What is Public Participation?

Public participation is the engagement of individuals with the various structures and institutions of democracy, including voting, contacting a political representative, campaigning and lobbying, and taking part in consultations and demonstrations.

IAP2’s Public Participation Spectrum

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)’s Public Participation Spectrum sets out five roles that the public can have in decision making.

Reproduced with permission from IAP2