Speak Up Mid-Project Report: Lessons Learned in Public Participation

Bringing together municipalities, non-profits, and universities from six Northern European countries, the Speak Up project has created a unique opportunity for sharing knowledge and experience around public participation for the green transition. Over the past year and a half, our partners have tested a variety of pilot projects, each reflecting different local challenges and approaches. The mid-project report captures these experiences, highlighting eight key challenges that emerged across the partnership. Below, we share a brief overview of these challenges along with some of the practical recommendations partners are using to tackle them.

One of the most common challenges in public participation is reaching a diverse group of people. Often, the same core group shows up, while vulnerable communities and those with fewer resources remain underrepresented. This creates a gap between who participates and the full population, making it harder to develop solutions that truly reflect everyone’s needs. To tackle this, organisations are using a mix of outreach methods, personal contact, adapting messages to target groups, removing practical barriers like time and transport, and building trust within communities. The goal is to meet people where they are and create participation opportunities that feel relevant, accessible, and welcoming.

Diversity and inclusion don’t end with recruiting a varied group, it is equally important to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. Some participants naturally take the lead while others may hold back, which can skew representation and overlook valuable perspectives. To address this, organisations rely on trained facilitators, small group discussions, anonymous feedback methods, and clear education upfront to create a safe space where all feel comfortable contributing. This helps balance participation and ensures decisions reflect the full range of views.

Public participation can sometimes bring conflicts to the surface, especially when diverse groups with different backgrounds and views come together, sometimes around controversial topics. While conflict isn’t inevitable, it needs careful management to keep discussions constructive. Organisations tackle this by setting clear ground rules, involving neutral facilitators, focusing on shared community goals, and training facilitators to handle tension. Encouraging open, respectful dialogue helps participants acknowledge differences while maintaining mutual respect and working toward common solutions.

A key concern for both citizens and organisers is the follow-up process: what actually happens with citizens’ recommendations? Policy changes take time, involve multiple steps, and some proposals fall outside an organisation’s control or face technical or legal constraints. This lack of clarity can lead to frustration and mistrust. To address this, organisations focus on managing expectations from the start, explaining how the decision-making system works, and maintaining transparent, ongoing communication through varied and engaging formats. Holding feedback sessions where citizens can ask questions directly, involving other departments early, and carefully balancing project scope and ambition all help build trust and ensure that people feel their input is valued and understood.

Municipalities often struggle with defining their role in neighbourhood participation, deciding how much control to give citizens and when to step in. Striking the right balance between supporting citizen-led initiatives and managing the process is tricky, especially as full citizen agency can lead to unexpected outcomes. To address this, many are shifting towards a facilitative role, supporting citizens to organize change collectively rather than leading top-down. This involves adapting their involvement through different phases, establishing clear frameworks and shared goals, considering human dynamics like trust-building, and creating support networks that empower citizens to act. Changing mindsets, especially among politicians, to embrace this shift is a key challenge.

Declining trust in government bodies makes public participation harder, as citizens often see it as tokenism and hold biases against public servants. To tackle this, building genuine relationships between citizens and officials is key: getting to know each other and working closely throughout the process helps create equal partnerships. Non-profits can act as trusted bridges between communities and municipalities, facilitating communication and solutions. Transparency, clear follow-up on citizen input, and connecting actions directly to community needs also play a crucial role in rebuilding trust.

Engaging youth requires tailored approaches since their interests and ways of participating might differ from other groups. With the right support, training, and tools, young people can be highly passionate and effective contributors. Youth facilitators help connect with their peers, while creative, fun activities geared toward their interests boost involvement. Though youth engagement can sometimes bring conflicts, channelling their energy constructively, especially through intergenerational dialogue, can drive meaningful participation.

Digital participation offers many benefits but also unique challenges: knowing which tools to use, who they actually reach, and how to keep participants engaged can be tricky. Organizers often combine digital tools with in-person events to broaden reach and deepen engagement. Creative approaches, like voting tablets around the city, social media campaigns, or QR codes, help target different groups. Offering varied options, such as voting, surveys, and message boards, lets people participate in ways that suit their time and goals. Clear communication and user-friendly platforms are key to making digital tools accessible and widely used.

To get the full list of recommendations provided by our partners and receive advice on how to efficiently lead a public participation initiative, read the full report below!