizens

In the guidelines, the term “citizens” refers to all people who live or work in Tempelhof-Schöneberg or who are interested in the spatial development of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, such as residents, tradespeople, the self-employed, employees (also including, for example, administrative staff), volunteers, tenants, property owners, and leaseholders of real estate. This explicitly includes people of all ages and genders. The wording of the guidelines follows the Tempelhof-Schöneberg administration’s guidelines for gender-appropriate language.

Citizens can be directly affected by processes and projects if these affect them in their everyday life or work. The citizens directly and immediately affected should therefore be involved. However, the interests of indirectly affected parties should also be taken into account when participating. One example is the development of open spaces in the city. Not only the directly and immediately affected citizens from the neighbourhood should be involved, but also those indirectly affected, for example those who are currently looking for or want to create living space in the future. Participation processes are therefore generally open to all interested parties.

Binding nature

The guidelines are based on a colloquial rather than a legal understanding of “binding”. Accordingly, recommendations from citizens should be taken seriously. However, decisions on accepting and implementing recommendations lie with the decision-makers in the Tempelhof-Schöneberg administration. Citizens should nevertheless receive binding feedback on which of their recommendations have or have not been taken into account. If recommendations or suggestions are not taken up, reasons are given.

Accessibility

When it comes to participation, care must be taken to ensure that the entire process is inclusive and accessible in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Accessibility is not only important for people with disabilities but for everyone, as anyone can find themselves in a situation where they need accessibility. All event venues and rooms, including digital ones, must be easy to find, accessible and usable. All information should be available without barriers. This can be achieved, for example, with comprehensible and simple language, audio description, or sign language interpretation. During events, attention should be paid to the various opportunities for people with disabilities to participate (e.g. offering assistance). All these aspects should be taken into account when planning each step of the participation process. People with disabilities must be included in the evaluation of the overall process to assess the effectiveness of inclusive and accessible measures. Accessibility is defined according to the recognised standard and procedures.

Intercultural communication

Communication is always linked to a person’s cultural background, context, and social background. This means that communication is influenced by the region people come from, but also by group affiliation or culture. The population of Tempelhof-Schöneberg is characterised by great cultural diversity. Given this context, intercultural aspects must be included in the planning and implementation of participation in order to enable the participation of different population groups in the district. This involves using suitable methods of information, moderation, discussion, and documentation. Wherever possible, central documents should be made available in the relevant languages spoken in the district.

Child and youth participation

The Tempelhof-Schöneberg district already offers a wide range of opportunities for children and young people to participate in various areas. The perspective of children and young people should also be taken into account when participating in processes and projects in the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district. Participation methods that are appealing and suitable for children and young people must be provided for this purpose. Children’s and youth parliaments and student representatives should also be involved. Overall, child and youth participation must be encouraged.

Different forms and levels of participation

In a democracy, various forms of participation can be identified. Firstly, representative forms exist through participation in elections to parliaments. Secondly, there are direct forms through participation in citizens’ petitions and referendums at municipal level (in Berlin: concerning the districts) and referendums and plebiscites at state level (in Berlin: concerning the State of Berlin). In theses cases, citizens make a decision directly. Thirdly, there are dialogue-oriented, consultative forms of participation. These include providing information, exchanging and weighing up arguments in discussions, and the development of recommendations. Fourthly, there are demonstrative or protesting forms of participation, i.e. also participation through social initiatives and movements. Fifthly, there are voluntary forms through civic engagement. The various forms of participation are often combined with each other. In order to clarify proposals, a combination of dialogue-oriented participation with direct participation, i.e. citizens’ petitions and citizens’ decisions, can also be used in individual cases on the initiative of the district or the population.

The representative and direct forms of participation are legally regulated by law, entiteling these forms of participation. In contrast, dialogue-oriented participation, which is part of informal participation, is not regulated by law. There is, therefore, no legal entitlement to this participation. Nonetheless, it is a very important form of participation. In practice, it has been and continues to be used in many different ways and with different methods to enable more participation and to arrive at solutions oriented towards the common good. The guidelines refer to this form of participation, which is to be developed further. With various methods and events, opportunities for dialogue on-site and online, it is integrated into processes and projects in the district. While the guidelines do not include a chapter on specific methods, resources such as the “Handbook on Participation” published by the Berlin Senate Office for Urban Development are available, serving as a reference

Informal participation can include various levels. There are different stage models, but basically, informal participation leads from the information stage via participation (consultation) and co-decision (cooperation) to decision-making (self-administration). These four stages are also listed in the “Handbook on Participation” published by the Berlin Senate Office for Urban Development. The guidelines emphasize that citizen participation should ideally extend beyond the information stage, which can be regarded as the basis of all participation. Consequently, the guidelines primarily address the two middle levels: It is about the participation of and consultation with citizens or also about the fact that they can assist in the planning of specific projects and, where appropriate, also citizens shall have the opportunity to vote on possible solutions, i.e. also about cooperation with those involved.

Principles

01 Treat each other well

Participation should be guided and moderated neutrally to avoid to give priority to the positions of individual persons or groups in the participation process. It must be ensured that the moderation remains fully neutral. This can also involve actively and directly addressing different people and groups of people.

In principle, efforts must be taken to use comprehensible language, including multilingual communication and avoiding abbreviations.

As part of a participation process, interaction must be regulated in such a way that all participants treat each other with respect and appreciation. In specific terms, this means

• creating transparency about interests, roles, and decision-making powers
• promoting good communication through knowledge transfer about responsibilities
• building trust and understanding between the participants
• specifying framework conditions for participation (e.g. time frame and scope for participation)
• involving citizens in the formulation of project goals wherever possible
• being honest
• leaving room for different opinions and documenting them.

Objections play an important part of participation processes, addressing both the content of plans and the participation in the planning process. Objections are to be documented and the administration responsible for planning is to comment on them It is essential for all participants to understand when in the participation process this statement will be made and in what form. It should also be made clear which body ultimately decides whether to accept or reject the objections.

Further details are described in the section on the participation concept instrument.

02 Empower citizens in participation processes

The guidelines are intended to facilitate the involvement of citizens and other stakeholders in urban society. Participation is also a form of voluntary, honorary or civic engagement and political participation that should be supported.

This also includes supporting and involving people and groups of people who do not participate on their own initiative so that they can represent their interests in the participation process.

A contact point for citizen participation in the district should enable Tempelhof-Schöneberg residents to prepare for participation in district processes and projects with employees during regular opening hours. This space allows the residents to communicate their needs, recommendations, ideas and positions.
Participation is carried out at the suggestion of politicians, the administration, or citizens as well as stakeholders from business and organised civil society.

Citizens should be informed at an early stage and through various suitable information channels. This ensures that they can propose participation even if this is not planned.

Further details are described in the chapters on the instruments of contact point, proposals of participation, projects list, and participation concept.

03 Define scope for decision-making and guarantee transparency of results

The scope for decision-making should be disclosed and explained (in writing) before the start of a participation process. Within this scope, the outcome of a participation process is open.
The body responsible for a process or project should clearly name and describe at what points, at what time (beginning and end), and at what level there are opportunities for citizens to exert influence. Furthermore, existing limits should be disclosed and it should be made clear who decides on what basis after the participation is over. This also includes communicating the desired objectives of a plan or project and the participation, and identifying variants.
Further details are described in the chapters on the projects list and participation concept instruments.

04 Inform and involve at an early stage

Citizen participation in processes and projects should begin at an early stage. Early participation means that citizens must participate already in the phase of analysing the location, the object of participation, and in the phase of defining objectives, as this is where the decisive course is set.

The early involvement of citizens also includes information about the projects and opportunities for participation in a projects list at an early stage.
There must be sufficient time for citizens to inform themselves. To this end, they must have the necessary access and independent expert advice to answer their questions.

This early information should be actively communicated to citizens through the use of various information channels (e.g. flyers, newsletters, newspapers, and notices in the respective areas oriented towards everyday life). In doing so, findings and methods according to the current state of science and technology must be taken into account (e.g. good experiences from other municipalities).

Further details are described in the chapters on the contact point, projects list and participation concept instruments.

05 Involve many different persons and groups

Participation should reach as many different citizens and target groups as possible. Particular care must be taken to ensure that all relevant age groups are considered, and actively and directly addressed in order to ensure their participation in the participation process. Citizens who rarely participate or who are indirectly affected by planning should also be addressed. To this end, access should be used via organisations close to the neighbourhood that can reach these people or actively represent their interests in the participation process.

Private, public, and cooperative housing companies should also be motivated to involve citizens and apply the guidelines. The public projects should and can set an example in this respect.
Participation is open to all citizens. Depending on the respective process or project, however, the participation concept will clarify and outline who is particularly affected and needs to be involved.

In order to reach as many different citizens as possible and encourage them to participate, a targeted, low-threshold, barrier-free, and specific approach (for example by using simple language and multilingualism), public relations work, and active advertising for participation are required.

Once a participation process has been completed, the diversity of the participants must be documented and evaluated with regard to successful methods.

Further details are described in the section on the participation concept instrument.

06 Ensure information and transparency

In the interests of honest and open information and to create transparency, important information on district projects should be published in a projects list. For participation processes, all available important information on framework conditions and effects on existing structures must also be disclosed.

The information (including the process steps and the status of citizens’ objections (see also the 7th principle)) should be made available to the public in a comprehensible, target group-oriented and easily accessible manner via a central participation platform as well as through conventional communication channels (e.g. public relations work in the media, (if feasible) radio, social media, flyers) in public spaces and public buildings on an ongoing basis.
In addition, citizens should be involved by the decision-making committees and be able to comment in writing and/or orally.

Further details are described in the chapters on the projects list and participation concept instruments.

07 Provide binding feedback on the results of participation

Citizens rightly expect their involvement and the results of their participation to be recognised and taken into account. The prerequisite for this is that the scope for decision-making is explained. Participation should comply with the principles of these guidelines and citizens’ expectations regarding high-quality participation.

Therefore, there must be binding public written feedback on the results of the participation and, thus, on citizens’ recommendations and requirements (“accountability”).

The feedback on the consideration of the results must be formulated in a transparent and comprehensible manner.

It should become clear how the citizens’ recommendations were incorporated into the decisions. If recommendations have not been taken into account, this should be justified.

Further details are described in the section on the participation concept instrument.

08 Provide sufficient funds and resources

For the preparation, implementation, and evaluation of citizen participation in district projects, a specifically quantified, sufficient budget (for personnel resources (technical and in terms of time) and material resources for the contact point and the relevant specialist departments or service units) must be planned in the district budget at an early stage. The funds provided to the district by the Senate Office for Urban Development and Housing for fulfilling the tasks are to be used for the contact point, projects list and, if established, for the participation advisory panel: The district contact points receive their own budget. In the budget estimates for individual processes and projects of the Senate and Berlin districts, the project sponsors must set the necessary funding for each participation process.

The sponsors of private construction projects should be required by politicians and administrators to include a budget for citizen participation that goes beyond the legally prescribed participation.

09 Monitor, evaluate, and continue to develop guidelines

Optionally, a committee (e.g. a participation advisory panel) should be created to evaluate the implementation of the guidelines and the work of the contact point. The aim of this instrument is to discuss the implementation and effectiveness of the guidelines with the general public and participants in the participation processes, and to formulate recommendations for adjustments.

The instrument is to be modelled on the working committee that developed the district guidelines for citizen participation in Tempelhof-Schöneberg. The task of the instrument is to review and further develop the guidelines and monitor their implementation. Appropriate budgetary resources must also be included.

When evaluating ongoing and completed participation processes, experience with citizen participation from neighbourhood management and other citizen-oriented processes and programmes should also be taken into account. Participation must be documented and published in all of the district’s projects. This creates a basis for evaluating the implementation of the guidelines in practice. The guidelines are to be further developed on this basis.

Further details are described in the chapter on the participation panel instrument.

Contact point

In addition to the central contact point for citizen participation (“Zentraler Raum für Beteiligung”) at Senate level, a district contact point for participation (“Raum für Beteiligung”) is being created in Tempelhof-Schöneberg. It is centrally located in the administration with autonomy and access to the management of the district administration. The main task of the district contact point is to support citizens, administration, politics and other stakeholders, for example from business, organised civil society and initiatives, by providing information, advice, and support on the topic of participation.

The district contact point acts as a guide for citizens to make it easier for them to access information and opportunities to participate in participation opportunities that are prescribed by law as well as informal ones. It does not take on a conflict resolution function, but should be a place where conflicts can be addressed. If necessary, the contact point supports conflict resolution through the mediation of professional conflict mediators. The contact point should actively publicise its tasks and services and motivate people to participate. The future name and design of the Raum für Beteiligung in Tempelhof-Schöneberg should be adapted to the state-wide umbrella brand, which is currently being developed in a Berlin-wide workshop process for branding, in order to ensure recognition value among the population.

The structure of the contact point is to be formed partly by the administration and partly by an independent, non-profit civil society organisation. The civic sponsor must provide information on whether and to what extent it has previously worked for profit-oriented project sponsors. This structure should enable the contact point to take a neutral stance as an “advocate” for participation and ensure low-threshold access to participation. All employees of the contact point should also have general expertise in participation by children and young people as well as conflict resolution and moderation skills. In specific cases, external experts from child and youth participation institutions are involved. The aim is to cooperate with existing child and youth participation structures in the district (including the children’s and youth parliament).

While both parts of the contact point always coordinate their approach and, thus, jointly ensure good participation, the civic sponsor is primarily the contact point for initiatives and civil society groups, as it often has easier access to them than the administration. The contact point should establish cooperation with existing places for citizen participation in the district (including neighbourhood centres and district coordination offices). However, responsibility for individual participation processes remains with the relevant specialist departments of the administration. The contact point should nevertheless be the point of contact for specialist departments, citizens, and other stakeholders, for example from business, organised civil society, initiatives, and politics, for the topic of citizen participation at district level.

The general tasks of the district contact point are:

Role of navigator

• Information and workshops on participation processes in district administration projects for which participation is planned or has already begun according to the projects list
• Information, advice, and support for citizens in proposing participation in projects for which participation is not provided for in the projects list
• Information and workshops on the results and outcome of participation processes. The contact point should also check whether the scope for decision-making postulated at the outset has been adhered to and whether citizens’ comments have had an influence on the decision-making. However, accountability should lie with the responsible specialist departments and decision-makers
• Information on political participation opportunities in the district (e.g. residents’ question time, residents’ petitions, residents’ assemblies, citizens’ petitions and citizens’ referendums) and in the State of Berlin
• Information events about the support process as such and information events about specific participation should be organised separately.
• Making technical knowledge understandable: In order to reach as many people as possible, the contact point ensures that the projects list, participation concepts, and participation processes present technical contexts in a generally understandable way
• Mediation of contact persons for ongoing participation processes from administration, politics, and commissioned service providers. The contact point provides support so that citizens can get involved
• Public relations work for the contact point so that it becomes known to the population
• Motivating citizens to take part in participation processes, especially hard-to-reach target groups. The contact point should establish cooperation with organisations in the district that have access to various target groups (e.g. Caritas Association, Turkish Association, senior citizens’ leisure centres, and schools)
• The contact point should ensure that it can be reached via various analogue and digital channels

Advice and further training

• Advising the specialist departments on the preparation of project descriptions for the projects list
• Advising on participation processes at the request of specialist departments, citizens, or other stakeholders from business and organised civil society
• Advising and supporting the specialist departments in the development of participation concepts for projects in the district
  Providing a contact list for implementing participation (especially also for * child and youth participation) and conflict mediation
• Organising further training for civil society, administration, and politics on the content of the guidelines for citizen participation. This also includes information events, which are offered in various languages
• Organising further training on political decision-making procedures and administrative processes

Support for self-organisation

The contact point supports citizens in organising themselves and getting involved in groups on the basis of basic democratic rules and the guidelines for citizen participation. To this end, the contact point offers needs-oriented:

• Advice for local groups to clarify objectives and concerns
• Specific further training, for example in moderation, campaign planning, and fundraising
• Guidelines and information material helpful for self-organisation
• Lists of premises for meetings in neighbourhood houses and other facilities. As far as possible, citizens are provided with their own premises for smaller meetings. These meetings must be related to an ongoing or future participation process in Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Cooperation and further development of the guidelines

• Guidance of any participation advisory panel
• Supporting the further development of the guidelines. This not only involves experts, but also citizens in suitable formats
• Communication and cooperation with the other district contact points, the central point of contact for participation in projects of the senate administrations and other actors in the field of citizen participation
• Cooperation with the coordination office of the Senate Chancellery for the Berlin participation platform mein.berlin on the subject of the projects list
• The contact point should be in close contact with the district council regarding the topics (also to avoid duplication of topics) and cooperate with it.

The central contact point should cooperate with existing or emerging district contact points for participation on the following points:

• Information on the projects list
• Advice for citizens on how they can use the projects list to find out about planned or ongoing projects and participation processes of the senate administrations and the districts
• Information and advice as well as the opportunity of proposing participation in projects of the senate administrations and the districts
• Arrangement of contact persons for participation and projects lists at state and district level
• Exchange and cooperation in the area of child and youth participation
  Additional information from TriAG on the location and design of the contact point
• The location should be both reliable and flexible
• Suggestions for fixed locations for the contact point(s): Town hall, store, district coordination, local offices of existing funding programmes
• Suggestions for mobile contact point(s): Delivery van and/or cargo bike as a participation vehicle that always travels to places where important campaigns and participation processes take place, is generally on the move in the district for information purposes and has a presence (such as at weekly markets)
• The spatial design of the contact point should focus on the quality of time spent there, provision of information, and exchange
• Suggestions for relevant components: Drinks, toilet, information on citizen participation, for example explanatory videos
• The contact point should also be digitally present and contactable

Projects list

The projects list provides citizens with clear information about current and future processes of the district administration at an early stage. The district processes and projects included in the projects list are explained in more detail under “Criteria for including projects and processes in the projects list”. The projects list is therefore an important element in creating transparency. The projects list will be open to include projects by private developers as well as projects by the district administration.

The projects list is kept centrally at the district contact point. The project sponsors (e.g. specialist departments of the district) forward their project descriptions to the central office and are also responsible for regularly updating the information in the project description (e.g. every six months or quarter) or forwarding the update to the central office. There are clearly communicated deadlines for preparing the list.

The project sponsors can seek advice from the district contact point when preparing their project description.

Projects by private developers and other public-sector projects (such as housing associations) are included in the projects list. Private-sector project developers should be made aware of the district projects list by the specialist departments and encouraged to include the project in this list. The contact point also advises private-sector project sponsors on this. The administration should check whether private sponsors are obliged to participate at a minimum level as part of urban development contracts or in the case of grants/subsidies. The contact point can provide advice on this.

In addition to all investment measures of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district, all projects of the district administrations that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are listed in the district projects list:

• Citizen participation is required by law
• Citizens have an interest in a project. The focus should be on the public interest in the project
• Symbolic character of the project for the entire city or district
• High public financial expenditure, at least EU threshold (since 01.01.22: €5,382,000) plus VAT for construction contracts)
• Significant intervention in the environment, the social, green, traffic, and urban infrastructure and people’s housing situation
• The project means a significant change to the neighbourhood
• It has an impact on existing neighbourhoods
• Disposal of properties in the district or if they are assigned to a new purpose
• Projects at senate and federal level should be included in the projects list if they intervene in the municipal social space or are likely to entail district projects.

In the digital version of the projects list on the Berlin participation platform mein.berlin, it is possible to add missing projects. Missing projects are collected by the district contact point and forwarded to the relevant departments of the district for review. If the review is positive, they are included in the projects list. If the review is negative, a rejection with justification is issued.

The information should be clearly formulated and provide information on the following points:

• Title of the project
• Aim of the project
• Key points of the project
• Location of the project
• Planned implementation period
• Planned costs of the project
• Responsible office – contact
• Contractors of the participation process (if available)
• Identification of whether the project involves statutory public participation or a participation procedure as part of informal public participation
• Description of possible planning variants (if available), whereby the greatest possible scope for decision-making should be maintained
• Information on building owners (if available)
• Download option for further information on the project (if available)
• Interaction with other projects in the district (if possible)
• If citizen participation is planned, the start of the participation must be indicated and the participation concept, describing the subject of participation, formats and methods of citizen participation, the scope for decision-making and handling of results, must be provided as a download or link (see participation concept instrument)
• If citizen participation is not planned, reasons must be given as to why not
• If citizen participation is not planned, it must be noted whether an application has been made for participation for the project (application for participation – see instrument for proposing participation)
• Completed projects should continue to be noted on the projects list to ensure transparency in dealing with results and to evaluate the participation process.

The projects list is made available to the public via various communication channels.
These include:

• Digital publication on the Berlin participation platform
• Digital publication on the district office website
• Digital publication as a QR code (e.g. at the place of participation)
• Digital publication on digital networks that are free (also for the district) or already in use (for example, check: nebenan.de, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Instagram, and Facebook)
• Digital publication on the district’s YouTube channel (for example, if financially feasible, in 3-minute videos about the project and participation)
• Publication of a printed version, which is regularly updated as a loose-leaf collection. The loose-leaf collection is available at the district contact point
• The information on the loose-leaf collection is available in local places with high visitor frequency (e.g. supermarkets and bakeries).
• The loose-leaf collection will be accessible at point-of-interest stations in public buildings (e.g. libraries, district offices, district branch offices of city hall, and neighbourhood management offices).
• An additional summary of the projects list is also published quarterly or half-yearly as a print version. This is also available in the various offices of the district.

Stimulating participation

For projects of particular importance to citizens, pioneering future planning, or major district-wide plans, the administration should provide for participation on its own initiative and include it in the budget accordingly.

For projects where the administration has not yet provided for participation in the projects list, citizens can propose participation. This also applies to projects in the district’s area of responsibility that affect the entire local development with regard to holistic restructuring for the district’s future viability (for example, cross-project and cross-departmental neighbourhood planning).

Participation can be proposed for projects without statutory participation. Furthermore, it is possible to propose additional participation in addition to that required by law (e.g. Section 3 of the German Building Code or as part of official planning procedures). It may also be proposed that projects not currently included in the projects list be included in the projects list.

Informal proposal of participation

Proposals for participation can be submitted by citizens informally and formally, in digital or analogue form. The form of the district contact point can be used to simplify the process and to comply with the minimum standards of the process for initiating participation. The contact point provides assistance in completing the form and overcoming language or technical barriers.

If the proposal of participation is made to an office that is not responsible for the project, this office must inform the applicant of an alternative contact (for example, the responsible specialist department including contact or the district contact point). In addition to citizens, other stakeholders, for example from organised civil society and initiatives as well as committees set up in advance, also have the opportunity to make proposals. If an informal proposal is rejected, there is the option of submitting a request for participation.

Proposals of participation and decision on a request for participation

To propose participation, the contact point provides a form in simple language and at least one other language besides German. This language is identified together with local stakeholders and, if necessary, supplemented by other languages if it becomes apparent that a dominant language group in the district is not participating.

The contact point advises applicants on processing. In addition, the contact point provides information on current applications for participation, as only one application for participation can be submitted for each project. This information can also be found in the projects list.

The submission of the participation application to the contact point must meet the following criteria:

• Name of the project for which participation is to take place
• Person proposing participation and contact details (phone number and/or e-mail address and/or postal address)
• Justification and aim of the participation.

The following model procedure for proposing and deciding on citizen participation is proposed for projects in the district’s area of responsibility:
By submitting the completed participation application to the contact point and forwarding it to the contact person in the district for citizen participation, all citizens and stakeholders, for example from organised civil society and initiatives, can propose participation in projects in the district. Children and young people are also entitled to propose participation themselves or via representatives of children’s and youth leisure facilities or children’s and youth parliaments or other municipal children’s interest groups. The same applies to people with mental and/or physical disabilities (including and especially those who live alone or in institutions). The application for participation is forwarded by the district contact point to the responsible department in the district office and from there to the responsible city council or specialist department. A decision on the application will be made within one month.

• If the proposal of participation is approved, a participation process is carried out in accordance with the guidelines
• If the request for participation is rejected by the responsible city councillor, this must be justified in writing

If a proposal is not taken up after written justification, this proposal process is completed and participation is not proposed. The contact point is the contact person and advisor for any formal processing of the proposal for participation.
Irrespective of these guidelines, it is also possible to submit a participation application to the district council for a decision via the instrument of the residents’ application (Section 44 of the District Administration Act). Recommendations with the signatures of at least 1,000 citizens of the district are decided by the district council without delay, but at the latest within two months of receipt of the application.

No restriction of the scope for decision-making on participation during the application procedure

As long as no decision has been made on the application for participation, no resolutions may be passed in the respective project that would restrict the scope of possible participation. This only applies as long as there are no other legal regulations to the contrary.

It is important to ensure that public and private interests are weighed up fairly against each other. In principle, different alternatives (not variants) should be examined and also put up for discussion. At the same time, there should be fair dealings with one another, mistakes should be permitted and misjudgements should be communicated openly, including to the outside world. It should also be noted that the interruption of planning processes can lead to additional costs and blockades. If participation is approved, it must be limited in time and well organised.

Participation concept

The participation concept forms the basis for the design and approach of the participation process and is binding for all stakeholders.

The responsibility for drawing up and implementing a participation concept lies with the administration responsible for the project. The draft participation concept must be presented to citizens at the beginning of the participation process and published in a timely manner. It should be written in as many languages as possible (including plain language). Participation concepts should generally be designed in such a way that they encourage many different citizens to participate, using existing networks in the district and relying on innovative public relations work (e.g. with the help of QR codes or analogue options). For projects of central importance, the participation concept should be developed in a collaborative manner with a committee supporting the project. The committee is made up of an equal number of people who represent the different interests of the project.

If new findings or changed framework conditions arise during the process, adjustments to the participation concept are possible in consultation with the stakeholders or the committee supporting the project.

An individual participation concept is drawn up for each project in which participation is planned according to the projects list. The scope of the participation concept should be adapted to the size of the project and aim for the highest possible level of participation. A participation concept includes statements on the following points:

• Aims of the participation process
• Participation level of involvement (information, participation, co-decision-making, decision-making)
• Brief description of the project and the scope for decision-making
• Which parts of the project are subject to participation and can be influenced by participation?
• For what reasons are parts of the project not subject to participation?
• How should the results of the participation be incorporated into the project?
• Who decides what will be included from the results of the participation?
• Who is accountable for why which results were or were not taken into account?
• Information on legal and technical framework conditions and effects on existing structures
• Target groups and the way they are addressed (e.g. outreach participation)
• Public relations work planned for the participation process
• Timetable and flow chart of the planning and participation process, including phase 0 (presentation of the planning, participation, and decision-making phases)
• Resources (time and funds) available for the participation process
• Dealing with self-organised participation
• Distribution of stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities
• Participation methods and possible variants (tried and tested concepts can also be used as a basis)
• Relationship between online participation and on-site participation
• Form of documentation of the results of the participation and how it is made available, whereby the documentation must be in the simplest possible language
• Form of justification if citizens’ recommendations and wishes are not taken into account in the subsequent implementation and how it is provided
• For projects of central importance: Method for evaluating the participation process

Minimum criteria for determining “projects of central importance”

It is at least a project of central importance if one or more of the following criteria are met:

• It includes a certain order volume
• A certain number of different target groups (e.g. children and young people, senior citizens, people with a history of migration, men/women/diverse people, people with disabilities, etc.) that are affected by the measure
• If it affects a certain number of inhabitants
• If the implementation period is long

Participation advisory panel

The advisory panel is to be formed as a body comparable to or, if necessary, even as a continuation of the triAG, to continuously exchange experiences with the implementation of the guidelines, make recommendations for participation in planned or ongoing projects as required, and advise on the further development of the guidelines. In cooperation with the contact point, the advisory panel is thus committed to the practical application of the principles and instruments.

Composition

The composition of the advisory panel should take various perspectives into account. At the same time, it should be able to function as a body with the number of its members. A size of 24 people is therefore envisaged.

The following composition of the advisory panel is proposed:

• Six members are appointed from the administration
• Four members are appointed by elected representatives of the various parliamentary groups on the district council. These members are delegated by the district council. The participation advisory panel thus also acts as a bridge to politics.
• Citizens can apply for eight seats on the advisory panel following broad publicity. A random selection is made from the applicants on a quota basis, at least according to the criteria of gender, age, different residential districts, and initial experience with participation (other criteria if applicable). The quota should be broadly diversified by age so that young citizens are also represented on the participation panel. For citizens, membership of the participation panel is a voluntary commitment for which they should receive compensation for expenses.
• Six places on the advisory panel are reserved for active initiatives, clubs, and associations. One representative from each of the different clusters “Economy”, “Social Affairs”, “Organised Civil Society”, “Environment”, “People with Disabilities”, and “Organisation of Migrants” will be given a seat on the advisory panel. Interested organisations can apply for a seat on the advisory panel. If there are more than six applications or several applications from individual clusters, a random selection will be made.

In addition, employees of the contact point for participation take part in the meetings (without voting rights).

Deputies should be appointed for all persons who are members of the advisory panel.

It should be possible to reappoint members (for the duration of the term of office, see below under Working methods).

Tasks

• Advice on issues arising during the implementation of the guidelines
• Advice and development of proposed solutions for issues arising in connection with the projects list (e.g. criteria for inclusion of projects in the list and comprehensibility of the descriptions)
• In selected cases, the advisory panel can take a closer look at participation in individual projects and make proposals for the design of the participation concept
• A review of the implementation of the guidelines will be carried out at regular intervals with the involvement of the advisory panel and the public. This is to be carried out by external experts. On the basis of this evaluation, the advisory panel draws up recommendations for further development of the guidelines.

Working method

• The advisory panel will adopt rules of procedure to regulate further details of the following points and, if necessary, other points
• The advisory panel is appointed by the district office
• The advisory panel can elect spokespersons or a team for its own coordination
• The work meetings of the advisory panel take place at regular intervals (e.g. once a quarter). Extraordinary meetings may be convened if necessary
• The advisory panel may pass resolutions of a recommending nature. The aim is to reach an amicable agreement. If this is not possible, the principle of a double qualified 2/3 majority applies
• The contact point for participation supports the meetings of the advisory panel (preparation of the agenda, minutes), ensures the flow of information to the offices responsible for the various instruments and, thus, also the forwarding of the results.
• The minutes of the advisory panel are accessible to the public
• The term of office of the state-wide participation advisory panel should be based on the duration of a legislative period. The members from politics and administration are to be appointed at the beginning of the legislative period. The members from the citizens and interest groups are to be selected in the middle of the legislative period. This ensures that the participation advisory panel is made up of both experienced and new members who can learn from each other. The procedure for the district advisory panel was decided as an open question as part of the triAG collaboration.
• The exclusion and reappointment criteria are specified in the rules of procedure
• As a rule, the meetings of the advisory panel are open to the public. Nonetheless, the advisory panel also has the option of not meeting in public.
• To organise its own work, the advisory panel should actively draw on the experience of other national and international municipalities