On 29 May 2026, experts from the INSPIRE initiative, including the Applied Research and Communications Fund team, convened with local stakeholders and policymakers to explore practical solutions for the institutional integration, scaling, and adaptation of participatory governance approaches.
The workshop focused on identifying institutional barriers, assessing governance capacities, examining the transferability of participatory practices across different contexts, and addressing the democratic trade-offs involved in embedding participatory governance within existing systems.
Throughout the discussions, participants emphasized the importance of ensuring that participatory processes remain meaningful, inclusive, and capable of generating tangible outcomes. Discussions took into consideration the diverse conditions, needs, and constraints that shape different communities, simultaneously highlighting the transferability of participatory governance practices and the need for context-sensitive approaches.
The workshop also provided an opportunity to review and discuss the findings of a previously conducted Q-method survey. The survey offered valuable insights into participants’ perspectives on participatory governance and social justice, serving as a foundation for a broader exchange of ideas on how participatory governance can be strengthened and embedded in practice.
