Citizen science for policy: Key learnings

Webinar

12 December 2024

By Platform

On 10 December 2024, the Policy Learning Platform held a webinar on the topic of Citizen science for policy.

Citizen science can be described as the voluntary participation of non-professional scientists in research and innovation at different stages of the process and different levels of engagement, from shaping research agendas and policies to gathering, processing and analysing data, and assessing the outcomes of research.

Citizen science benefits include generating evidence for assessments, ensuring regulatory compliance, empowering communities, and raising awareness. The EU-Citizen.Science platform plays a key role in this field, serving as a Knowledge Hub. It provides tools, training, and resources to support and mainstream citizen science by sharing expertise and encouraging participation across scientific disciplines.

Muki Haklay

Webinar recording

Webinar agenda

Navigate the agenda below to the topic of your interest.

The webinar has been designed and moderated by Arnault Morisson and Astrid Severin, Thematic Experts for a Europe closer to citizens.

00:01:01 Introduction by Arnault Morisson to the topic

00:16:42 Keynote speech by Muki Haklay on the latest trends in citizen science for policy

00:25:30 Presentation by Jatta Juhola on the Citizen activation in South Savo region

00:37:13 Q&A: How did you motivate citizens to participate?

00:40:15 Q&A: How do you reach people who are not the usual crowd? How do you reach out to immigrant groups and how to involve them? And how much did it cost you to organise these workshops?

00:42:12 Q&A: How was the contribution of the citizens acknowledged in your intervention? And how was the result communicated to them?

00:44:55 Q&A: Can you tell us more about when you are just starting with citizen science, where in the policy lifecycle should you start?

00:47:27 Q&A: What would be good European platforms to use to start this process?

00:49:32 Q&A: Are these platforms open source?

00:55:00 Presentation by Hanneke Straver on the Participatory approach Spoorzone

01:04:53 Q&A: You mentioned the role of the experts and facilitation, what made the facilitation, good facilitation? Do you have recommendations?

01:06:55 Q&A: What were the most effective outreach and communication tools to get citizens involved in the process?

01:08:00 Q&A: Do you make sure that you have a good spread of different demographics in your group of participants?

Panel discussion

01:09:59 Q&A: We see many ways to engage citizens, but how can we keep them engaged?

01:15:32 Q&A: How do you create acceptance of the knowledge that is created by the citizens?

01:21:19 Q&A: What are things to avoid in this process?

01:27:09 Q&A: You mentioned playful aspects in your cases, how important was that?

Key learnings

Explore the key learnings and good practices of the webinar below.

Key insights for local and regional policymakers

Stages of policy involvement: citizen science is particularly effective during the monitoring and evaluation phases, emphasizing data collection and oversight. Engaging citizens at these stages enhances data quality and relevance.
Engaging vulnerable groups: to involve marginalized communities, collaborate with trusted intermediaries and associations. This approach helps overcome mistrust and ensures inclusive participation.
Addressing polarised issues: For contested topics, citizen science empowers communities by providing evidence-based data, facilitating constructive dialogue, and influencing policy decisions through neutral, credible data.
Effective facilitation: adopt a facilitative approach by actively listening and posing questions to understand participants’ contributions, creating a collaborative environment.
Outreach strategies: use diverse communication methods such as door-to-door invitations, newsletters, and social media campaigns to encourage community participation.
Recognizing citizen contributions: maintain transparent communication to acknowledge and validate citizens’ contributions, reinforcing their engagement.

Strategies to maintain citizen interest and engagement:

Active communication: provide regular updates through various media channels to keep participants informed and engaged.
Small group engagement: Work with enthusiastic small groups to foster a sense of community and sustained participation.
Timely information sharing: Introduce new information during meetings to maintain interest and encourage ongoing involvement.
Community integration: participate in local events and festivals to engage citizens in familiar and comfortable settings.

Ensuring acceptance of knowledge generated through citizen science:

Robust protocols: develop and implement well-designed protocols to ensure data quality and reliability.
Method selection: choose methods aligned with project goals and allow participants to contribute to solution selection, enhancing ownership and acceptance.
Transparency: clearly communicate data management practices to build trust and credibility among participants and stakeholders.

Good practice highlighted and more information

Spoorzone, Netherlands: implemented a multi-step participatory approach to urban development, including festivals and citizen science labs, leading to a revised development plan that aligned with community preferences for a car-free area and preservation of industrial heritage.
South Savo, Finland: the South Savo Regional Council organised workshops using service design to enhance resident involvement, aiming to identify place-based needs and implement innovative actions to boost regional attractiveness.

More information: