School at the center of participatory budget in Lundby.
For the first time in Sweden, Lundby in Gothenburg is piloting a school-centered participatory budget based on a model used internationally.
– This feels really exciting! As far as we know, it’s the first time a participatory budget is being tested in a school in Sweden. It feels so important. It’s about teaching young people from an early age how they can participate in decision-making, making them more likely to engage in society, and showing them that their voice matters,” says Sanna Ghotbi, Citizen Participation Consultant at DigiDem Lab.
Participatory budgeting also increases students’ motivation and academic performance.
This type of process has, however, been tested in schools in several other countries. Research has shown that students who participate in such processes are more likely to feel empowered and influential. It also boosts motivation and school results.
– We have looked closely at Chicago, where this has been implemented for several years, and the effect is very clear,” Sanna explains.
In Lundby, the process will also be documented as part of a research project on school participatory budgets, in collaboration with Transparency International.
About the process
The process is part of the initiative School at the Heart of Lundby, where the district has previously worked to make the school a central hub and meeting place. The participatory budget amounts to SEK 100,000, and both students of all ages and tenants of the participating housing companies can submit proposals for how the funds should be used and vote on them. The theme is social activities, and the goal is to involve as many people in the area as possible, with the possibility of using school or housing company facilities.
The two participating housing companies have several properties around the school Bjurslättskolan in Lundby, where most of the participatory budget activities will take place.
– This includes, among other things, workshops during school hours. The process itself is also considered part of the participatory budgeting work. Students will learn about civic engagement, budgeting, and conduct research on local needs while applying their creativity. For example, they can use art or music to communicate their proposals, explains Sanna.
Bjurslättskolan and an aerial view of part of the Lundby district. Photo: Wikipedia.
About Lundby district
Lundby is a district with residents from highly diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The school intake area of Bjurslättskolan includes neighborhoods with a high proportion of single-parent households and households receiving social assistance, as well as suburban areas and newly built apartment blocks. The school has great potential to serve as a central gathering place for children and families from a wide range of socio-economic situations.
About the project
DigiDem Lab is facilitating the participatory budget process and conducting training sessions and workshops with, among others, staff from the district administration and the school. Lundby has chosen to use the open-source platform Decidim, where participants can submit proposals and vote. DigiDem Lab assists with installation and training. At the time of writing, the project is in a consolidation phase. The plan is for the public part of the process to begin in the fall of 2020, with the proposals being implemented during 2021
